Clarington is accepting public tenders for five condominium units at 21 Brookhouse Drive in Newcastle. The numbers may attract attention, but this is not a conventional condo listing—and the municipality’s notice contains restrictions and costs that every potential bidder should understand before considering a tender.
The official Municipality of Clarington notice covers two municipal tax-sale files. Tenders must be received by 3 p.m. local time on November 4, 2026, at the Municipal Administration Centre, 40 Temperance Street in Bowmanville. They are scheduled to be opened publicly shortly after the deadline.
What is included in the tender?
- File 25-01: Units 40 and 93, Level A, Durham Standard Condominium Plan No. 312. The last returned assessment roll lists an assessed value of $16,000. The minimum tender amount is $11,105.55.
- File 25-02: Units 154, 163 and 174, Level A, in the same condominium corporation. The last returned assessment roll lists a combined assessed value of $3,000. The minimum tender amount is $9,869.56.
Those assessed values should not be treated as estimates of current market value. Clarington expressly warns that an assessment may or may not represent what the property is worth in the market. A minimum tender is also not a promise that a bid at that amount will succeed.
The ownership restriction is crucial
The most important detail is in the condominium declaration. According to Clarington, ownership of the units is restricted to a person or entity that already owns a residential unit in the condominium corporation.
That means the opportunity may not be open to a member of the general public who has no existing ownership interest in the building. Prospective bidders are responsible for confirming that they are legally eligible to acquire and hold title. The municipality makes no warranty about eligibility and strongly advises bidders to obtain independent legal advice.
What a bidder must account for
A valid tender must use the prescribed form and include a deposit of at least 20 per cent of the tendered amount. The deposit must be provided by certified cheque, bank draft or money order payable to the Municipality of Clarington.
The successful purchaser must pay more than the tender price. The official notice says accumulated taxes and applicable charges—potentially including land transfer tax and HST—are also payable. Clarington does not promise vacant possession and makes no general representation about title or other matters affecting the units.
Due diligence matters more than the headline price
Municipal tax sales can look simple because the notice provides a minimum tender. In practice, a careful buyer needs to understand exactly what is being sold, whether the condominium declaration permits the purchase, what is registered on title, whether possession is available, and what taxes or closing costs will be added.
For broader background, browse my power-of-sale articles and Durham real-estate commentary. A municipal tax sale follows a different legal process from a lender’s power of sale, so the documents for this tender must be reviewed on their own terms.
Before submitting anything, a potential bidder should review the full legal descriptions, the condominium declaration and status information, the prescribed tender requirements, and title with an Ontario real-estate lawyer. The bidder should also independently investigate the nature and permitted use of each Level A unit rather than assuming from the word “condominium” that it is a residential suite.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or investment advice. The municipal notice and prescribed tender documents control. For the local-news report that brought wider attention to the sale, see the Durham Post coverage.