Blog
Real estate insights, tips, and market updates.
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Debt Service Ratio BC: GDS & TDS Mortgage Approval Limits
GDS and TDS are the two ratios that decide your mortgage in BC. See the 39% and 44% limits, what counts in each, and worked Surrey and Vancouver examples.
Hamidreza Etebarian
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Leasehold vs Freehold in BC: What You're Actually Buying
Leasehold homes in BC cost 10-25% less than freehold, but you don't own the land and the lease expires. How it works at UBC, SFU UniverCity and on First Nations land.
Hamidreza Etebarian
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Mortgage Pre-Approval BC 2026: What Lenders Check and How Long It Lasts
A pre-approval sets the exact price range you can shop in and locks your rate for up to 120 days. Here is what BC lenders check and how the stress test shrinks your number.
Hamidreza Etebarian
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Days on Market BC 2026: What DOM Tells You About Any Listing
Metro Vancouver median Days on Market is 48. A BC listing at 80+ DOM is signaling price, defect, or seller motivation. Here is how to read DOM and use it for negotiation leverage.
Hamidreza Etebarian
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Multiple Offer Bidding War in BC 2026: Win Without Overpaying
A BC buyer who wins a 12-offer bidding war typically pays 8-18% over list. Here is how multiple-offer situations actually work, the 4 strategies that win without overpaying, and when to walk away.
Hamidreza Etebarian
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Legal Basement Suite BC 2026: Requirements, Costs to Legalize, Value
A legal BC basement suite adds $80K to $200K in home value, but 30-40% of rented BC suites are illegal. Bill 44 (SSMUH) now permits suites broadly, but the BC Building Code still applies. Here are the requirements, costs to legalize, and the financial gap.
Hamidreza Etebarian
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Laneway House Vancouver 2026: Build Costs, Rental Yields, Permits
A Vancouver laneway house costs $400K-$650K to build, takes 12-22 months, and earns 3.8-5.2% net rental yield. Vancouver's R1-1 zoning lets you add one as of right — rental only, not sold separately.
Hamidreza Etebarian
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Special Levy BC 2026: Sizes, Triggers & How to Spot Them Coming
A BC special levy hits $5K to $80K per unit on building envelope, roof, or plumbing repairs. Here is how levies get approved, typical sizes by repair type, and 5 signs one is coming.
Hamidreza Etebarian
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Strata Fees BC 2026: What's Included, Average Costs, Red Flags
Metro Vancouver strata fees run $0.55 to $0.90 per square foot, $440 to $720 monthly on an 800 sqft unit. Here is what they cover, where the money goes, and 5 red flags fees are about to rise.
Hamidreza Etebarian
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Best Neighbourhoods in Richmond BC 2026: Prices, Transit, Schools
Richmond, BC has 2,023 active listings and a $999,999 median price in 2026, with $748K Brighouse condos and $2.77M Seafair detached. Here are the 7 best Richmond neighbourhoods, matched to buyer priorities.
Hamidreza Etebarian
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BC Property Tax 2026: How It Works, Rates, Grant & Due Dates
What BC homeowners pay in annual property tax, how the bill is calculated, the Home Owner Grant you must claim, and what changed for tax deferral in 2026.
Hamidreza Etebarian
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Vancouver School Catchments 2026: Real Estate Premium & How to Verify
A guide to Vancouver School Board catchments for buyers: which Westside and Eastside catchments command the biggest home-price premium, how to verify the catchment for any address using the VSB School Locator, and the traps that catch even repeat buyers.
Hamidreza Etebarian