BC Home Buying Process 2026: From Offer to Closing

If you are buying into a strata, the Zealty Strata Browser covers more than 14,000 BC buildings, so you can research a building before your subject period even starts.

Subject Removal: When the Deal Becomes Firm

Removing subjects means telling the seller, in writing, that each condition has been satisfied. You sign a subject removal form before the deadline written on the contract. Miss the deadline and the offer can collapse, so this date is one to circle.

The moment your subjects are removed, the deal becomes firm and binding. There is no more walking away without consequences, and this is when your deposit becomes firm and is handed over. From here the sale will complete unless both parties agree otherwise.

We cover this stage in depth in our guide to subject removal in BC, including what each standard subject really protects and how to handle a tight removal deadline.

From Firm Deal to Completion

With subjects removed, the file moves to a lawyer or notary, who handles the conveyancing, the legal transfer of ownership. They search title, prepare the transfer and mortgage documents, and coordinate funds with your lender. You sign your closing documents a few days before completion.

Three BC dates do the heavy lifting here, and buyers mix them up constantly:

• Completion date: the day the purchase price is paid, the documents register at the Land Title Office, and legal ownership transfers to you.
• Possession date: the day you actually get the keys and can move in, usually one day after completion.
• Adjustment date: the day from which ongoing property costs such as property tax and strata fees become yours. Anything the seller prepaid past this date is credited back to them on the statement of adjustments.

Closing Costs: What You Pay at the Finish Line

Beyond your down payment, completion comes with one-time costs. The biggest is usually BC Property Transfer Tax.

Property Transfer Tax is charged on a sliding scale: 1% on the first $200,000 of the price, 2% on the portion from $200,000 to $2,000,000, 3% on the portion from $2,000,000 to $3,000,000, and 5% on anything above $3,000,000.

Two exemptions can erase or shrink it:

• First-Time Home Buyers exemption: a full exemption when the fair market value is under $500,000, and a partial exemption that phases out between $835,000 and $860,000. You must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, move in within 92 days, and never have owned a principal residence anywhere. Confirm the current thresholds before you rely on them, as the province adjusts them periodically.
• Newly Built Home exemption: a full exemption on a newly built principal residence valued up to $1,100,000, phasing out by $1,150,000. You do not have to be a first-time buyer to use it.

On top of the transfer tax you pay legal or notary fees, usually a few hundred up to around fifteen hundred dollars, plus disbursements like the title search and registration, and your share of any prepaid property tax or strata fees through the adjustments.

For a line-by-line example on a $1,000,000 BC home, see our full closing costs breakdown.

Where to Start

The buying process feels smoother when you have done the homework before you write an offer. Know your price range, line up your financing, and research the building or neighbourhood so your subject period becomes a confirmation rather than a scramble.

Start by tracking the homes you are interested in. Browse live BC listings on Zealty, and if you want the full calendar from search to keys, our BC buying timeline lays out how long each stage takes.