01How do I choose a REALTOR® to sell my home?
Talk to several, at least three, even if a friend or family member is in the business, because everyone runs their business differently. Ask each one for their marketing plan in numbers: how many views, across how many platforms, the advertising spend and the social media strategy. If the plan is the MLS® and a lockbox, or they can’t answer with specifics, you’re leaving money on the table.
Go deeperSeller Blueprint
02What should I do to get my home ready to sell?
Go a little above and beyond: paint, landscaping and updating certain things. Buyers walking into a clean but dated home have been asking sellers for a discount to renovate, even though that isn’t really the seller’s concern, and if you skip the work you’ll get hammered on price. Small things count too, like swapping grey laundry hoses for braided ones, because the old type can break down and leak.
03Should I stage my home?
It’s worth talking through, and there are two ways to do it: virtual staging, where a photo editor adds furniture to the professional photos, or real furniture in the home. But staging won’t rescue the wrong price. Being a little bit wrong on price for a month costs more than any staging budget is ever going to make back.
04What will buyers ask about my strata building?
Have answers ready on owner occupancy and litigation. I tell buyers to ask the listing agent directly what share of the building is owner occupied, and whether there’s any active or pending litigation involving the strata, and to be pointed to that section of the Form B. A listing agent who brushes those questions off gives a careful buyer a reason to walk.
Go deeperReading strata documents
05What should I check on my parking and storage before I list?
Know exactly which stall and locker are yours, and that they’re assigned to your unit rather than rented from another owner, because those are very different things and buyers are checking. I can’t tell you how many times a buyer skips the parkade, writes the offer, then finds at inspection that the stall is too small and the deal blows up. Show them the stall up front.
Selling?The Seller BlueprintHow I price, prepare and sell a home, step by step, before you ever sign anything.Read the Seller Blueprint →06Will my skylight or roof deck come up when I sell?
Probably, because those are building envelope items and a buyer’s inspector will flag them, which turns them into a negotiation. Integrated appliances near the end of their life do the same once a buyer works out what a replacement costs. Find out when the flashing or the membrane was last done before you list, so you have the answer ready.
07Once I accept an offer, can the buyer still back out?
For a short window, yes: when I covered it in February 2026, BC buyers had a three-day rescission period, so a deal could still be cancelled for a penalty of 0.25% of the price. Before that, the buyer usually has a window of around 10 days for inspections and other due diligence. Once subjects are off, the deposit, usually 5%, sits in the buyer’s brokerage trust account, never with the seller. Your lawyer or notary can confirm the current rules.
08Should I buy first or sell first?
Sell first. Since 2025 I’ve been recommending all my clients put their property on first, because you don’t want to commit to a purchase without knowing what yours will sell for. With your money in hand you can offer a quick closing and a short subject removal, which gets you a lot more for your money. Buying subject to the sale of your home can work, but you’ll leave some money on the table in the negotiation.
09Is a slow market a good time to sell if I’m moving up?
I think it’s the best time. You want to downsize when it’s hot and upsize when it’s slow, because in a hot market you rush, overpay and give up good terms on the bigger purchase. Say everything goes up 10%: you gain $50,000 on a $500,000 condo but pay $100,000 more for the million-dollar house, so you’re behind.
10My home has a tenant. Will that make it harder to sell?
It can. A lot of buyers don’t want to inherit a tenant, and with a fixed-term tenancy you can’t give notice until the term ends, so a buyer who has just sold and needs to move now can’t wait three, four or five months. When I covered this in December 2025, a buyer moving in for their own use had to give three full months’ notice, so check the current rules before you list.
1:17Hear me say it at 1:17How To Buy Your First Home In Vancouver 🇨🇦 A Step By Step GuideFebruary 2026 · 30:52 long
8:20Hear me say it at 8:20Home Sellers Are PANICKING In Vancouver | (HERE'S WHY)May 2026 · 9:29 long
