Moving to BC from Another Province: A Relocation Guide

How buying in BC differs from where you are coming from

• Property transfer tax. Alberta has none. BC charges 1 percent on the first $200,000, 2 percent to $2 million and more above, due in cash on completion. On a $1.2 million home that is $22,000 you did not budget for. Details in my transfer tax guide.
• Home Buyer Rescission Period. After your offer is accepted you have three business days to cancel for any reason, for a fee of 0.25 percent. No other province has this.
• No dual agency. One agent cannot represent both buyer and seller. If you call the listing agent, they cannot act for you.
• Strata, not condo corporation. Same idea, different vocabulary and documents. You will be reading a Form B, a depreciation report and strata minutes rather than a status certificate.
• Completion and possession are separate dates, and adjustments for taxes and strata fees are made between them. Your notary or lawyer handles it.
• Prices. You know this already, but seeing it on a listing still lands differently. A detached home in South Surrey costs roughly what a very large house costs in most of Alberta. Decide early whether you are buying detached, townhome or condo, because that decision shapes everything else.

Choosing a community on the Peninsula

White Rock and South Surrey are where most of my relocating clients end up, for the schools, the ocean and the fact that it feels like a town. The quick version: White Rock for walkability, the beach, older homes and condos, and retirees. South Surrey for newer family homes, townhomes, big parks and the Semiahmoo and Earl Marriott catchments. Langley if the budget needs more room and the commute is east or into Surrey. My White Rock versus South Surrey comparison goes deeper. Whatever you do, test the commute at the real hour before you buy. The Massey Tunnel and the Port Mann are the two facts of life nobody from Calgary believes until they sit in them.

The timeline that works

1. Three months out: mortgage pre-approval with a BC-licensed broker or your bank's BC branch. Out-of-province income is fine; a new job offer letter in BC is usually fine too. Sort the sale of your current home first if you need the equity.
2. Six to eight weeks out: one focused house-hunting trip. I preview homes before you arrive so that we see eight real candidates in two days rather than twenty tours. Video walk-throughs cover the rest.
3. Offer: keep your financing and inspection subjects even if you are competing. Being remote is a reason for more protection, not less.
4. Completion: can be done remotely through your BC lawyer or notary with documents signed in your home province before a notary there. Plan for a 30 to 60 day completion so the moving company and the sale behind you line up.

Costs newcomers miss

• Transfer tax, above.
• BC's Medical Services Plan has a waiting period of up to three months after you arrive. Keep your old provincial coverage until MSP starts.
• Vehicle registration and insurance through ICBC within 30 days, and a BC driver's licence within 90.
• Home insurance in a coastal climate and, for strata buildings, a deductible that can run into five figures. Ask for the strata's insurance summary before you offer.
• Heating is mostly natural gas or electric heat pumps here, and bills are lower than in a Prairie winter. Property taxes are usually higher than you are used to on a per-dollar basis but the Home Owner Grant takes a bite out of them.

What to bring, what to leave

Bring your patience for traffic and your rain jacket. Leave the snow tires only if you are sure; the hill in White Rock ices a few days a year and the city grinds to a halt when it does. Most importantly, bring a clear idea of the home type and the one or two things you will not compromise on. Relocation buyers who arrive with a list of forty wants and no priorities spend the weekend confused. The ones with three priorities buy the right house.

The short version

• Budget for transfer tax and understand the rescission period, the no dual agency rule and strata documents.
• White Rock for walkability and the beach, South Surrey for family homes and schools, Langley for budget room.
• Pre-approve early, do one focused trip, keep your subjects, and complete remotely if you need to.
• Sort MSP, ICBC and insurance in the first month.

If you are planning a move here, send me your timeline and your must-haves and I will put together the preview list before you book the flight. I have done this with a lot of families and the weekend goes better with a plan.