PROPERTY MARKETS · OWNER RESOURCES
Before You Sell Your Home
The first meeting should make your next decision easier. You do not need a perfectly prepared home or a finished plan.
Start with the move, then the property.
Write down what you would like a sale to make possible. Are you moving closer to family, changing the amount of space you need, or coordinating a move off the Island? Separate a preferred date from a date you must meet. These details help frame the conversation about preparation and timing.
Bring what you already have.
- The property address, approximate age and a short description of improvements.
- Records of renovations, permits, warranties and known issues, if available.
- For strata property, the documents you have and any questions about upcoming work or costs.
- Information about occupants or tenancies that could affect showing arrangements and timing.
- A list of what you need to understand before deciding to sell.
You do not need to upload financial records, identification or private tenancy documents to this website. An initial enquiry needs only the basics. Albert can discuss an appropriate way to review further information.
Decide what preparation is worth doing.
Before committing to major work, discuss the likely buyer, the condition of the property and the time you have. Make a short list of practical tasks, who will handle them, and their costs. A particular improvement does not come with a guaranteed return.
Ask useful questions about pricing.
Ask which completed sales are relevant, how their condition and location compare, and what competing listings mean for your launch. Discuss the evidence behind a suggested approach and how the plan would be reviewed if buyer feedback changes.
Separate what you know, what to check and what to decide.
A useful working checklist starts with three short lists, not a perfect file.
- What you know: the home's condition, improvements and the permits or warranties already available.
- What to check: which sales are genuinely comparable, and whether suite, lot or strata records raise questions that matter to a buyer.
- What to decide: worthwhile preparation, launch timing and arrangements for your next move.
For example, a renovated kitchen may improve presentation, but pricing still needs to consider the whole property and comparable sales. A space with its own entrance calls for a check of its use and records before deciding how to describe it.
Depending on your property, explore the records behind a secondary suite, what to check about your lot, or how location informs a selling discussion.
Keep the whole move in view.
A sale date is only one part of the plan. Consider accommodation, financing questions for your lender, moving arrangements and the timing of any purchase. Raise dependencies early so the right advisers can help.
For the provincial consumer resource, see BCFSA’s guide to selling a home.