Real Estate Blog for Buyers and Sellers - Alex Dunbar

BUYERS

How to Read Strata Documents Before Buying a Condo or Townhome in BC

Watch the full video above, or read the 2026 written version below. In This Guide How To Actually Read What You're Given 01 Why This Matters 02 Form B (Information Certificate) 03 Bylaws & Rules 04 Depreciation Report & Engineering Bonus 05 Meeting Minutes & Notices 06 Financials & Budget 07 Insuran

Best Presales Under $600k in Fraser Valley (2026): The Honest Shortlist

Fraser Valley Budget Buyer Guide · Updated 2026-04-17 Best Presales Under $600k in Fraser Valley (2026): The Honest Shortlist Under-$600k presale condos and townhomes still exist in Surrey, Langley, Maple Ridge, and Abbotsford in 2026, but the definition of what you get has shifted. Here is the real

How Much Deposit Do You Need for a Presale in BC? Full Guide

BC Presale Buyer Guide · Updated 2026-04-17 How Much Deposit Do You Need for a Presale in BC? Full Guide The short version: most BC presales require 15% to 20% of the purchase price as deposit, paid in 3 or 4 installments over 12-18 months , not all at once. Here is exactly how deposits work, when e

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How to Read Strata Documents Before Buying a Condo or Townhome in BC

Watch the full video above, or read the 2026 written version below. In This Guide How To Actually Read What You're Given 01 Why This Matters 02 Form B (Information Certificate) 03 Bylaws & Rules 04 Depreciation Report & Engineering Bonus 05 Meeting Minutes & Notices 06 Financials & Budget 07 Insuran
Best Presales Under $600k in Fraser Valley (2026): The Honest Shortlist

Fraser Valley Budget Buyer Guide · Updated 2026-04-17 Best Presales Under $600k in Fraser Valley (2026): The Honest Shortlist Under-$600k presale condos and townhomes still exist in Surrey, Langley, Maple Ridge, and Abbotsford in 2026, but the definition of what you get has shifted. Here is the real
How Much Deposit Do You Need for a Presale in BC? Full Guide

BC Presale Buyer Guide · Updated 2026-04-17 How Much Deposit Do You Need for a Presale in BC? Full Guide The short version: most BC presales require 15% to 20% of the purchase price as deposit, paid in 3 or 4 installments over 12-18 months , not all at once. Here is exactly how deposits work, when e
GST Rebate on New Construction BC: How to Save Thousands on Your Presale

BC Presale Tax Guide · Updated 2026-04-17 GST Rebate on New Construction BC: How to Save Thousands on Your Presale The short version: yes, you pay 5% GST on every new BC presale. If you are a first-time home buyer and signed your agreement on or after March 20, 2025, you can claim the new federal Fi
Fraser Valley Presale Watchlist: Every Active Presale Worth Watching

Fraser Valley Presale Watchlist: Every Active Presale Worth Watching The Fraser Valley Presale Watchlist is filtered monthly intelligence for buyers, not a newsletter. Once a month, first of the month, you get the entire active presale market in Surrey, Langley & Maple Ridge laid out in one 5-minute
How to Pay Off Your Mortgage Faster in Canada: 4 Strategies That Actually Work

How to Pay Off Your Mortgage Faster in Canada: 4 Strategies That Actually Work Most Canadian homeowners focus entirely on their monthly payment and assume that's the full picture. It isn't. The real cost of your mortgage is quietly compounding in the background, and if you don't understand how inter
Canada's Mortgage Renewal Crisis: What Every Homeowner Needs to Know Before 2026

Canada's Mortgage Renewal Crisis: What Every Homeowner Needs to Know Before 2026 If you locked in a 5-year fixed mortgage in 2021, your rate was probably somewhere around 1.7 to 1.9%. Those payments felt manageable, maybe even comfortable. But that comfort had an expiry date, and for more than 1.2 m
5 Things NOT to Do After You Get A Mortgage Pre-Approval

5 Major Mistakes to Avoid After Getting a Mortgage Pre-Approval in Canada 💳📉 Congratulations! You've taken a major step toward homeownership by getting pre-approved for a mortgage. But don’t relax just yet—this is where things can go sideways if you're not careful. Lenders base pre-approvals on
Canadian Real Estate: Should You Buy a Home in 2025?

Should You Buy a Home in 2025 or Wait? 🏡😔 Are you about to make the biggest financial mistake of your life? In this blog post, we're going to break down whether buying a house in 2025 is a smart financial move or a fast track to regret. If you’re trying to figure out whether to buy now or wait,

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Langley Real Estate Market 2026: What Buyers and Sellers Actually Need to Know

Short answer: The Langley market in April 2026 is NOT one market, it is three. Townhomes in Willoughby and Walnut Grove are in a clear seller's market. Detached over $1.7M is sitting longer and buyers have real negotiating room. Condos are balanced on newer stock, slow on older stock. "What is the m
The West Coast Express: A Real Commuter's 2026 Guide for Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows & Mission

Short answer: The West Coast Express works beautifully for a narrow buyer profile: a Downtown-Vancouver or Waterfront-adjacent office, a 9-to-5 (or 8-to-5) schedule, no need to leave work before 3:50pm or after 6:25pm, and a commute tolerance of 75 to 105 minutes door-to-door. Outside that profile,
How to Read Strata Documents Before Buying a Condo or Townhome in BC

Watch the full video above, or read the 2026 written version below. In This Guide How To Actually Read What You're Given 01 Why This Matters 02 Form B (Information Certificate) 03 Bylaws & Rules 04 Depreciation Report & Engineering Bonus 05 Meeting Minutes & Notices 06 Financials & Budget 07 Insuran
Should You Buy a Home Near the New Surrey-Langley SkyTrain Extension?

Watch the full breakdown above, or read the station-by-station 2026 written version below. In This Guide Station-By-Station, Plus Timing And Mistakes 01 Why SkyTrain Changes Buyer Math 02 BC Transit-Oriented Areas (Bill 47) 03 Multiplex Zoning on Your Lot (Bill 44) 04 Green Timbers Station 05 152 St
Cost of Living in Langley BC (2026): What You'll Actually Spend

Short answer: Langley in 2026 is affordable for households earning $85,000+ single or $165,000+ combined, renting. It is feasible but tight for a couple earning $155,000 buying a townhome. It is comfortable for a family of 4 earning $195,000+ buying detached. Below those thresholds, Langley stops be