No. 01
Deposit timing
When is each installment due, and what happens if a payment misses by a day?
Lead feature / The presale playbook
Buying before the building.
A field guide for Lower Mainland buyers.
A presale purchase is a contract to buy a home that doesn't exist yet. The developer builds the tower; you commit to the unit now, pay deposits over time, and complete when keys are ready — often two to four years out. Handled well, it's one of the smartest ways to enter the market. Handled poorly, it locks you into terms you didn't fully understand.
The 8-point review
No. 02
Completion and extensions
What is the developer's right to extend? Have they used it before?
No. 03
Assignment clause
Can you sell before completion? At what fee? With what consent?
No. 04
Disclosure amendments
Material facts change. The developer can amend; you have a window to respond.
No. 05
Tax exposure
GST, Property Transfer Tax, foreign buyer tax — none of which appear on the price tag.
No. 06
Mortgage timing
Rates change between contract and completion. Pre-approval is a date stamp, not a guarantee.
No. 07
Strata details
Bylaws, rental restrictions, parking and storage allocation. Often buried in addenda.
No. 08
Developer track record
Past completions, dispute history, and what residents say after the keys arrive.
On method
I don't charge for the review itself; the brokerage compensation comes from the developer if you go ahead. What that means in practice: the review is honest because it has to be — if I tell you a presale is fine when it isn't, I lose your future business and the next three referrals.
Looking at a specific presale? Let's review it together.
Send the listing