Luxury Properties Across Vancouver West Side and the North Shore

Luxury homes for sale in Greater Vancouver reward the buyer who verifies build quality, view protection and carrying costs long before the offer date.

Compare Luxury Homes in Greater Vancouver on Build Quality

A breathtaking photograph tells you nothing about the envelope behind it. Ask the listing agent for the building permits, the final occupancy certificate and the names of the architect and builder, then have your inspector look specifically at the roof assembly, the drainage around the foundation and the mechanical systems. In British Columbia a home built under the current warranty programme carries third-party coverage on the structure, while an older estate rebuilt without permits carries none. Request the permit history from the seller rather than accepting a renovation date quoted on the listing.

Verify What the Neighbouring Lots Are Permitted to Build

View protection is the most expensive thing to get wrong at this price point. Pull the zoning designation and the height limits for the lots between the home and the water, and check whether any development application is in progress with the municipality. A waterfront property in West Vancouver or a gated hillside home in the British Properties can lose the outlook that justified its price if the lot below is redeveloped. Your realtor can request the development permit applications on file, and it costs nothing to ask.

Budget the Carrying Cost of a Luxury Home Before You Offer

Property taxes, the provincial speculation and vacancy declaration, insurance on a high replacement cost structure, pool and grounds maintenance and the security monitoring all continue whether you are living there or not. Ask for the past two years of utility and maintenance invoices during your subject period, and have your mortgage professional confirm how a lender treats acreage or a home with a secondary dwelling. Then walk the property line with the survey certificate in hand.