The Process
How a buy or sell actually goes.
Most of the work is invisible — here's what's underneath.
Buying or selling a home in Metro Vancouver is roughly an 8-step rhythm, with the order shifting if you're moving up, downsizing, or relocating. The list below is mostly buyer-shaped — sellers can read it backwards. The point isn't a checklist; it's knowing what's coming so a normal step doesn't feel like a surprise.
The eight-step buyer journey
Pre-approval
Talk to me (or your bank) before browsing seriously. The mortgage step shapes everything else — neighborhood, type, timeline.
Defining your search
Beyond bedrooms and bathrooms: what kind of weekend do you want? What's a 30-minute commute look like? The shortlist gets sharper.
Showings + market read
I send the listings. We tour together. After 4–6 showings you'll know what 'good' looks like in your range, and what 'don't bother' looks like.
Writing the offer
Price, subjects, deposit, completion. Strategy depends on the listing's history and current market temperature — not a formula.
Inspection & subjects
Five-to-seven days to confirm financing, inspection, title, and any property-specific conditions. The window where most deals quietly die.
Financing & closing
The bank or lender funds. Lawyer or notary handles title transfer. Closing dates need 60-90 days of runway, sometimes more for presales.
Keys + post-completion
Adjustments, utilities, strata transfer. The week of closing has more moving parts than people expect — I'll keep the list.
On the sell side
If you're selling: pricing, prep, listing photos, exposure plan. Different rhythm but parallel logic — start the conversation 8–12 weeks before listing.
On working with me
On the real-estate side, I'm paid by the brokerage on closing — so my fee is built into the transaction, not billed to you. On the mortgage side, the lender pays me. In both cases, my actual goal is the second transaction five years from now. That's why short-cuts don't work — and why the relationship outlasts any single deal.
Buying, selling, or both at once? Let's talk before timing gets tight.
Get in touch