When buying a condo in Metro Vancouver, whether it’s your first condo or your third, there are several different questions you’ll want to ask as a buyer.

You’ll want to be in-the-know for all the details – from how the condominium strata are handling their finances, to future developments near the area and if the condo unit itself is right for you.

Let’s jump in!

Table of Contents

Condo Strata Questions

Here is a set of questions you’ll want to understand about the strata / condominium corporation, so you can make sure the condo you’re buying is financially stable for the long run.

What are the average monthly condo fees for the unit?

If you’re moving from a detached home or are currently renting and looking to buy a condo, you’ll want to ask what the average monthly condo fees are for that unit.

Depending on the financial specifics of the condo corporation, the average monthly condo corporation fees can range anywhere from $150 a month to $700 a month with a special levy involved. That’s why it’s important to ask this question when buying a condo, no matter how many different units you visit.

It can be a surprise for people who used to live in a detached home and get hit with a monthly strata fee for the upkeep of common properties.

What do the condo corporation fees cover?

Condominium corporation fees can differ by building type. A lot of these aspects depend upon:

  • The amenities available;
  • How old the building is;
  • How many staff are needed to manage the building on a daily basis;
  • Amount of cleaning involved on a quarterly or annual basis;
  • The insurance and landscaping costs;
  • Potential security and landscaping costs, and
  • Special considerations.

However, these specifics may change when it comes to the specific condo you’re looking to buy. So make sure you understand what exactly the condo corporation fees cover and how they will help the building stay financially afloat for the long run.

How much is in the Strata contingency reserve funds for the condominium?

The strata or condo corporation’s contingency reserve fund is one of the most important aspects and questions to understand. It can make or break your condo purchase!

The reserve funds are designed to help fund any future projects for keeping the building maintained, updated, and repaired from any damages that may happen over the years. Without a proper reserve fund in place, condo owners are usually stuck with funding any updates, maintenance or repairs out of their own pocket, in a special levies or assessment against the owners.

Are there any pending litigation against the condo?

Lawsuits happen, so if you’re buying a condo that is already built, you’ll want to inquire if there have been any lawsuits in the past or if there are any pending litigations you should know about.

Funding for a lawsuit is generally a special levies against unit owners in a condo corporation, so you’ll want to know if this is something you’ll have to fund with a condo purchase. Or ideally avoid it.

Are there special levies in the near future or has there been a history?

A great question to ask when buying a condo is if there are any special levies for condo owners that may be coming down the pipeline. You don’t want to get caught with a huge bill come move-in time because you forgot to check this. These types of expenses can be anywhere from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars to even 6-figure levies per unit, depending on what it’s used to cover.

You’ll also want to understand the history of levies in each specific condo corporation you’re looking to buy into. This will give you a better understanding of how contingency funds, budgets and maintenance fees are managed.

What are the depreciation report details?

Again, this is another important question to address to the strata and ask the sellers of the condo when inquiring if this is the right property for you.

The depreciation report is used by the condo corporation to analyse how the finances in the strata contingency fund will keep up with the deprecation of the building. As the building depreciates, there are costs that will be associated, like maintenance fees, repair or replacement fees and more.

By understanding and analysing this report, you’ll understand if there could be a special levies coming down the line that you’ll need to pay for. Or it will help you avoid this purchase altogether.

Condo Property Questions

The condo property questions are very important to ask so you can truly understand how your Metro Vancouver condo property may affect your financial or personal situation.

What does the strata condo’s insurance cover?

When it comes to insurance, things can get tricky. A key question to ask when buying a condo that you’ll need to relay to your insurance broker is the exact coverage that’s on the strata’s condo insurance policy.

The coverage could include specifics to your unit that will be important to understand, should you look to upgrade and change your condo as you live there. As you’ll want to make sure they are covered should a disaster happen.

Here is an example…

Let’s say the strata’s condo insurance will cover the original flooring in a unit should a disaster or other occurrence occur. After you move in, you may decide to update the flooring to something more exotic or fancier to fit your taste. If there was something tragic that happened, you may be responsible for covering that fancy new flooring.

Be sure you check with your insurance agent on how the strata’s condo insurance policy and your own personal policy will need to line up.

Is a storage unit and/or a parking stall included?

If there is a storage unit or packing stall available to you if you purchase the unit? This will be good to know if you’d like to have a designated parking space.

Similarly, if you own a lot of stuff or are moving from a large detached home, you’ll really want to know if the condo has a storage unit.

If it has neither, you may have to rent a storage locker and parking stall, which can cost an additional $50 to $250 per month for something like this.

What are the available amenities?

Buying into a condo can give you great access to amazing amenities that are not usually available if you buy a detached home or townhouse. You’ll want to ask what are the available amenities that you have to enjoy.

Some buildings have swimming pools, saunas, indoor basketball courts, gyms and 24/7 concierge services, for you to enjoy.

Understanding the amenities available will also help you get a feel for how any special levies may come down the line given the extensiveness or maintenance required to upkeep these amenities.

Condo Unit Questions

When seeing the condo unit, the place you’ll be living or renting out, there is a set of more detailed questions you’ll want to ask your real estate agent or the buyer so you know you’re ready to move in and will love the unit.

Are you able to rent your condo unit for short term or long term purposes?

There are many areas in the lower mainland of BC that do not allow short term rentals, like Airbnb. If you do go ahead and rent it out as a short term rental but the building does not permit this, you could end up in legal troubles plus fines from the strata council.

Most units will let you rent for long term purposes so this area is not as much a concern.

The main concerns would be around short term rentals. So if this is a place you’ll quickly outgrow or is a property you’re thinking of renting out for short term rentals, then you’ll really want this question answered.

What improvements or changes have been made to the original unit?

Understanding what changes or improvements have been made is very important to understanding how much insurance you’ll need when you buy the unit.

If there have been substantial changes and improvements, you’ll need to potentially budget this into your new insurance policy if you end up buying this condo.

This ties directly into the other insurance points we discuss in this article, and you’ll want to discuss the answer to this question with your insurance agent.

Can you hear the neighbours?

You’ll want to make sure you cannot hear the neighbours inside the unit, so while you may not be able to ask the seller this, you’ll want to ask this question to your real estate agent who is helping you purchase.

Another place to question this when buying is if you can hear the neighbours on any available balconies for the unit.

The last thing you want is your neighbours in your head because you didn’t check this.

How are the fixtures, fittings and appliances?

While not all these individually cost a lot, if there are problems with several of the fixtures, fittings and appliances, this can be an unexpected bill right after you make a big condo purchase.

To avoid this, ask about the age of these things so you can understand if you’ll need to budget this or account for it in your offer.

Or, if you’re looking to upgrade to new appliances and fixtures, then you can plan for this by understanding the lifeline on the stuff currently in the unit.

What heating and cooling systems are in the unit?

If this is going to be your primary residence, then understanding how the unit is heated and cooled will be very important, especially if you have pets or small children.

Some units are heated with electric baseboards and if the unit is old, these baseboards may not work as well as they did previously.

Additionally, with the increasing heat in the summers, you’ll want to know if the unit has air conditioning or has good airflow in the summertime. Also ask if you could install an AC unit, if there isn’t a system in place.

Will the unit fit your future needs? If not, is this something you can rent in the future?

These are both two very important questions to ask when buying a condo. When buying a place you’ll always want to consider if this place will fit your future needs. Whether that’s family, lifestyle, or financial needs that you’re considering for the future.

If it won’t fit your future needs, you’ll want to consider if this is a property you can rent out later. That way, you’re able to move on from the property when you’re ready, without the need to sell.

Neighbourhood Questions

Buying a condo in Metro Vancouver is so much more than the unit itself. The surrounding neighbourhood can be extremely important to the enjoyment of the property. Learn the essential questions you’ll need to ask and contemplate before buying the condo.

Is the neighbourhood right for you?

Is this a neighbourhood you see yourself walking around on a Saturday morning or if it’s somewhere you feel safe at 10:00pm at night walking with the family? Understanding this is so important for buying a condo.

If you like the unit, it has strong financials, the strata is run well and all the other questions check the box for a purchase, if you hate the neighbourhood, none of it is worth it.

What are the future building plans for surrounding properties?

The future developments around the area is something often overlooked for condo buyers but is a legitimate concern for the future of your area if there is potential for developments or construction.

Future condo buildings or other skyscrapers in the area may block a potential view from the unit you’re buying. They may also bring in more construction to the area, which you’ll need to consider as a buyer.

On the plus side, large future developments and building plans for your surrounding area may bring noise, but it can also increase property values significantly. Increasing the value of the condo you just purchased, helping your invested equity.

Any last questions?

If you still feel like there are questions to ask but you’re still not sure what to be asking, make sure to get in-touch with our experts at Metro Vancouver Life.

We’re here to help you with any questions when it comes to buying a condo in Metro Vancouver.