Last reviewed October 2018

Buying a home is complicated. Before making this huge commitment it is important to understand buying procedures, the roles of the people normally involved, what the paperwork means, and what kinds of questions you should be asking.

Good starting points include:

• The factsheets Buying a House and Buying a Condominium, from People's Law School, provide an overview of the legal issues you need to know about.
• Mortgages and Financing a House Purchase, from People's Law School, provides an overview of real estate mortgages.
• Buying a Home in British Columbia, from the Real Estate Council of BC, describes the process of buying a home, including making the offer and completing the purchase.
• Buying a Home in British Columbia: A Consumer Protection Guide, from Homeowner Protection Office BC, helps you make an informed home purchase. It covers everything from affordability guidelines, building codes, the purchasing process, the role of the lawyer or notary public, to building envelope renovations and subject clauses.

Need more help?

• Lawyer Referral Service, from Access Pro Bono, helps you connect with a lawyer for a free initial consultation of up to 30 minutes.You can ask for a lawyer who specializes in real estate.

See our related common questions:

• I want to know what my rights are as a condo/strata owner
• See all common questions about housing, tenancy & neighbours

tags

buying a home, mortgage, financing a house, buying a condo