5 Tips for Buying a Coal Harbour Condo

Vancouver is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and offers a wide range of real estate choices. These choices include some of Canada’s most luxurious condos that are for sale in Coal Harbour; Vancouver’s most impressive waterfront community. In Vancouver’s hot real estate market, it is a good idea to be prepared and knowledgeable so you can snag that gorgeous condo of your dreams. Here are some tips:

1. Get to know the neighbourhood

Coal Harbour is a welcoming and safe neighbourhood that is one of the most popular areas to live in the downtown Vancouver district. This tight-knit community borders Stanley Park (Vancouver’s largest and most popular park) and provides front door access to the Vancouver Seawall and Vancouver’s waterfront. Mixed into the neighbourhood of Coal Harbour are green spaces that are the perfect place to take in all the sights and sounds of these spectacular surroundings.

Each high-rise provides amenities such as state-of-the-art fitness centres and indoor pools. In addition to these amenities, all of Coal Harbour’s homes offer spectacular unparalleled views of the city, Burrard Inlet and Stanley Park.

If those are not reasons enough to call Coal Harbour home, then perhaps the world-class restaurants and shopping opportunities as well as a wide range of easily accessible activities and sights in and around the neighbourhood will entice you.

When getting to know the neighbourhood, do some research on the condo buildings and see what amenities they offer and see where they are located. Another great idea is to take a gorgeous stroll through the streets of Coal Harbour and check out the neighbourhood and the condo buildings.

Regardless of what you are looking for, the friendly, diverse community of Coal Harbour offers something for everyone.

2. Use a realtor

To help you find the perfect condo, make sure to use a real estate agent. The right real estate agent can save you time and money and can offer professional advice to reduce some of the stressors that are sure to arise during this process.

The right realtor can help you:

• Find the right building and condo that fits all of your needs and wants.
• Negotiate the final selling price for your condo.
• With all of the legalities and paperwork after you have purchased your condo.

3. Know your strata

A very important factor to consider when looking at potential homes are the strata minutes. These minutes will give you a month by month look at the building you are thinking about living in. Strata will also determine how many suites for rent area allowed in your building and the rules and bylaws of the building.

A review of the strata minutes will show you:
Any upcoming major projects such as roofs or rain screening.

• What your monthly strata fees will be and what those fees will cover.
• How much money is available in the contingency fund (extra money that can cover large projects).
• Any ongoing problems or issues in the building (parking, water damage etc.)

4. Think outside the box

When you are looking for that perfect Coal Harbour condo, remember to not get stuck on the small details. Almost all parts of your future home can be changed. If you do not particularly like the interior colours, a paint job is a quick and easy fix. Carpet can be changed, kitchens and bedrooms renovated and appliances replaced.

Instead of focusing on these details, it is far more important to find a structurally sound high-rise with very few problems and a strata that is pro-active and involved in the proper upkeep of the building.

5. Set a limit

A budget is another important factor to consider when you are out condo hunting. Costs can quickly escalate when you are in the process of buying a home, so it is important to have a number in mind. Make sure that this number has been pre-approved by your bank and it is a mortgage that you can afford. Once you have been pre-approved, work with your realtor to find a selection of condos that will fit your needs and wants and that fall within your budget.

Coal Harbour – The Lap of Luxury

These 5 tips should help ease the pressure of the home buying process and make finding your perfect Coal Harbour condo far more manageable. We would love to be a part of this process and work tirelessly to find the perfect home for you!

We know and understand the neighbourhood of Coal Harbour and bring a unique skill set to the job. We would love to show you some of the most exciting and luxurious homes that are on the Coal Harbour real estate market. We look forward to working with you soon.