First-Time Home Buyer Services in Vancouver, BC

Buying your first home in Vancouver means learning a new language—MLS listings, strata minutes, subject removal timelines—while making the biggest financial decision of your life. Riley Tan works with first-time buyers across Vancouver's eastside neighborhoods, Kitsilano, Mount Pleasant, and Yaletown to turn that learning curve into a clear plan. You'll know what you're looking at, what it costs, and what happens next at every step.

How It Works

1. Pre-approval and budget reality check. Before we look at a single listing, you'll talk to a mortgage broker Riley trusts. You'll learn what you qualify for, what your monthly payment looks like with strata fees and property tax included, and how programs like the First Home Savings Account or the Property Transfer Tax exemption change your buying power. This takes one meeting.

1. Neighborhood tour and MLS search setup. Riley will drive you through two or three neighborhoods that fit your commute, your budget, and your building preferences—whether that's a walk-up in Mount Pleasant, a concrete tower in Yaletown, or a wood-frame low-rise near Commercial Drive. You'll see what $650,000 buys on East 12th versus what it buys on West 4th. Then Riley sets up an MLS feed so new listings hit your inbox within an hour.

1. Showings and strata document review. When you find a place worth seeing, Riley books the showing, pulls the strata documents, and walks you through the depreciation report, contingency fund balance, and any special levies on record. You'll know if the building has a roof replacement coming or if the plumbing was updated in 2018.

1. Offer, subjects, and negotiations. Riley writes the offer with standard subject clauses—financing, inspection, strata document review—and presents it to the seller's agent. If you're competing with other offers, Riley explains your options without pressure. Once your offer is accepted, you have roughly seven days to remove subjects. Riley coordinates the home inspector, reviews the inspection report with you, and handles any price renegotiation or repair requests.

1. Subject removal to completion. After subjects are removed, your deposit goes into the brokerage trust account, your lawyer handles the title transfer and mortgage registration, and Riley stays in touch until you pick up the keys. On closing day, Riley meets you at the property for a final walk-through, checks that the seller left what they agreed to leave, and hands over the keys and garage fobs.

What You Get

• Access to all MLS listings in Vancouver, updated in real time, with Riley's notes on buildings she knows and neighborhoods she's sold in
• Strata document review and plain-language summary for every property you're serious about—Riley reads the AGM minutes so you don't buy into a building with a lawsuit or a failing parkade
• Coordination with a mortgage broker, home inspector, and real estate lawyer Riley has worked with on dozens of transactions
• Guidance on BC and federal buyer programs: the First Home Savings Account, the BC Home Owner Grant, and the Property Transfer Tax exemption for first-time buyers (which can save you up to $8,000 on a qualifying property)
• Negotiation and offer strategy based on current market conditions in your target neighborhood—Riley tracks active listings, recent sales, and average days on market in Mount Pleasant, Kitsilano, East Van, and Yaletown every week
• Representation at no direct cost to you—the seller pays both agents' commissions out of the sale proceeds

Why Work with Riley Tan

Riley has been a licensed Realtor in Vancouver since 2016, working with buyers and sellers across the city's eastside, Kitsilano, Mount Pleasant, and Yaletown. Most of her clients are first-time buyers who need someone to explain what a Form B is, why a building's age matters, and whether a $450 strata fee is normal for a 15-year-old concrete building (it is). Riley grew up in East Vancouver, rented in Kitsilano for five years, and bought her own first condo near Main Street and 30th in 2017, so she's been through the process as a buyer in this market.

She works with [brokerage name] and covers Vancouver's core neighborhoods—from the eastside corridors along Commercial Drive and Main Street to the westside markets in Kitsilano and Fairview. If you're relocating to Vancouver and need a realistic picture of what your budget buys and where, Riley will drive you through the neighborhoods and show you the trade-offs between location, size, age, and building type.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much do I need for a down payment in Vancouver?

For a home under $500,000, the minimum down payment is 5%. For a home between $500,000 and $1 million, it's 5% on the first $500,000 and 10% on the amount above that. For a $700,000 condo, that's $45,000. You'll also need to budget for closing costs—legal fees, property transfer tax (unless you qualify for the first-time buyer exemption), home inspection, and a buffer for moving costs and immediate repairs.

What's the difference between a leasehold and freehold property?

Freehold means you own the land under the building. Leasehold means the building sits on land owned by someone else—often the city, a First Nation, or a private landowner—and you're leasing the land for a set term, typically 99 years. Leasehold properties are cheaper to buy, but they're harder to finance and harder to sell as the lease term runs down. Most leaseholds in Vancouver are on city-owned land in False Creek or on Musqueam land near the University of British Columbia.

Do I need to use the mortgage broker Riley recommends?

No. You can use any broker or bank you want. Riley recommends brokers she's worked with because they respond quickly during the subject removal period and they're used to Vancouver's condo market, but the choice is yours. If you already have a mortgage pre-approval, bring it to your first meeting.

How competitive is the Vancouver market for first-time buyers right now?

[Current market conditions vary by neighborhood and price point—Riley will give you a realistic picture based on recent sales in your target area.] In some eastside neighborhoods, you might be the only offer on a well-priced two-bedroom. In Kitsilano or Yaletown, you might compete with two or three other buyers on anything under $800,000. Riley tracks this weekly and adjusts your offer strategy accordingly.

What happens if the home inspection finds problems?

You have three options: ask the seller to fix the issue before closing, negotiate a price reduction to cover the repair cost yourself, or walk away and get your deposit back (as long as you're still within your subject removal period). Riley will review the inspection report with you, get a rough repair estimate if needed, and explain what's normal wear for a building that age versus what's a red flag.

Ready to Start Looking?

Riley Tan works with first-time buyers across Vancouver—from East Van to Kitsilano to Yaletown—who want a Realtor that explains the process in plain language and doesn't disappear after the offer is accepted. If you're ready to see what your budget buys in Vancouver's real neighborhoods, get in touch. First meeting is a conversation, not a commitment.

Contact Riley Tan Vancouver East Real Estate Agent [phone] | [email] | [website]