Oct 10, 2026

By: Leilani Fong PREC*

The Real Cost of Moving Up: A Closing Costs Story

What it really costs to sell one home and buy another in Metro Vancouver

Most people planning a move up focus on two numbers: what their current home will sell for, and what the next one will cost. The gap between those two numbers is what they plan around.

But there is a third number that quietly shapes the whole move: closing costs. And when you sell and buy at the same time, you pay them twice.

Let's walk through it with an example. Meet Sarah. She owns a home in Port Moody worth $500,000 with $250,000 left on her mortgage. She's selling it and buying an $800,000 home.

Part 1: What Sarah Pays to Sell

When Sarah's home sells for $500,000, she doesn't receive $500,000. Before anything reaches her account, a few costs come off the top.

Real estate commission: $17,850

This is the largest selling cost. This example uses a common structure in Greater Vancouver: 7% on the first $100,000 and 2.5% on the balance, shared between the listing and buyer's brokerages. On $500,000, that's $17,000, plus 5% GST, for $17,850.

Lawyer or notary: about $1,500

Sarah's lawyer or notary prepares the transfer documents, pays out her mortgage from the sale proceeds and makes sure the title is clear for the buyer.

Mortgage discharge

Depending on her lender, there may be a fee to discharge the mortgage and register the discharge. It's worth asking about when you call your lender.

The one to check early: a prepayment penalty

If Sarah breaks a fixed-rate mortgage before its term is up, her lender may charge a penalty. Depending on the mortgage, that can be anywhere from a few thousand dollars to much more. Many mortgages can be ported to the new home, which may avoid the penalty entirely. Sarah's mortgage is portable, so we've left it out of her numbers, but this is the first call to make to your lender before you list.

Sarah's selling costs: about $19,350

That's roughly 3.9% of her sale price. After paying off her $250,000 mortgage, Sarah walks away with about $230,650.

Part 2: What Sarah Pays to Buy

Now for the $800,000 purchase. The buying side has one large cost and a handful of smaller ones.

Property Transfer Tax: $14,000

This is the big one, and it's due in cash on completion day. It can't be added to the mortgage. BC calculates it in tiers:

1% on the first $200,000: $2,000
2% on the portion from $200,000 to $2,000,000: $12,000 on Sarah's remaining $600,000
Higher rates apply above $2,000,000, which doesn't affect Sarah

First-time buyers can be exempt on homes up to $835,000, with a partial exemption up to $860,000. Because Sarah already owns a home, she doesn't qualify. This catches a lot of move-up buyers who remember paying little or nothing the first time.

Lawyer or notary: about $2,000

The buying side usually costs more than the selling side because there's more work: registering the new title and the new mortgage, handling the funds and preparing the statement of adjustments. This estimate includes title insurance, which most lawyers and notaries arrange as part of the purchase.

Home inspection: $400 to $600

Paid up front, before subject removal. Sarah's was $500, a small cost against the size of the decision.

Smaller items to expect

Appraisal: often covered by the lender, but some charge a few hundred dollars.
Property tax adjustments: if the seller has prepaid property taxes or strata fees past completion day, Sarah reimburses them for her share. This isn't an extra cost so much as prepaying her own bills, but it does need to be in her cash on closing day.
Home insurance: the lender will require proof of coverage before completion.

Sarah's buying costs: about $16,500

That's roughly 2% of her purchase price, and most of it is the Property Transfer Tax.

Part 3: Putting Both Sides Together

Cost	Selling $500K	Buying $800K
Commission (incl. GST)	$17,850	n/a
Property Transfer Tax	n/a	$14,000
Lawyer or notary	$1,500	$2,000
Mortgage discharge	May apply	n/a
Home inspection	n/a	$500
Subtotal	$19,350	$16,500
Combined	$35,850

Here's the part most people miss. On paper, Sarah has $250,000 of equity. If she could move for free, all of it would go toward her down payment.

But closing costs come out of that same pool of money. After $19,350 on the sale and $16,500 on the purchase, Sarah has about $214,150 left to put down, not $250,000. That's a 26.8% down payment instead of 31%, and a mortgage of about $586,000 instead of $550,000.

Every dollar of closing costs is a dollar that doesn't go into your next home. For Sarah, moving up cost about $36,000 before a single box was packed.

Costs that only show up when you do both at once

Bridge financing. If Sarah's purchase completes before her sale, she needs her equity before she has it. A bridge loan covers the gap for a few days or weeks, with a setup fee and interest for each day it's open.
Carrying two homes. If the dates go the other way, she may need short-term rent or storage. Lining up completion dates is one of the most valuable things to plan early.
Moving. Not a closing cost, but real cash in the same week. Get quotes early, especially for month-end dates.

What Sarah Did Right

She called her lender first. Before listing, she confirmed her mortgage was portable and there would be no penalty.
She budgeted from her real equity. She planned her purchase around $214,150, not $250,000, so there were no surprises at the lawyer's office.
She used one realtor and one lawyer for both sides. With the same people handling her sale and her purchase, funds moved smoothly between the two and the dates were easy to coordinate. It made the whole move easier.
She set the cash aside for Property Transfer Tax. It's due on completion and can't be financed.
She lined up completion dates. Completing the sale a day or two before the purchase meant no bridge loan was needed.

Closing costs aren't hidden, but they are easy to underestimate. If you're thinking about moving up, it's worth running your own numbers before you list, so your next home is planned around the money you'll actually have.

Thinking about moving up? We'll run your numbers with you.

Book a free home evaluation

Figures are illustrative estimates for a typical Metro Vancouver transaction in 2026. Commission, legal fees and lender charges vary. Property Transfer Tax rates are set by the Province of British Columbia. This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Confirm your own costs with your REALTOR®, lawyer or notary, and lender.

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Oct 06, 2026

By: Paul Bennett

What 10 Years of Metro Vancouver Home Prices Really Shows

Market analysis

A single year looks dramatic, but the past decade tells a different story. Detached homes have corrected from their peak. Townhouses have been the strongest performer. Condos have essentially gone nowhere since 2020.

Leilani Fong PREC* | Port Moody, Coquitlam & Port Coquitlam | September 2026

Ten years of benchmark prices

Looking only at year-over-year numbers can make the market feel more dramatic than it really is. So this month, we stepped back and looked at something more useful: how September 2026 home prices compare with every September over the past 10 years.

Detached homes: below 2021, well above 2019

The September 2026 benchmark price for a detached home in Metro Vancouver is $1,784,700.

Compared with previous Septembers:

2.4% below 2021
6.4% below 2022
About 12% below the 2023 to 2024 peak
But still approximately 27% higher than September 2019
And about 14% higher than September 2016

So while detached prices have pulled back substantially from their recent highs, they have not erased the gains of the past decade.

The interesting part is where today's market sits in the cycle. Someone looking only at the past three years sees falling prices. Someone comparing today with 2019 sees a very different market.

Townhouses have been the strongest performer

Townhouses stand out in the 10-year comparison.

The September 2026 benchmark is $1,016,700, which is:

5.5% higher than September 2021
About 25% higher than September 2020
More than 32% higher than September 2019
More than 50% higher than September 2016

Townhouses have declined from their recent peak, but they have retained considerably more of their long-term appreciation than detached homes or condos.

That makes sense in a market where buyers still want space, but detached homes remain out of reach for many households.

Condos tell a very different story

The condo market is probably the most surprising part of the data.

The September 2026 benchmark apartment price is $682,500.

That is:

7.6% below September 2021

6.3% below September 2022

About 11% below September 2023

Essentially unchanged from September 2020

Slightly below September 2018

In other words, Metro Vancouver condo prices in September 2026 are roughly where they were six years ago.

That does not mean every condo has performed the same way. Location, age, building quality, strata finances, floor plan and neighbourhood all matter enormously.

But as a broad market trend, condos have experienced much less long-term price growth than many homeowners may assume.

The bigger picture

The last decade has not been a straight line upward.

Detached homes experienced major appreciation followed by a meaningful correction. Townhouses have shown the strongest long-term resilience. Condos have effectively given back several years of price growth.

The biggest takeaway is that the market you are buying or selling in depends heavily on property type.

A homeowner selling a townhouse may be looking at substantial long-term appreciation.

A condo owner who purchased during the 2021 to 2024 period may be looking at a very different situation.

And for buyers who felt permanently priced out during the peak, today's market offers prices that, in some segments, have moved back several years.

September 2026 compared with previous Septembers

Compared with

Detached

Townhouse

Condo

2016

+13.9%

+50.3%

+33.6%

2017

+10.4%

+29.3%

+7.3%

2018

+15.8%

+21.4%

-0.7%

2019

+26.9%

+32.5%

+4.8%

2020

+18.4%

+25.5%

-0.1%

2021

-2.4%

+5.5%

-7.6%

2022

-6.4%

-3.1%

-6.3%

2023

-11.5%

-7.4%

-11.2%

2024

-11.7%

-7.5%

-10.4%

2025

-7.7%

-5.0%

-6.4%

Percentage change from the September comparison year to September 2026. Source: Greater Vancouver REALTORS, MLS® HPI benchmark.

Townhouses have been the strongest long-term performer. Detached homes remain well above pre-pandemic levels despite the recent correction. And condo prices have essentially gone sideways over the past six years.

What is your home worth today?

A decade of market data says accurate pricing matters more than anything else. I will show you what similar homes have sold for recently and where your home sits in today's market.

Book a free home evaluation

Data source: Greater Vancouver REALTORS, MLS® HPI benchmark, September 2016 through September 2026. These figures describe the Greater Vancouver market; property type performance varies significantly within neighbourhoods and by lot value. This article is general market information and not advice on any specific property. Leilani Fong PREC* is a licensed REALTOR with eXp Realty Canada.

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Aug 18, 2026

By: Fong Leilani

The Most Expensive Mistake Is Your First Asking Price

Homes priced accurately sold in three and a half weeks near full asking.

Selling

Roughly half the homes that came to market over the past year never sold. The single biggest thing separating the ones that did was not staging, photography or timing. It was the number on the listing in week one.

Leilani Fong PREC* | Port Moody, Coquitlam & Port Coquitlam | August 2026

About half of listings actually sell

Local listings, August 2025 to April 2026

Distinct properties across Coquitlam, Port Moody and Port Coquitlam, with relistings under new MLS numbers counted once.

Properties that came to market

4,695

Properties that eventually sold

2,504

53%

of listings found a buyer

This is our own analysis of local records. No real estate board publishes a comparable figure, because board statistics report what sold rather than what failed to sell.

That number surprises most sellers, and it is not a sign of a collapsing market. Sales volumes held roughly steady over the same stretch. It is a sign of a market where buyers have enough choice to simply pass, and a home that is not priced correctly gets passed.

The most expensive mistake is the first asking price

We split every local sale from the past year into two groups: homes that sold without ever reducing their price, and homes that needed at least one cut.

Priced right the first time

24 days

Needed a price reduction

70 days

Average days on market. 2,955 transactions with complete pricing history, August 2025 through June 2026. Source: MLS records.

Priced right

Reduced at least once

Sales in group

2,281

674

Average days on market

Final price vs first asking

97.5%

91.4%

Homes priced correctly from day one sold in about three and a half weeks, for 97.5 percent of what they first asked. Homes that had to be reduced took ten weeks, and still ended up at 91.4 percent of their original number.

On a $1.2 million home, that six point gap is roughly $73,000, plus six extra weeks of carrying costs, showings and uncertainty. No amount of staging recovers a pricing mistake made in week one.

Detached sellers pay the steepest penalty

Home type

Never reduced

Reduced at least once

Gap

Townhouse

98.3%

92.8%

5.5 pts

Condo

97.8%

92.0%

5.8 pts

Detached

96.9%

89.7%

7.2 pts

Final sold price as a percentage of the original asking price. Based on 1,045 and 306 condo sales, 516 and 145 townhouse sales, and 641 and 211 detached sales in the never-reduced and reduced groups respectively. Source: MLS records.

Every category carries a penalty, but detached houses carry the worst of it. A detached home that needs a reduction ends up at 89.7 percent of its original ask, more than seven points below one that was priced right, and takes 73 days instead of 25.

That makes sense. Detached homes are the least comparable to each other, so sellers have the most room to talk themselves into an optimistic number, and buyers have the most difficulty justifying one.

Why the first two weeks decide it

A listing gets its largest audience in its first fortnight. Every buyer actively searching your area sees it immediately, compares it against everything else available, and forms a judgement within minutes.

Price above that judgement and your home quietly becomes the one that makes the others look reasonable. It does the work of selling your neighbour's listing. By the time the price comes down, the active buyers have already chosen something else, and what remains is a listing carrying a visible history of reductions, which invites the next buyer to wait for another one.

Cutting the price later does not rescue it

The tempting response is to list high and reduce if it does not work. The data says that plan fails more often than it succeeds. Of the listings that came off the market without selling, 27.5 percent had already cut their price, by an average of 4.4 percent. They reduced, and it still was not enough.

A reduction only works if it lands below where the market had already decided you were. By the time a seller is willing to make that cut, the market has usually moved further than they have.

The market is not asking you to accept a bad price. It is asking you to be accurate. Accurately priced homes still sell in under a month at close to what they ask, and that has been true in every month of the past year, including the months when prices were falling.

Where the work actually happens

It happens before the listing goes live. What has actually sold near you, what is competing with you right now, and what a buyer comparing four similar homes will conclude in the thirty seconds they spend on yours.

Thinking about listing?

I will show you the real comparable sales for your address, what is currently competing with you, and the number that puts your home in the first group rather than the second.

Book a pricing conversation

Data source: MLS sales records for Coquitlam, Port Moody and Port Coquitlam, August 2025 through June 2026. These figures describe our local market and are not Metro Vancouver wide; no real estate board publishes comparable sell-through or price-reduction statistics for the region. July 2026 sales are excluded because reporting was still incomplete at the time of writing. Median and average figures are calculated from MLS records. This article is general market information and not advice on any specific property. Leilani Fong PREC* is a licensed REALTOR with eXp Realty Canada.

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Jul 21, 2026

By: Leilani Fong PREC*

Selling and Buying at the Same Time in a Slower Market

Most people assume a slow market makes a move harder. In practice it often makes it easier

Buying & Selling

Most people assume a slow market makes a move harder. In practice it often makes it easier, as long as you sequence it correctly.

Leilani Fong PREC* | Port Moody, Coquitlam & Port Coquitlam | July 2026

Here is why. When you sell first and buy second in a rising market, every week of delay costs you. Prices move away from you while you are packing. In today's market the opposite is true. Active listings across Metro Vancouver sit about 30 percent above the ten year average, which means you have selection and sellers have competition. That gives you room to ask for the completion date you actually need, or to write an offer subject to the sale of your current home.

Worth saying plainly up front, because everything below depends on it. That window may be closing. June sales rose 9.6 percent year over year and, unusually, every property type gained. New listings came in about 6 percent below last June, and active listings were actually down 3.1 percent from a year ago. Inventory is high measured against the ten year norm, not still climbing. The negotiating room described here is real today. It was more real six months ago.

The question is no longer whether you can move. It is which order you move in, and what each order costs you if it goes sideways.

The four ways to sequence a move

There are only four real structures. Everyone's situation lands in one of them, and the right one depends almost entirely on whether you need your sale proceeds to qualify for the new mortgage.

1. Buy first, sell second

You secure the home you are moving into, then list your current place with a completion date that follows.

Works when

You have enough equity or income that your lender will approve the new mortgage without the sale closing first, and you want certainty on the home rather than certainty on the price.

Watch for

You are now a motivated seller on your old place, with a real deadline. That shows in negotiations. Build a realistic price into the plan rather than the number you were hoping for.

Rough cost

Bridge financing runs a few hundred dollars in lender setup plus interest for the overlap days only. On a $500,000 bridge for five days at prime plus three (prime is 4.45 percent as of July 2026), that is roughly $510 in interest plus the setup fee. Bridging is cheap. Panic selling is not.

2. Sell first, buy second

You list, sell, remove subjects, and then shop with a firm number and a firm date in hand.

Works when

You need the sale proceeds to qualify, or you simply want to know exactly what you have to spend before you fall in love with something.

Watch for

Being homeless on paper. You manage this by negotiating a longer completion when you sell, typically 60 to 90 days, which buys you a shopping window without a hotel bill.

Rough cost

Usually nothing extra, and often the strongest position of the four. A buyer with no subject to sale is the buyer sellers want right now.

3. Subject to sale

You write an offer on the new home that is conditional on your current home selling.

Works when

You have found the right home, you cannot carry both, and the listing has been sitting long enough that the seller values a live buyer over a perfect one.

Watch for

Two things, and they are both real. You will usually pay more to get it accepted, because the seller is pricing the risk of taking their home off the market for you. And the seller will almost always attach a time clause, which means they keep marketing the home. If another offer comes in, you get a short notice window to remove your subject or step aside. On a well priced listing you will simply lose to a cleaner offer.

Rough cost

Often a higher purchase price, plus the risk of losing the home entirely. Use it when the alternative is not buying at all.

4. Same day completion

Both transactions complete on the same date. Money from your sale funds your purchase.

Works when

Both deals are firm, both lawyers are lined up, and neither side has a financing question mark. It is common and it works.

Watch for

Order of operations. Your buyer's funds have to land before your purchase can fund, so the day runs on a chain. One late lender wire and you are unpacking in a driveway. Give your lawyer or notary the full picture at least two weeks out, not two days.

Rough cost

No premium, but zero slack. Many people add one or two days of bridge as insurance and consider it money well spent.

The move-up math is better than it has been in years

This is the part most people miss. When the whole market falls, the more expensive property falls further in dollar terms. If you are moving up, the gap you have to finance gets smaller.

Run it on the benchmark prices Greater Vancouver REALTORS published for each of the last two Junes.

Trading a townhouse for a detached home

Using MLS® Home Price Index benchmark values for Metro Vancouver.

	June 2025	June 2026
Detached benchmark	$1,994,500	$1,842,900
Townhouse benchmark	$1,103,900	$1,046,200
Gap you have to finance	$890,600	$796,700

$93,900

less to bridge than the same trade a year ago

GVR reports year-over-year declines of 7.1 percent for detached and 5.0 percent for townhouses. Those percentages are calculated on revised index values, so they do not reconcile exactly with the published dollar figures above.

You lose about $57,700 on the sale. You save about $151,600 on the purchase. The move costs less even though the headlines say prices are down.

The same logic runs in reverse if you are downsizing, which is worth knowing before you sit down with a spreadsheet. Selling detached and buying a townhouse today releases roughly $94,000 less equity than it would have a year ago. Downsizers have been the group most hurt by this market, and it is why so many are staying put.

Falling markets are expensive for people cashing out and cheap for people trading up. Which one you are decides whether waiting helps you.

What a move actually costs in BC

People budget for the down payment and forget the rest. Here is the realistic list for a purchase in the Tri-Cities, using a $1.2 million example.

Cost	Typical range
Property Transfer Tax 1% on the first $200,000, 2% from $200,000 to $2 million, and 3% above $2 million, plus a further 2% on the residential portion above $3 million, which puts the top marginal rate at 5%. Exemptions exist for first time buyers and some new builds.	$22,000
Legal fees and disbursements Two transactions means two files. Ask for a package rate.	$2,000 to $3,500
Home inspection	$500 to $900
Mortgage discharge or penalty Ask your lender whether your mortgage is portable before you do anything else. Porting can eliminate this entirely.	$0 to $15,000+
Bridge financing If you need it, and only for the overlap days.	$300 to $1,500
Moving and incidentals	$1,500 to $4,000
Adjustments at completion Prepaid property tax and strata fees owed back to the seller.	Varies

Call your lender before you call anyone else. The single most expensive mistake in a simultaneous move is discovering your mortgage penalty after you have already accepted an offer. Portability, blend and extend options, and penalty calculations all change the math, and they take one phone call to find out.

The dates that have to line up

A BC contract of purchase and sale carries several dates, and people tend to only look at one of them. All of these need to work together across two transactions.

Subject removal date. When your conditions come off and the deal becomes firm. Until this passes on your sale, nothing downstream is certain.
Deposit date. Usually within 24 to 72 hours of subject removal. If your deposit for the purchase is coming from the sale of your current home, that timing has to work, and often it does not. Plan for where the deposit is actually coming from.
Completion date. When title transfers and money moves. This is the date your two transactions need to coordinate around.
Possession date. When you get the keys. Usually the day after completion, which gives the lawyers a full business day of runway.
Adjustment date. The line in the sand for who owes what on taxes, strata fees, and utilities.

The practical version: aim to have your sale firm before your purchase subject removal date. Everything gets easier from there.

Where to start

Get a real number on your current home. Not an online estimate. A walkthrough and a comparative market analysis, with an honest read on what it will take to sell in the current inventory.
Confirm your borrowing position. Ask your lender or broker two questions: can I qualify without selling first, and is my current mortgage portable.
Decide which risk you would rather carry. The risk of not finding a home in time, or the risk of not selling at your number. You are choosing one. Everyone does.
Pick your sequence before you start shopping. Falling for a listing before you have a plan is how people end up writing a subject to sale offer they did not want to write.

If you have been waiting for a signal, the useful one is not the price index. It is the number of homes you get to choose from. That number is still large. It is no longer growing.

Not sure which order to move in?

I work with clients across Port Moody, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Greater Vancouver on move-up, downsize, and simultaneous transactions. We will look at your equity, your timeline, and your appetite for risk, then map the sequence that fits.

Book a free consultation

Market figures are drawn from Greater Vancouver REALTORS® MLS® Home Price Index data for June 2026. Prime rate as of July 2026. June 2025 benchmarks are as published in GVR's June 2025 report. MLS® HPI values are revised over time, so year-over-year percentages reported today are calculated on revised index values and will not reconcile exactly with the published dollar figures above. This article is general information, not legal, tax, or mortgage advice. Costs and contract terms vary by transaction. Speak with your lawyer, notary, and mortgage professional about your specific situation.

...

Mar 09, 2026

By: Fong Leilani

Turning Home Equity into a Second Property

Turning Home Equity into a Second Property — Leilani Fong

Client story · Real estate strategy

Turning home equity into a second property

Leilani Fong
REALTOR® · EXP Realty, Port Moody · March 2026

Mortgage broker Lindsay Brascia of Mortgage Solutions shared this real client story with us — a strategy many homeowners don't realize is possible: using equity from your current home to purchase another property — with minimum down payment — without selling.

The scenario

These homeowners owned a townhouse valued at approximately $1.3M with an outstanding mortgage balance of $700,000. They wanted to purchase an investment property but didn't want to sell their home or wait years to save a down payment.

The strategy

By refinancing their existing townhome, they accessed a portion of their equity and used those funds toward a second property. We structured the new purchase as a "second home," which allowed them to qualify for minimum down payment. That property was later converted into a rental with a great tenant.

They kept their townhome, left as much equity in their principal residence as possible — and actually lowered their monthly payment, even after taking more funds.

The numbers

Before refinance

Property value $1,300,000

Mortgage balance $700,000

Home equity $600,000

Monthly payment $3,731.66

Rate / amort. 4.99% / 27 yr

After refinance

Property value $1,300,000

New mortgage $755,000

Remaining equity $545,000

Monthly payment $3,547.56 ↓

Rate / amort. 3.90% / 30 yr

New investment property

Purchase price $650,000

Down payment (6.15%) $40,000

CMHC insurance premium $24,400

New mortgage amount $634,400

Monthly payment $3,234.71

Rate / amort. 3.70% / 25 yr

What did this cost?

These clients were at the end of their 3-year term, so there was no penalty to renegotiate. Here's what came out of the refinance proceeds:

Legal fees

$3,000

Property transfer tax

$11,000

All-in total

~$14,000

Even with those costs, the strategy made sense — it let them move forward now rather than waiting on savings, while continuing to build long-term real estate wealth. No cash out of pocket.

Many homeowners assume buying another property requires a large amount of cash or selling their home first. In reality, equity can be a powerful planning tool when the numbers are structured the right way — whether for a rental property, a future downsizing plan, or growing your portfolio.

If you've ever wondered:

"Can I buy another place without selling?"
"How much equity do I actually have access to?"
"Would this strategy make sense for my situation?"

Have questions about refinancing or structuring a purchase like this? Lindsay can walk you through the mortgage side.

lindsay@mortgagesolutions.ca · (604) 803-0100

I work with buyers across Greater Vancouver to find the right property for strategies just like this. Book a free call and let's look at your options together.

Book a call with Leilani →

...

Jan 21, 2026

By: Leilani Fong PREC* Top Port Moody Realtor

Discovery Ridge – 15 Forest Park Way, Port Moody

Beautiful Townhouse Complex in Port Moody

Discovery Ridge – 15 Forest Park Way, Port Moody (Heritage Mountain)

Discovery Ridge is a quiet, well-established townhouse community located in the heart of Heritage Mountain, one of Port Moody’s most sought-after neighbourhoods for families and nature lovers. Known for its privacy, mature surroundings, and functional layouts, Discovery Ridge appeals to buyers who value space, stability, and a true residential feel.

Prime Location

Situated along Forest Park Way, Discovery Ridge is tucked into a peaceful residential pocket surrounded by mature trees and green space.

Residents enjoy:

Immediate access to nearby parks and forested walking trails
Close proximity to Bert Flynn Park, one of Heritage Mountain’s most popular outdoor spaces
Excellent school catchments including Heritage Mountain Elementary, Eagle Mountain Middle, and Heritage Woods Secondary
Convenient access to Newport Village, Suter Brook Village, and Port Moody Centre

This location offers a calm, suburban atmosphere while still being well connected to everyday amenities and commuter routes.

Community & Homes

Discovery Ridge is a smaller townhouse complex, which contributes to its quiet, close-knit community feel.

Homes typically feature:

Multi-level layouts with generous square footage
Practical, family-friendly floor plans
Private patios or outdoor spaces
Attached garages and ample storage

The complex is ideal for buyers who prefer established, low-density communities over newer high-density developments.

Interior Features & Lifestyle

Residents of Discovery Ridge enjoy:

Spacious living and dining areas designed for comfortable daily living
Well-separated bedrooms offering privacy for families or home offices
Functional kitchens with ample cabinetry and counter space
Outdoor areas perfect for relaxing, gardening, or enjoying the quiet surroundings

Why Buyers Love Discovery Ridge

✅ Quiet, private complex in a prime Heritage Mountain location
✅ Spacious layouts ideal for families or downsizers
✅ Surrounded by nature, parks, and walking trails
✅ Located within excellent school catchments

If you’re thinking about buying or selling in Discovery Ridge, or even just curious about what life is like here, I’d love to be a resource for you. Feel free to call or text me anytime at 604-780-7877 — happy to chat and answer any questions, no pressure at all.

...

Jan 21, 2026

By: Leilani Fong PREC* Top Port Moody Realtor

Aria Townhomes– 110 Brew Street, Port Moody

Townhomes in Suterbrook, Port Moody

Aria – 110 Brew Street, Port Moody (Suter Brook)

Aria townhomes are located within Suter Brook Village, offering a unique blend of townhouse living with condo-style convenience. This community is popular with downsizers and professionals.

Prime Location

Aria offers:

Steps to shops, restaurants, and cafés
Easy access to transit and SkyTrain
Walking distance to parks and waterfront

Community & Homes

Aria townhomes feature:

Modern architecture
Efficient, low-maintenance layouts
A vibrant, urban village atmosphere

Interior Features & Lifestyle

Homes typically include:

Open-concept living spaces
Contemporary kitchens
Private patios or terraces
Secure parking and storage

Why Buyers Love Aria

✅ Unmatched walkability
✅ Ideal for downsizers and professionals
✅ Live-work-play lifestyle
✅ Central Suter Brook location

If you’re thinking about buying or selling in Aria in Port Moody, or even just curious about what life is like here, I’d love to be a resource for you. Feel free to call or text me anytime at 604-780-7877 — happy to chat and answer any questions, no pressure at all.

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Jan 20, 2026

By: Leilani Fong PREC* Top Port Moody Realtor

Why Your Monthly Expenses Matter More Than Your Mortgage Pre-Approval

When buying a home, most buyers get excited about their pre-approval amount—the maximum loan amount a lender says they qualify for. But here’s the catch: just because you’re pre-approved for a certain amount doesn’t mean that’s what you should actually spend. Instead, the smarter approach is to focus on what you can comfortably afford based on your monthly expenses and lifestyle.

Pre-Approval vs. Real Affordability

Your mortgage pre-approval is based on factors like your income, credit score, and debt-to-income ratio. However, it doesn’t consider your day-to-day expenses, savings goals, or unexpected costs. Lenders assess what they think you can afford—but they’re not paying your bills every month, you are!

Why Monthly Expenses Matter More

Your Budget is More Than Just a Mortgage Payment Homeownership comes with additional costs beyond just your mortgage payment. You’ll need to factor in property taxes, home insurance, utilities, maintenance, and potential HOA fees. If you stretch your budget too thin, these added costs can quickly become overwhelming.
Lifestyle Considerations What do you value in your day-to-day life? Whether it’s traveling, dining out, hobbies, or saving for retirement, you don’t want to sacrifice your lifestyle just to afford your mortgage. Looking at your monthly expenses helps ensure you can still enjoy life while owning a home.
Unexpected Expenses Happen Homes require maintenance, and repairs can be costly. A roof replacement, a broken furnace, or plumbing issues can set you back thousands of dollars. Having a financial buffer is key, and that starts with a realistic monthly budget.
Interest Rates and Market Changes Your mortgage payments can fluctuate if you have a variable interest rate or if property taxes rise. Buying at the top of your pre-approval limit could leave you financially strained if these costs increase.

How to Determine What You Can Afford

Instead of focusing solely on your pre-approval, take these steps to determine what works best for your budget:

✅ List Your Current Monthly Expenses – Include everything from groceries and transportation to childcare and entertainment.

✅ Add Estimated Homeownership Costs – Factor in mortgage payments, property taxes, insurance, utilities, and maintenance.

✅ Ensure Room for Savings & Emergencies – Aim to keep a financial cushion for unexpected expenses and long-term savings.

✅ Use the 28/36 Rule – A good guideline is to keep your mortgage payment at 28% or less of your gross monthly income and your total debt (including car loans and credit cards) below 36%.

Final Thoughts

Your mortgage pre-approval is a great starting point, but your real financial comfort comes down to what you can afford to pay each month while still living the life you want. By focusing on monthly expenses instead of just the pre-approval amount, you can make a smarter, more sustainable home purchase.

🏡💡 Thinking about buying a home? Let’s go over your budget and find a home that fits your financial goals and lifestyle!

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Leilani Fong PREC*

EXP Realty

Top 2% I ICON Agent

604.780.7877

#SmartHomeBuying #BudgetWisely #HomeAffordability #FinancialFreedom #RealEstateTips

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Jan 18, 2026

By: Leilani Fong PREC* Top Port Moody Realtor

Why Port Moody Townhomes are the best...

Providing the best of both worlds

Townhomes are a popular choice in Port Moody because they offer the best of both worlds: multi-level living with private entries and often more outdoor space than a condo, while still being more affordable than detached houses. There are dozens of townhouse listings available throughout the city, ranging from starter homes to larger family-sized units.

Port Moody’s townhouse market includes a mix of older established complexes and newer, well-located units near transit, parks, and community amenities.

📍 Townhouse Locations & Neighbourhoods

Port Moody Centre

This is one of the most in-demand areas for townhome living — close to SkyTrain, shops, breweries, and waterfront trails. Many townhomes here offer walkability and easy transit access, which is ideal for commuters or buyers seeking urban convenience.

College Park & Glenayre

Just north of the centre, this area features a range of townhouse options — many with larger floor plans and proximity to parks and schools. Great for families or those wanting quieter streets but still convenient amenities nearby.

Heritage Woods & Heritage Mountain

These neighbourhoods include townhomes with more traditional layouts and often private outdoor space — perfect if you want a balance of suburban calm with access to recreation trails and community services.

🏡 What You’ll Find on the Market

Current listings show a variety of townhome options across Port Moody, including:

2–3 bedroom townhomes — ideal for first-time buyers or downsizers.
3–4+ bedroom layouts — popular with growing families who want room for everyone.
Units with attached garages, private patios or balconies, and multi-level living spaces.

Pricing varies by size and neighbourhood, with options typically ranging from more affordable starter units to premium townhouses in sought-after areas.

🛠️ New and Presale Townhouse Options

In addition to resale townhouses, Port Moody has new home communities and presale developments that occasionally include townhouse units or townhome-style clusters within larger condo-town projects. These often feature modern design, energy-efficient features, and contemporary finishes.

🌳 Why Townhomes in Port Moody Are Attractive

✅ Location — close to transit, trails, parks, and schools, especially in areas like Port Moody Centre and College Park.
✅ Lifestyle — townhouses often give you more privacy and outdoor space than condos, without the maintenance of detached living.
✅ Growth & community — with ongoing development in the Tri-Cities, townhomes remain appealing to both owners and investors.

I love townhomes because they truly offer the best of both worlds. You get more space, privacy, and that “house-like” feel — without the full maintenance and responsibility of a detached home. I also have a soft spot for them because I used to live in a townhouse myself, and I genuinely loved it. It gave me room to grow, outdoor space to enjoy, and a strong sense of community, all while still feeling manageable and low-stress.

Townhomes are such a smart step — whether you’re a first-time buyer, upsizing, downsizing, or thinking long-term about resale and lifestyle. They’re practical, versatile, and (from experience) an amazing place to call home 💛

If you would like to learn more about purchasing in Port Moody please feel free to reach out to me at 604-780-7877.

Leilani Fong PREC*

EXP Realty

604-780-7877

Top 2% of Realtors I ICON Agent

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Jan 17, 2026

By: Leilani Fong PREC* Top Port Moody Realtor

Treetops 101 Parkside Dr and 103 Parkside Dr

Largest Townhouse in Port Moody

Treetops – Heritage Mountain, Port Moody

Treetops is a well-established townhouse community nestled on Parkside Drive in the Heritage Mountain area of Port Moody, known for its peaceful, forest-like surroundings and spacious, family-friendly homes. The development was built in the early 1990s and remains one of the most sought-after townhouse addresses in the area.

Community & Setting

Located in Heritage Mountain, a quiet residential neighbourhood surrounded by greenbelt, trails, parks, and outdoor recreation, yet still close to shopping, transit, and amenities.
Thoughtfully arranged clusters provide each home with privacy and a natural backdrop, making it feel more like detached living while remaining in a strata community.

Homes & Layouts

Treetops consists of about 172 duplex-style townhomes spread over multiple clusters across Parkside Drive.
Many units are multi-level homes with vaulted ceilings and large windows that bring in plenty of natural light.
Floor plans vary widely — from 3-bedroom homes with main floor living spaces and private patios, to spacious 3–5 bedroom layouts with walk-out basements, double garages and large vaulted living areas that truly feel like a house.
Interiors often include features like private park-like backyards, storage space, workshops, and multi-room layouts that suit families or buyers looking for extra space.

Amenities

Treetops sets itself apart with a strong range of community amenities, which are excellent for both active living and social engagement:

Indoor heated pool
Sauna and hot tub
Fully-equipped exercise room
Clubhouse with kitchen — great for gatherings
Outdoor basketball court
Gardening and common area maintenance included in strata fees

These facilities give owners a resort-like feel right at home while keeping everyday life comfortable and active.

Location Benefits

Excellent placement near Heritage Mountain Elementary and Heritage Woods Secondary, making it popular with families.
Close to transit options, shopping, and restaurants in nearby neighbourhoods.
Easy access to green spaces, walking trails, and outdoor recreation — perfect for nature lovers.

Why Buyers Love Treetops

✅ Spacious layouts with versatile floor plans — they often feel more like a single family home.
✅ Quiet, scenic setting in Heritage Mountain’s greenbelt environment.
✅ Fantastic community amenities that enhance lifestyle and help build neighborhood connections.
✅ Strong appeal to families and long-term owners given the proximity to schools and outdoor spaces.

I may be a little biased — I lived in Treetops and still own there — but that’s because I truly love this community. It really does speak for itself.

If you’re thinking about buying or selling in Treetops, or even just curious about what life is like here, I’d love to be a resource for you. Feel free to call or text me anytime at 604-780-7877 — happy to chat and answer any questions, no pressure at all.

______________

Leilani Fong PREC*

EXP Realty

604-780-7877

Top 2% Realtor I ICON Agent

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