Guides
Guides, checklists and the math
Short, practical explainers on the parts of a lease and a purchase that cost people money, with real numbers and BC examples. Each guide answers one question, like how load factor works or what it costs to buy a home, and links to a calculator where it helps.
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- Lease math
Load factor explained
Two offices with the same desks and the same rent per foot can cost thousands a year apart. Load factor is usually why.
Read more - Lease math
Net effective rent: how to compare lease offers fairly
The offer with the lowest rent isn’t always the cheapest. Net effective rent folds in free rent and allowances so you can compare offers on…
Read more - Lease types
What triple net really costs
“Net” sounds like less. In a lease it usually means more on top. Here’s what each lease type passes to you, and how to budget for it.
Read more - Checklist
The lease renewal checklist
Print this, or keep it open while you read your lease. It’s the same checklist I use for my free renewal check.
Read more - Process
The offer to lease: where the real deal gets made
The offer to lease is a short document with long consequences. Most of the important terms are settled here, before the full lease is…
Read more - Lease law basics
Assignment and sublease: why your name can stay on the lease
Handing your lease to someone else doesn’t always hand over the responsibility. Here’s the difference between assigning and subletting, and…
Read more - Buying
Property Transfer Tax and share sales, in plain words
Property Transfer Tax is one of the biggest closing costs on a BC commercial purchase, and it’s a big reason some deals are done as share…
Read more - Buying
Cap rates, explained like a savings account
If you bought a building with cash, the cap rate is the interest rate it would pay you. It’s the simplest number in commercial real estate,…
Read more - Checklist
Due diligence checklist for buying commercial property
What to ask for and check during the conditional period on a BC commercial purchase, in one list.
Read more - Buying
Financing a commercial property
Commercial lenders look at the property’s income as well as at you. Knowing what they check helps you write an offer with realistic…
Read more - Selling
How a commercial sale works, step by step
From the first conversation to completion, here is what happens on a typical BC commercial sale and what you’ll be asked for at each step.
Read more - Selling
What is my commercial property worth?
Commercial property is mostly valued on its income and on what similar properties sell for. The final price depends on which buyers are…
Read more - Residential
What it costs to buy a home in BC
Beyond the price and the down payment, budget for these. Property Transfer Tax is usually the biggest one, and the calculator below gives…
Read more - Residential
Strata documents checklist
Before you remove subjects on a condo or townhouse, read these. They tell you how the building is run and what it may cost you later.
Read more - Residential
Renting a home in BC: the basics
Most residential tenancies in BC follow the Residential Tenancy Act. Here are the basics every tenant should know. Check the current rules…
Read more - Financing
Vendor take-back mortgages, explained
With a vendor take-back, the seller lends the buyer part of the price. It can bridge a gap and get a sale done. It needs careful terms and…
Read more - Leasing
Lease surrender and tenant buyouts
A lease can end early when both sides agree on a price and put it in writing. I help owners who need a tenant out, and tenants who need to…
Read more - Residential
Buying a presale condo in BC
Buying a home before it’s built can work well, but you are signing up for years of waiting and a contract written by the developer. Here’s…
Read more - Residential
What it costs to sell a home in BC
Before you list, it helps to know what you’ll actually walk away with. Here are the costs that come out of the sale price, and the ones…
Read more - Buying
Subject clauses: how a commercial offer protects you
Conditions give you time to check the property and a clean way out. The wording decides whether you have a deal at all.
Read more - Lease math
Tenant improvements: who builds what, and who pays
Who builds out the space, who pays, and what happens to it when you leave. Settle it before you sign.
Read more - Buying
How to read a rent roll
Who pays what, and how to test it against the leases, the bank deposits and the tenants themselves.
Read more - Lease law basics
Commercial lease rules in BC that surprise people
The lease carries most of your protection. These are the rules that catch business owners out.
Read more - Checklist
What to check when you tour commercial space
Bring this list on office, industrial and retail tours, and spot the costly issues before you write an offer.
Read more
Go deeper
If you’re looking for more details
Which guide should I read first?
- Leasing: the offer to lease, net effective rent, then load factor.
- Buying commercial: how a sale works, due diligence, cap rates.
- Buying a home: costs, strata documents, presales.
- Selling: what it’s worth, costs of selling a home, vendor take-back mortgages.
- Words: the glossary.
Next step
Tell me what’s going on with your space.
Fifteen minutes is usually enough to work out what you should do first. If I’m not the right person for it, I’ll tell you and point you to someone who is.