Is your land worth more than your house?
BC’s multiplex rules changed what many single-family lots can hold. If you’ve owned your home for a long time, the land under it may now be worth more to a builder than the house is to a buyer. Send me an address and I’ll tell you what’s allowed, what might get in the way, and whether it’s worth a closer look. The first look costs nothing.
What changed
- In most BC municipalities with more than 5,000 people, lots zoned for a single house or duplex must now allow at least three homes, or four on lots over 280 m² (about 3,000 sq ft).
- Lots over 280 m² near frequent bus service must allow up to six.
- Vancouver goes further: up to six strata homes, or eight secured rental homes, on many single-family lots.
- Each city writes its own bylaw, with its own setbacks, height limits and fees, so two similar lots in different cities can get different answers.
Five things that decide whether it works
What you get from a first look
- What your zoning allows, in plain language
- The likely layout: how many homes, and where they’d go
- The constraints that actually matter on your lot
- A rough comparison: value as a home, value as a development site
- What a sale would mean for your taxes and estate, and who to talk to about it
- My honest view of the next step, including “don’t”
Send me an address
Email the address and anything you know about the property. I’ll reply personally.
A first look is general information based on public data. It is not an appraisal, a survey or a professional design. Confirm with the city and qualified professionals before you buy, sell or build.