Where to Live
We urge you to have new digs arranged before you give up your current home to move to Pender Harbour. Beware of assuming you’ll be presented with a variety of immediate housing options when you get here, or you might end up living in your car.
Renting
Full-time rental accommodations are scarce in Pender Harbour. Beware of rentals that come up in fall; they often end in the spring when the premises turns into a “vacation rental” and rents shoot up to a commercial weekly rate.
Ask if the property is up for sale, privately or otherwise. If it is, obtain a clear, written contract of your rights related to viewing by real estate agents, their clients and the property owner, and terms of your notice to move when the property is sold.
Offsite link: BC Residential Tenancy Branch.
Buying
You won’t find cheap properties on the local real estate market, but be assured that real estate agents will do their best to find something to meet your needs and fit your budget.
Summer is the worst time of the year to choose property; you will have no idea where the sun shines, or not, come the wet and windy winter months. Bring a compass and look around. If you’ve got a big hill between you and South, it may explain why the price is $50k less than a similar property around the corner.
If you’re planning a subdivision, further construction or a long-term property investment, be sure to educate yourself on the local Community Plan and Land-Use Bylaw (337). Local Government (SCRD) staff can answer your questions and direct you to valuable information. You can save yourself a lot of grief by knowing.
Questions to Ask Before Buying
When viewing waterfront property, your first question should be, “Are there any rats here?” Of course there are rats. There are rats everywhere on the waterfront, but the answer will tell you something about the integrity of your real estate agent.
If the property you’re looking at is hugely cheaper than anything else in the area, there’s a reason. Know what it is before signing on the proverbial dotted line.
These questions should be answered to your satisfaction before you invest in property here. To protect your... um, assets. E-mail your questions to get a legally binding reply.
- Will I be able to live on the property full-time or is it zoned recreational use only?
- Can I renovate the existing house/cabin? Can I increase its size or build a deck over the water? Will I need to pay for an engineering study or archeological assessment?
- Can I build a second dwelling on this property? An auxiliary building such as a shed or garage? What are the setbacks? Yes, you can apply for a variance, but there’s no guarantee that it will be allowed.
- What can be built on the property next door? Even if you’re buying next to Crown Land, certain uses are allowed and, down the road, it may be sold by the government for development or designated for public use.
- Can I build a dock on the water? Note that new foreshore licenses/leases have not been issued for years now, part of the Sechelt Indian Band’s land claim negotiation strategy.
- Can I cut down those trees to improve my view? Trees on your neighbour’s property can grow quickly to block your view, and they are usually well within their rights to refuse to top or remove them.
- Is the septic field/treatment plant okay or will it have to be upgraded (at my expense)? Is there enough space to upgrade or replace it?
- Will I be able to get legal driveway access?
- Is community water available? What does it cost?
- Is there arsenic in my (well) water? When was it last tested? Does it run dry at any time during the year?
- Is cable TV available? High-speed internet access?
- Why do the neighbours have their garbage cans chained to trees?
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