Buying a Property in Whistler: Where to Start

Whistler attracts visitors from all over the world, each coming to experience one of the world’s best year-round resorts. Once here, it’s safe to say that most people wonder what it would be like to buy a property in Whistler!

Whether you’re a long-time local, weekend visitor, or visiting from further afield, you go through the same process for buying a home. No matter how straightforward or complex your real estate journey may be, purchasing in Whistler is incredibly exciting and a dream come true for many!

Depending on what you’re looking for you will experience a different nuance of the Whistler real estate market, but everyone starts in the same place and that’s what we’re here for – here is the start of the buying process.

Deciding what you want

Once you know you want to buy in Whistler, the first step is to decide what exactly you want. Are you looking for a permanent residence, a second home, an investment property, or shared ownership?

As some properties in Whistler have different zoning, this initial decision will allow you to narrow your starting search criteria, making the process slightly easier.

Finding a Realtor

When starting your search for a property it’s important to engage the services of a knowledgeable, local Realtor. They will guide you through each step and take care of paperwork and negotiations, leaving you to enjoy the ride!

When looking for an agent to work with, don’t be scared to look around and find someone who understands you and your needs. We would also advise using an agent local to Whistler, as the market can often be complicated and varies greatly from those around it.

A local agent understands the Whistler market and will be able to find you the best property to suit your needs.

Getting serious

If you’re serious about purchasing a property, one of the first things we recommend is getting preapproved for a mortgage. This not only speeds up the process, but puts you ahead of other buyers when submitting a bid for a property – something that should not be overlooked, especially in a competitive market, which Whistler often is.

This is also a good time to think about your budget and carry out some initial research on the market. If you have already engaged the services of a Realtor then you can talk to them about your expectations.

Looking for a property

When you start looking for a property it can often be an overwhelming feeling. There are so many different locations and property types it can be hard to know where to start.

If you have completed the above steps you should have a pretty good idea of the type of property you want, as well as your budget and what that can get you. Your agent may have already suggested some listings as well.

Deciding location and style of home can be tough though and you need to think about what really matters to you.

Needs and wants

Evaluating your needs and wants is one of the most helpful steps you can take when looking for a property. Simply list what factors you really need from the property and what things would just be nice to have. This allows you to narrow your criteria and categorize each home in order to find the one that fits best with all of your needs.

As an example, you may be looking for a ski-in/ski-out family home with three bedrooms. You need three bedrooms, but you want it to be ski-in/ski-out.

It can be difficult to let some of your wants go, but do be prepared to compromise in order to find the best fit depending on the current market conditions.

Finding your dream home

If you follow these steps, finding your dream Whistler home should be a fun, exciting experience!

Once you have found the perfect property, you can begin the buying process. Your Realtor will guide you and help negotiate and submit an offer, ensuring you get the best deal possible and can start planning your Whistler adventures!

Find more information on the buying process, submitting an offer, and securing your property HERE.