By Roland Kym — Vancouver Realtor, Personal Real Estate Corporation
View my video here on the subject.
Vancouver’s real estate market is world-renowned — for its beauty, its desirability, and, unfortunately, its affordability challenges. One topic that has resurfaced lately in conversations among developers, investors, and policymakers is the role of foreign buyers.
It’s a subject that sparks strong opinions, but today I want to focus on one specific and often overlooked area: the pre-sale market — and why reopening this sector to foreign participation could actually help create more homes for Canadians.
1. The Problem: A Lack of Liquidity = A Lack of New Homes
Right now, Vancouver’s housing market is facing a serious supply bottleneck.
Many developers are struggling to launch new projects because of rising construction costs, high interest rates, and slow pre-sale absorption. Banks require developers to pre-sell a certain percentage of units before financing construction — but when local demand softens, projects can’t reach that threshold.
And when projects stall or are cancelled, fewer homes get built, making our long-term affordability challenges even worse.
2. The Opportunity: Responsible Foreign Investment
This is where responsible, targeted foreign investment can make a meaningful impact.
By allowing foreign buyers to participate only in pre-sales, we can help developers achieve the sales benchmarks needed to secure financing and move projects forward.
This isn’t about reigniting speculation — it’s about unlocking liquidity to ensure that new housing gets built. Foreign buyers have historically represented a small percentage of total demand, but in today’s environment, even that small boost could be the difference between a project breaking ground or being shelved indefinitely.
3. A Fair and Smart Framework
Of course, any policy change must be designed carefully to protect local interests and ensure that the benefits flow back into our communities.
Here’s a practical framework that could achieve that balance:
Foreign buyers may only purchase brand-new, pre-sale units. No resale properties allowed.
They must hold and rent the property for at least five years, adding valuable rental stock to the market.
After five years, they may sell the property like any other owner.
This model encourages long-term investment, strengthens rental availability, and prevents quick flips or speculative gains — aligning foreign participation with Vancouver’s housing goals.
4. The Broader Impact
Allowing responsible foreign capital back into the pre-sale market would do more than just boost liquidity. It would help stabilize the entire housing ecosystem.
New projects mean more homes for future buyers, more jobs for local trades and construction workers, and more tax revenue for municipalities. It would also increase rental housing supply — something urgently needed across Metro Vancouver.
Government programs and local buyers alone can’t fund or absorb every new project. We need a balanced, multi-layered approach — and foreign buyers can play a small but essential role in that equation.
5. Final Thoughts
Vancouver is a globally connected city — and our housing market has always reflected that. Reintroducing foreign buyers into the pre-sale segment, with clear rules and long-term requirements, would not only benefit developers and builders but also renters and future homeowners.
It’s not about favouring outsiders — it’s about ensuring that our city continues to grow sustainably and that developers can build the homes our communities desperately need.
By restoring strategic liquidity to the system, we can move from a cycle of delay to one of development — creating more opportunities for everyone who calls Vancouver home.
If you’d like to talk about Vancouver’s housing trends or explore pre-sale opportunities, feel free to reach out anytime.
604-970-0393
Roland@RolandKym.com
www.RolandKym.com | www.MoveToVancouverCanada.ca
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