Are estate sales really cheaper?

Sometimes, and for understandable reasons: executors usually price to sell within the estate's timeline, and long-held homes often show their age. But it is not automatic — some estate homes sell at full market value. The guide explains how to judge a specific listing.

Is a probate sale the same as a foreclosure?

No. A court-ordered (foreclosure) sale is forced by a lender and supervised by a judge. A probate sale is a normal sale by the executor of an estate — no court hearing to outbid you, and BC's home buyer rescission period still applies. The timing quirks come from the probate process, not a courtroom.

Why does probate change the timeline?

The Land Title Office generally will not register a transfer until the court issues the grant of probate, which typically takes months. Estate homes are often listed 'subject to probate' — you can go under contract early, but completion waits for the grant. The guide walks through the timeline.

Nothing. The weekly list and guide are free. If you eventually buy a property with Reggie as your agent, he is paid the standard buyer-agent commission from the transaction, like any purchase.

Estate & probate sales · Metro Vancouver

Homes sold to settle an estate, found and delivered weekly

Estate and probate homes are some of the most interesting listings in Metro Vancouver — long-held houses in original condition, priced by executors who need to settle, not to squeeze. They're also scattered and easy to miss. Get every one in your inbox each week, plus a free plain-English guide to how buying a probate property actually works in BC.

Why estate sales are different

Priced to settle

Executors answer to beneficiaries who usually want a clean, timely sale — not months of chasing a record price. Realistic pricing is common. Automatic bargains are not.

Often original condition

Many estate homes were held for decades. Dated kitchens and deferred maintenance scare off most buyers — and hide the value for the ones who can read a building.

Little or no disclosure

An executor who never lived in the home often can't complete a Property Disclosure Statement. Your inspection — and a trained eye — carry more weight than usual.

Probate sets the clock

Title usually can't transfer until the court issues the grant of probate, which takes months. "Subject to probate" deals reward patient buyers — and thin out the competition.

How this works

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Watch the market weekly

Every week: estate and probate sale homes across Metro Vancouver, with a plain one-line read on each.

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See something interesting? Reply to any email. Reggie will tell you what the condition really means, what a fix costs, and how to structure a subject-to-probate offer.

Reggie MacIntosh

People-focused. Design-driven. Solution-oriented.

Estate homes are usually sold with little or no disclosure, in whatever condition decades of ownership left behind. That's exactly where Reggie works differently. As a REALTOR® with an architecture background and years of designing, renovating, and building homes, he brings a trained eye to every estate listing: what's cosmetic, what's structural, what a fix really costs, and what the home could become.

On a dated house with no disclosure statement, that judgment is the difference between buying character and inheriting problems. Learn more at reggiemacintosh.com.

Common questions

Are estate sales really cheaper?: Sometimes, and for understandable reasons: executors usually price to sell within the estate's timeline, and long-held homes often show their age. But it's not automatic — some estate homes sell at full market value. The guide explains how to judge whether a specific listing is worth a closer look, and Reggie can tell you why a price is what it is.
Is a probate sale the same as a foreclosure?: No — and the differences favour the buyer. A court-ordered (foreclosure) sale is forced by a lender and supervised by a judge: as-is, no cooling-off period, and rival bids at the courthouse. A probate sale is a normal sale by the estate's executor. There's no hearing where you can be outbid, BC's home buyer rescission period still applies, and normal subjects are on the table. The quirks are about timing and disclosure, not a courtroom. (Interested in foreclosures too? See courtorderedsales.ca.)
Why does probate change the timeline?: BC's Land Title Office generally won't register the transfer until the Supreme Court issues the grant of probate — typically a matter of months from application. Estate homes are often listed "subject to probate": you can have an accepted offer early, but completion waits for the grant. Fewer buyers have that patience, which is part of the opportunity.
What does this cost?: Nothing. The weekly list and guide are free. If you eventually buy a home with Reggie as your agent, he is paid the standard buyer-agent commission from the transaction, like any purchase.