Understand the contract of purchase and sale

“The seller’s realtor told us the roof was in great shape. It started leaking a week after we moved in, and we had to borrow $20,000 to get it replaced. There was nothing in the purchase contract about the state of the roof, so we couldn’t get the seller to cover this expense.”

– Jose, Squamish, BC

When someone wants to buy a home, they must make a written offer to the seller. In BC, this is often done with a standard contract of purchase and sale.

There is now a cooling-off period when buying a home

As of January 1, 2023, there is a three-day cooling-off period when buying a home in BC. We've updated the information below to reflect this change.

What you should know

About to make an offer?

Use our home buyer's checklist to help you understand what you're signing.

  • This information applies to British Columbia, Canada
  • Reviewed for legal accuracy in November 2019
  • Time to read: 9 minutes

Reviewed for legal accuracy by

Lisa Frey, Lawson Lundell LLP

Lisa Frey

Also on this topic

Still not sure what to do?

If you're looking for advice specific to your situation, there are options for free or low-cost help.

Options for legal help

We are grateful to work on the unceded traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, whose Peoples continue to live on and care for these lands.