What the Prepared Buyer Program Is
Most buyers spend weeks or months working through the process with their agent, learning neighbourhoods, defining search criteria, understanding financing, walking through a dozen properties to figure out what they actually want. That work has real professional value, and agents build it into how they operate.
The Prepared Buyer Program is for buyers who've already done that work.
If you have a mortgage pre-approval in hand, you've identified a specific property, and you know you're ready to write, you're not the typical buyer starting from scratch. You're already prepared. The program recognises that and returns it to you at closing as the Prepared Buyer's Premium.
How the Premium Works
When you purchase through the program, Dallas retains 1% of the purchase price as his professional fee. The cooperating commission the listing brokerage is offering, minus that 1%, comes back to you at closing as the Prepared Buyer's Premium.
The amount is confirmed in writing in the Disclosure of Expected Remuneration before you write your first offer. There are no surprises. The Premium flows through the brokerage trust account at closing and doesn't affect your mortgage, your financing approval, or your negotiating position.
At typical cooperating commission structures in BC, the Premium on a $900,000 purchase works out to approximately $6,000 to $10,000 depending on the fee structure the listing brokerage is offering. Use the calculator on the program page to estimate yours based on your target price.
What You Get Beyond the Premium
The program isn't just the money back at closing. Registered members also get:
Pre-MLS property alerts. Coming-soon and off-market properties sent before they hit Realtor.ca. In a fast market, this is often the difference between writing on a property and missing it entirely.
Same-day showing priority. When a property lists that fits your criteria, offer-ready buyers move first. Dallas clears the schedule.
Offer-night availability. Every clause, every competing scenario, walked through in real time. Full negotiation support, the same as any client.
Direct access. Not an assistant, not a team member. Small program, full attention.
The Three Qualifying Criteria
The program works because both sides arrive committed. Three things are required before you can register:
A valid mortgage pre-approval from a lender, not a pre-qualification estimate. If you're still at the pre-qualification stage, we can connect you with a broker who can move you to a full approval quickly.
A specific property in mind. The program is not for exploratory searches. If you're still deciding on neighbourhoods or property types, the right next step is the buyers guide, not this program.
Exclusive commitment for the transaction. You're working with Dallas on this property. One agent, one deal.
If all three apply, the application takes about three minutes.
Who It's Not For
It's worth being direct about this. If you're still figuring out which neighbourhoods suit you, still deciding between a condo and a townhouse, or don't have a mortgage pre-approval yet, this program isn't the right fit at this stage. That's not a problem. The IslandSold platform has neighbourhood guides, street-level market data, and a buyers guide built exactly for that part of the process.
Come back when you're ready to write.
How BC Real Estate Transactions Work
For buyers new to BC, a few things worth knowing before you get to offer stage.
Real estate purchases in BC use a Contract of Purchase and Sale, not the offer forms used in Ontario or Alberta. Your offer will include subjects, which are conditions like financing approval and a property inspection, with a subject removal period typically five to ten business days. Once subjects are removed, the deal is firm. Completion and possession dates in BC are often set two to four weeks out from subject removal.
BC Property Transfer Tax applies to all purchases: 1% on the first $200,000, 2% on $200,000 to $2 million, 3% on $2 million to $3 million, and 5% on amounts over $3 million. On a $700,000 home, PTT works out to $12,000. Budget for it alongside legal fees, title insurance, and property tax adjustments. Total closing costs in BC typically run 2% to 3% of purchase price on top of your down payment.
First-time buyers may qualify for a full PTT exemption on homes up to $500,000, or a partial exemption on homes priced between $500,001 and $835,000, saving up to $8,000. To qualify you must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, have lived in BC for 12 consecutive months or filed two BC income tax returns in the last six years, never have owned property anywhere in the world, and intend to use the home as your principal residence. There is also a newly built home exemption available to all buyers — not only first-time buyers — on properties valued at $1,100,000 or less, with a partial exemption available up to $1,150,000.
For a full breakdown of every grant, exemption, and cost, see the first-time buyer guide for BC.
Find out if you qualify
The qualification assessment takes about two minutes. Answer a few questions about your pre-approval and search criteria and you'll know immediately whether the program is the right fit.
