Multiplex Pre-Sale Assignments in Vancouver (2026)

An assignment is when someone who bought a pre-sale home sells their contract to you before the home is finished. You take over their right to buy the home from the developer at the original contract price, and you usually pay the first buyer back their deposit plus a premium. In a building of 5 or more strata lots, BC law requires the developer's written consent and reports every assignment to the province. In a strata of 4 or fewer homes, which covers most duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes, the contract decides whether you can assign at all, so read it with a lawyer.

We corrected this post on October 31, 2026. An earlier version gave developer fees, deposit ranges and legal fees with no source, said the assignment itself carries no property transfer tax, and used a made-up example built on rising prices. This version uses the rules as published by BC Laws, the Canada Revenue Agency, the Government of BC and BCFSA.

What you're buying

In a pre-sale assignment, the original buyer (the assignor) transfers their purchase contract to you (the assignee). The developer, the home and the completion date all stay the same. At completion, you take title in place of the first buyer.

You pay the assignor back the deposit they paid the developer, plus an assignment premium: the amount they want for giving up their place. At completion, you pay the developer the rest of the original contract price.

Why someone sells a pre-sale before completion

Common reasons:

• Life change: divorce, a job in another city, a family emergency.
• Money: they can no longer qualify for the mortgage at completion.
• Profit: they hope to sell the contract for more than they agreed to pay.
• More than one home: they bought several in the same project and want to sell one.

None of these is a warning sign by itself. The reason matters less than whether the contract terms are good and who is building the home.

BC's specific rules on assignments

Four sets of rules apply, and the size of the building decides one of them.

• Developer consent and reporting, 5 or more strata lots. Part 2.1 of the Real Estate Development Marketing Act covers strata lots in a development property, which section 1 defines as 5 or more strata lots in a building. Unless the developer does not allow assignment at all, the contract must forbid any assignment without the developer's prior consent (section 20.3). Before consenting, the developer must collect each party's identity, contact details and the terms of the assignment, and file them with the property transfer tax administrator (section 20.4). The Government of BC says this register has collected assignment details since January 2019.
• Smaller buildings, the contract decides. In a strata of 4 or fewer homes, Part 2.1 does not apply. BCFSA, the province's real estate regulator, says a pre-sale contract may let the developer charge a fee, cap the number of assignments, or forbid assignment altogether. Read the assignment clause before you sign.
• GST on the assignment price. Since May 7, 2022, every assignment of a new home is taxable for GST, according to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). The CRA says the part of the price that pays back the first buyer's deposit is left out, if the assignment agreement says so in writing. The assignor collects the GST and sends it to the CRA. GST is 5% in BC.
• Property transfer tax on everything you paid. When you buy a pre-sold strata home through a written assignment, at arm's length and before the strata plan is filed at the land title office, the tax is based on the total amount you paid, including the assignment premium, according to the Government of BC.

The financial math

What you pay, line by line:

• To the assignor: the deposit they paid the developer, plus the assignment premium.
• GST of 5% on the assignment price, less any part the agreement says in writing pays back the deposit.
• Any fee the developer charges to consent, if the contract allows one.
• To the developer at completion: the rest of the original contract price, usually with your mortgage.
• Property transfer tax on the total you paid, including the premium.

A made-up example shows the GST line. You pay the assignor $330,000. The assignment agreement says in writing that $230,000 of it pays back the deposit and $100,000 is the premium. GST is 5% of $100,000, or $5,000. If the agreement does not split out the deposit in writing, the CRA's rule for leaving it out does not apply.

To judge the price, add the premium to the original contract price and compare the total with what new homes nearby are asking today. Our post on buying pre-sale or already built compares Vancouver asking prices for both.

The risks unique to assignments

A few things to know:

• You take on the original buyer's risks: a later completion date, defects to fix and a change in prices before completion.
• You usually cannot change the finishes or upgrades the first buyer chose.
• The first buyer's mortgage approval does not transfer to you. You need your own approval for completion.
• Only one GST new housing rebate application can be made for each new home, the CRA says. The CRA says an assignee may want to file it directly with the CRA, so it counts both the GST paid to the developer and the GST paid to the assignor. Ask a tax professional whether you qualify.

Always have a real estate lawyer review the contract before you sign the assignment. The developer's lawyers wrote the contract, and it protects the developer.

Where to find pre-sale assignments in Vancouver

Assignments are seldom listed publicly. On October 28, 2026, of the 1,380 Active listings in our copy of the MLS® listings, which holds homes built in 2025 or later, one listing text offered an assignment: a Vancouver townhouse in a development of 42 homes. You are more likely to hear of one through:

• Agents who sold the original pre-sale homes in a project.
• Agents who keep lists of buyers looking for assignments.
• Family and work contacts.
• MLS® listings, now and then.

If you want an assignment, tell a few agents what you are looking for. In our view, the number of these sales is small enough that asking gets results.

Common questions

Are pre-sale assignments cheaper than buying directly from a developer?

Sometimes. If the first buyer needs to sell fast, the premium may be small. If they want a profit, it may be large. Add the premium to the original contract price and compare the total with new homes nearby.

Do I need a different lawyer for an assignment vs a regular pre-sale?

You use the same kind of lawyer, with more papers to read. Your lawyer reads the original purchase contract, the assignment agreement and, where the contract needs it, the developer's written consent. Ask for a quote before you sign.

Can I assign my pre-sale to someone else later if I change my mind?

Only if your contract allows it. In a building of 5 or more strata lots, the developer must consent first. BCFSA says a pre-sale contract may charge a fee, cap the number of assignments or forbid them.

What this comes down to

Pre-sale assignments are a small part of Vancouver's multiplex market. In our view, a good one is a fair price for a home you can't otherwise get, and seldom a bargain. Have a lawyer review every contract, compare the total price with new homes nearby, and remember you take on the first buyer's risks along with their place.

Looking at new homes instead? Browse new multiplex homes across Vancouver and Burnaby on our properties page, or talk to our team about a pre-sale or an assignment before you sign.

General information only. The tax rules and the GST example on this page are as of October 31, 2026, and are not tax or legal advice. Your contract governs. Speak to a real estate lawyer and a tax professional before you sign an assignment.

Sources

• BC Laws, Real Estate Development Marketing Act, sections 1, 20.1 to 20.4, current to October 27, 2026, read October 31, 2026.
• Canada Revenue Agency, GST/HST Notice 323, "Proposed GST/HST Treatment of Assignment Sales", May 2022, page dated May 26, 2022, read October 31, 2026.
• Canada Revenue Agency, GST/HST Info Sheet GI-120, "Assignment of a Purchase and Sale Agreement for a New House or Condominium Unit", note on assignments from May 7, 2022, page dated July 7, 2022, read October 31, 2026.
• Canada Revenue Agency, "GST/HST calculator (and rates)", page dated April 1, 2025, read October 31, 2026.
• Government of BC, "Property transfer tax on pre-sold strata units", last updated May 5, 2026, read October 31, 2026.
• BC Financial Services Authority, "Consumer Guide to Assignments", no date shown, read October 31, 2026.
• MultiLiving count of Active MLS® listings whose text mentions an assignment, counted October 31, 2026, 9:27 AM PT, from listings last updated October 28, 2026, 10:33 PM PT. Our copy of the MLS® listings holds homes built in 2025 or later.