Real Estate Lawyers in British Columbia

British Columbia gives buyers and sellers a choice that most provinces do not: conveyancing can be handled by either a lawyer or a notary public. BC notaries are specifically trained and authorised for residential transfers, and often quote less than a law firm. For a straightforward purchase with no complications, either works.

The distinction matters when something is not straightforward. A notary cannot give legal advice on a dispute or represent you if the transaction goes wrong, whereas a lawyer can. So if your deal involves a contract problem, a title defect, a tenancy dispute, a family or corporate transfer, or anything contested, a lawyer is the safer choice. Also worth knowing: BC has a Property Transfer Tax with first-time buyer and newly-built home exemptions that are easy to miss, and foreign buyer rules that apply in certain regions. The firms below handle residential and commercial real estate across BC.