What to Look at When Buying a Surrey Home

On this page (16 sections)

These are the questions I go through with buyers before they write an offer. Ask Jared about any item that applies to the home you are looking at.

Detached houses

  • Look at
    Lot size, the age of the roof, furnace, plumbing and wiring, and drainage
    Ask
    What the zone allows, and whether any suite was built with a permit
    Watch for
    Assuming you can add a suite or rebuild just because a neighbour did

Townhomes and condos (strata living)

  • Look at
    Strata fees, the depreciation report (the plan for future repairs), meeting minutes and bylaws
    Ask
    About upcoming special levies (extra one-time charges) and what the fees include
    Watch for
    Pet, rental or age rules that don’t fit your plans

Acreage and large rural lots

  • Look at
    ALR status, well water if there is no city water, septic, and how the land drains in winter
    Ask
    What the zone allows for a second home, outbuildings and animals
    Watch for
    Streams and ravines that limit where you can build

Surrey home buyer checklist: your questions answered

What should I check on a Surrey house?

Lot size, the age of the roof, furnace, plumbing and wiring, and drainage. Ask what the zone allows and whether any suite was built with a permit.

What should I check before buying a Surrey townhome or condo?

Strata fees, the depreciation report (the plan for future repairs), meeting minutes and bylaws. Ask about upcoming special levies (extra one-time charges) and what the fees include, and watch for pet, rental or age rules that don’t fit your plans.

Can I add a suite or rebuild because my neighbour did?

Not necessarily. Ask what the zone allows on your lot and whether any existing suite was built with a permit.

What matters on a large or rural lot in Surrey?

ALR status, well water if there is no city water, septic, and how the land drains in winter. Ask what the zone allows for a second home, outbuildings and animals, and watch for streams and ravines that limit where you can build.

Who can help me check a specific address?

Send Jared the address and he will go through these points with you before you write an offer.

How do I know if the suite in a Surrey house is legal?

Check the City's registry, because every Surrey secondary suite must be registered. The City's Secondary Suite Fee Web Inquiry tool shows whether a suite is registered; registration is done by filing a Secondary Suite Declaration Form with Property & Payment Services, and the City bills a $1,000 fee to the property for each unregistered suite it becomes aware of.

Can I remove the big trees and rebuild?

Only under the tree bylaw's process and securities. Surrey's Tree Protection By-law No. 16100 governs the site: the City requires tree protection securities of $3,000 per tree up to $15,000 per single-family lot, a tree cutting permit at $108 plus $42 per tree removed, replacement tree securities of $550 per replacement tree, and arborist supervision for work inside a protected tree's zone.

Is this Surrey lot in a floodplain?

Check the lowlands first, because about 20% of Surrey is coastal floodplain. The City maps the floodplain from Boundary Bay and Mud Bay along the Nicomekl and Serpentine Rivers toward Cloverdale and Newton; most of it is protected by dykes, with sea dams on both rivers, so a lowland lot's dyke and drainage position is a checklist item, not a detail.

What permit steps should I expect after I buy and renovate?

Expect the building permit first and the trade permits second. Surrey states a residential building permit is usually required for building or renovating work such as building a house, and that separate plumbing and electrical permits may be applied for only after the building permit has been issued; before anyone moves into a new structure, the owner must book and pass a final inspection.

What Buyers & Sellers Say

Excerpts from Google reviews for Jared Gibbons, REALTOR® at Royal LePage Little Oak Realty (Suite 201 - 15272 Croydon Dr, Surrey). Quoted word for word; initials only.

  • 5 out of 5 stars

    “Jared's knowledge of the Langley real estate market is second to none. As newcomers to home buying, his guidance was invaluable. He helped us navigate every step with ease, resulting in the purchase of our dream home…”

    R.M. Google review

  • 5 out of 5 stars

    “As a first time homebuyer, Jared made everything seamless and stress free. He anticipated every need, got me exactly what I wanted at a fair price and was always professional and easy to talk to! 10/10 would recommend to anyone- great service!”

    M.K. Google review

  • 5 out of 5 stars

    “Jared is an outstanding realtor and person. His knowledge of the market far surpasses anyone I have come in contact with. More than this, he prioritizes your purchase like it’s his own, going above and beyond to find a home that works for you…”

    B.S. Google review

More Surrey real estate

Surrey Home Buyer Checklist: streets and boundaries

  • Every rule below is a City of Surrey rule: Surrey runs its own suite registry, tree protection bylaw and soil bylaw, so a checklist item that passes in Delta or Langley can fail in Surrey.

Surrey Home Buyer Checklist: the housing stock

  • The Surrey-specific stock question is the suite, not the house form: Surrey treats any self-contained unit with cooking facilities and a bathroom as a secondary suite that must be registered, whether or not it is rented out.
  • Surrey's suite test turns on the kitchen and bathroom alone: the City states the bylaw does not address who occupies a suite or whether it is occupied at all, and that the existence of the cooking equipment and bathroom are the only considerations in deciding whether a secondary suite exists.

Surrey Home Buyer Checklist: rules that affect buyers

  • All Surrey secondary suites must be registered with the City: the City requires the owner to complete a Secondary Suite Declaration Form and submit it to Property & Payment Services, and a $1,000 fee is billed to the property for each unregistered suite the City becomes aware of.
  • A buyer can check a suite's registration before offering: the City provides a Secondary Suite Fee Web Inquiry tool to check whether a suite at an address is registered.
  • Trees are protected by a named bylaw with money held back: Surrey Tree Protection By-law No. 16100 applies, and on a building site the City requires tree protection securities of $3,000 per tree, up to $15,000 per single-family lot, paid before the building permit is issued.
  • Cutting a protected tree costs a permit fee plus replacement security: the City sets a tree cutting permit fee of $108 plus $42 for every tree removed, and replacement tree securities of $550 per replacement tree.
  • Moving soil needs the City's soil rules, not just a truck: Surrey's regulatory bylaw list includes the Soil Removal & Deposition rules in By-law No. 16389, the Surrey Soil Conservation and Protection By-law, 2007, and a separate Erosion and Sediment Control By-law No. 21181.

Surrey Home Buyer Checklist: local details a buyer would not know

  • A registered Surrey suite carries two annual charges: the Secondary Suite Service Fee is $893 per suite, and garbage, recycling and organics for one suite is $172.04, set by the Secondary Suite Service Fee Bylaw No. 17356 and the waste bylaw.
  • Removing a suite has a City inspection step: the City states that once a suite is removed, the owner can request an inspection with Bylaws by calling 604-591-4516 and pressing Option 2, after removing stoves and other cooking equipment and completing any permitted electrical work.
  • Drawings need a confirmed civic address before Surrey will review them: the City states the correct civic address must be established by an Addressing Clerk and shown on each drawing sheet, and that drawings will not be reviewed with an incorrect or missing address.
  • Permits and inspections run through one portal: the City's permitting portal, tied to a MySurrey account, is used to apply for permits, pay fees, track a project and request building inspections.

Surrey Home Buyer Checklist: development and new projects

  • Surrey's lowland flood works are the development item a checklist buyer inherits: an August 26, 2026 provincial release states the Fry's Corner drainage pump station improvements on the Serpentine River are complete, with the Serpentine and Latimer Creek diking upgrades scheduled for summer 2027.
  • The same release dates the next Serpentine works: improvements to the 64 Avenue drainage pump station are underway with completion scheduled for fall 2027, and a new pump station near the 16000 block of 60 Avenue is expected in late 2027.
  • On the Nicomekl River, the release states a dike rehabilitation with three culvert replacements is scheduled for completion in summer 2027, protecting more than 50 buildings including homes and barns and more than 400 hectares of agricultural land.

Surrey Home Buyer Checklist: costs and taxes

  • Surrey's 2026 tax rate and utility figures are in the surreyforeclosuresandcourtsales note — see the surreyforeclosuresandcourtsales note.
  • The checklist-specific Surrey charges are the suite charges: $893 per year Secondary Suite Service Fee, $172.04 for one suite's garbage, recycling and organics, and a $1,000 fee billed for each unregistered suite the City becomes aware of.

Surrey Home Buyer Checklist: getting around

  • The checklist trip is to City Hall: suite registration forms go to Property & Payment Services at Surrey City Hall, 13450 104 Avenue, the same counter used for tax sale bidder registration.

Surrey Home Buyer Checklist: risks and due diligence

  • Check the Serpentine and Nicomekl lowlands lot by lot: the City states the two river catchments cover 334 km², of which 59 km² is lowland floodplain, much of it very close to sea level because it was historically an intertidal zone.
  • The rivers are gated, not free-flowing, at the bay: the City states both rivers are controlled by sea dams that open at low tide to let fresh water flow to Mud Bay and close at high tide to stop salt water moving into farm land.
  • Check for unpermitted work before relying on a suite or addition: the City's permit pages state an owner must hold the required permit before construction, and its residential permit page is the checklist for which projects need one.

How Surrey Home Buyer Checklist compares

Surrey Home Buyer Checklist compared
FactSurreyDelta (Tsawwassen)Mission
Secondary suite registrationRegistration mandatory; $1,000 fee billed per unregistered suite foundRegistration after final occupancy; one suite maximum—
Annual suite service charge$893 service fee plus $172.04 waste for one suite——
Tree protection bylaw named on the city's bylaw listYes — Tree Protection By-law No. 16100——

Sources for Surrey Home Buyer Checklist

Ready to get started?

Call 604-928-1361 or Email me today and let's discuss your next home sale or purchase.