Buy a House or Condo in Surrey, British Columbia

Surrey is made up of several town centres rather than one downtown. City Centre, near the Surrey Central SkyTrain station, is the high-density core with new condo towers. Guildford and Fleetwood are established mid-priced districts with shopping and schools. South Surrey and White Rock sit near the US border and the coast and carry higher prices. Cloverdale and Newton offer more affordable family housing, with Newton having a large, diverse community.

SkyTrain's Expo Line links Surrey Central to downtown Vancouver, and the Surrey-Langley extension has been under construction, so check its current status before betting on a particular station. Driving to Vancouver can be slow at peak times, and many residents commute locally or into Richmond and Burnaby.

Buyers include Canadian move-up families leaving Vancouver for space, immigrants from South Asia, East Asia and the Philippines settling in the Lower Mainland, and investors seeking rental condos near transit. For non-residents, the picture is more complex than elsewhere, which is why it is worth reading the next section.

Canada has had a federal prohibition on purchases of residential property by non-Canadians, introduced in 2023 and extended, with exemptions for some work-permit holders, students and others. British Columbia also applies a foreign buyers tax (additional property transfer tax) in designated regions including Metro Vancouver, plus a speculation and vacancy tax and a general property transfer tax. Rates and exemptions change, so treat all of this as indicative and confirm with a BC real estate lawyer before making an offer.

Our Canada buying guide and mortgage guide for Canada explain the practical steps for permitted buyers. For market context, see the Canada market analysis.

Surrey's price level sits between the Ontario commuter belt and Vancouver itself. Take a look at Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Ottawa or Hamilton for alternatives. Calgary and Edmonton are generally cheaper per m². Use the mortgage calculator to estimate payments, and head back to the Canada property hub to see every city.