Top condo amenities buyers want the most

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From wellness spaces to pet baths, condo buyers in Metro Vancouver have countless amenity options to consider while on the hunt for a new home.

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According to BC Housing Research Centre, 86.5 per cent of the 30,757 proposed new homes registered in British Columbia in the first eight months of 2024 were for multi-unit homes. There’s stiff competition between developers trying to attract buyers to their brand and offering an array of amenities is one way they’re doing it.

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Derek Fenton, vice-president of Zenterra Developments, says there are two kinds of amenities: typical and unique. Most people expect to have resident lounges and fitness rooms in their complex, just as they’d expect to have a necessary item like a toilet in their home. The type of additional amenities that a builder could include depends on the size and location of the community.

Based on customer feedback, these are the top four amenities outside of the norm that buyers in Metro Vancouver wanted in 2024.

Green Spaces, rooftop gardens or patios

Fresh air is important whether you’re growing a garden on the 49th floor or playing pickleball in the street-level courtyard. Zenterra’s Solana development in Langley features two-acres of outdoor space with barbecue areas, bocci ball courts and room for kids to run around. The rationale for outdoor space of this size is the location.

“The Langley Event Centre is nearby and there’s lot of indoor recreation available there. We’re working off the question, what would residents not have there that we can provide here,” Fenton says. “If there are other amenities nearby, that’s always going to influence what we’re doing in the community.”

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Co-working spaces

The growth of hybrid or remote work has created demand for flexible spaces outside the home. Smaller condos with no dedicated workspace mean homeowners want a professional environment outside their home without having to lease space or commute to the traditional office.

“This is a lot higher on the list than it was five years ago. Rather than going to a coffee shop to work, people are seeing the value of a dedicated space close to home,” he says.

Pet-friendly amenities

In the absence of an off-leash park in the neighbourhood, buyers are looking for safe, fenced areas on the property for untethered pooches. Solana, again, within their two-acre green space, has a dog park because no option exists nearby.

Rooftop patios can have “relief” areas where dogs can do their business when there’s no time for a full-scale walk.

Secure parcel lockers

Contactless deliveries are part of modern living. In the absence of a building concierge, secure lockers managed with an app eliminate theft and goods can be received any time of the day or night. Lockers centralize deliveries keeping hallways and lobbies clutter-free.

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While buyers want and demand lifestyle amenities, they can be expensive. The cost to maintain, operate and ensure amenities is built into strata fees. Buyers need to consider how much they’ll use all these shared spaces. In luxury developments, the valuation is very different. Premium homebuilder, Concord Pacific, lists the highly expensive swimming pool as the most desired amenity, consistently identified as No. 1 across resident surveys. Other amenities (not in order of importance) are a state-of-the-art fitness facility, social area, private outdoor area, pet zone with spa facility, gear-up zone for bikes and sports equipment, ball games area, co-working lounge with private meeting rooms, soundproof music room and media/video game room.

“Families of all age groups are really gravitating to our communities with large, secure outdoor amenities and bicycle amenities,” says Concord Pacific vice-president David Ju. “Our urban resort developments at Concord Metrotown and Oasis have running tracks and huge park areas for wellness and recreation. Both feature gear rooms for tuning bikes and sport gear as well. Outside of lifestyle, our full EV parkades are a huge plus for future buyers.”

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