How do you buy a home for three generations in Coquitlam, Burnaby and the Tri-Cities?

I'm Mild, a licensed realtor with TRG The Residential Group Realty, and helping families upsize is what I love most. More and more of the families I work with are buying for parents, grandparents and kids together. This page answers the questions they ask me most.

The families I'm helping this year

Every family is different, but most of them fit one of these stories:

Which home type fits your family?

Questions to answer before you start viewing

• Stairs: Can everyone manage them now, and in 10 years? Is a main-floor bedroom a must, or just nice to have?
• Privacy: Does each household need its own kitchen and entrance, or is a bedroom and bathroom enough?
• Parking: How many cars? Does anyone need an indoor garage?
• Location: Who needs to be close to what: school, work, transit, groceries, the temple or community centre?
• Money: Who is paying for what, and whose names go on title?
• Timing: Does a home need to sell first? See sell first or buy first.

Is the suite legal? How to check in Coquitlam

A suite listed as "mortgage helper" is not always a legal suite. Here is how I check it with my clients before they remove subjects:

1. Ask the seller for the building permit and final inspection for the suite. The City of Coquitlam says all secondary suites need building permits to be legal.
2. Email the City. Coquitlam's Building Division (permits@coquitlam.ca) can answer questions about a suite or basement finish. For older homes it may have plans on file for a fee, and you'll need to show your purchase contract.
3. Look at the utility bill. In Coquitlam an authorized suite pays the utility rate plus a 40% surcharge, and an unauthorized suite pays plus 100%.
4. Have your inspector look closely at the suite's exits, fire separation, ceiling height and smoke alarms.
5. Ask your insurer and lender how they treat the suite, legal or not.

Rules are different in each city. In Burnaby, New Westminster or Port Moody, I check with that city's building department.

Buying a duplex? Ask about insurance and noise

Duplexes are popular with multigenerational families, and they come with two questions every family asks me:

Paying for a multigenerational home

• Suite rent can help you qualify. Many lenders count some or all of the rent from a suite in the home you live in. The rules depend on the lender and whether the suite is legal, so ask your mortgage broker before you start viewing.
• Money from family. Parents helping with the down payment, including from overseas, usually need a signed gift letter and time for the money to arrive and sit in your account. Start early.
• Selling the parents' home. If grandparents are selling to buy near you, the sale usually sets the timeline. A price estimate early on keeps the budget realistic.
• Names on title. Joint tenancy and tenants in common work very differently. Talk to a lawyer or notary about what is right for your family.
• No suite grants right now. BC's Secondary Suite Incentive pilot closed to applications after March 30, 2025, and the federal Canada Secondary Suite Loan Program was cancelled before it launched.

Want to see what your family can afford? Try my Can We Upsize? calculator or read what it costs to upsize in the Tri-Cities.

New rules: more homes allowed on one lot

Since June 2025, Coquitlam's zoning follows BC's small-scale multi-unit housing rules: up to 3 units on lots of 280 m² (3,014 sq ft) or smaller, and up to 4 units on larger lots under one acre, in eligible small-scale residential zones. That can mean a house with a secondary suite plus a garden cottage or carriage house, with building permits. It opens new options for families who want to live close but separate. Check a lot's zoning on the City's QtheMap before you plan on it.

Schools and neighbourhoods

Most multigenerational families also care about schools. Use my Tri-Cities school finder to see the schools closest to any address, and my neighbourhood guides for Burke Mountain, Burquitlam and Austin Heights and Maillardville.

For Thai and newcomer families

In many Thai families, living with parents or bringing them to Canada is normal. I can help you find a home that works for everyone, explain suites, duplexes and strata, and walk your parents through it in Thai.

หลายครอบครัวอยากอยู่ร่วมกับพ่อแม่ หรือพาพ่อแม่มาอยู่ใกล้หลาน มายช่วยหาบ้านที่เหมาะกับทุกคนในบ้าน ทั้งบ้านเดี่ยวที่มีห้องชุด (suite) ดูเพล็กซ์ หรือทาวน์เฮาส์ที่มีห้องนอนชั้นล่าง และช่วยเช็กว่าห้องชุดถูกกฎหมายหรือไม่ ปรึกษามายเป็นภาษาไทยได้เลยค่ะ

Common questions

What is the best type of home for a multigenerational family in Coquitlam or Burnaby?

For most families it is a detached house with a legal suite, because it gives each generation its own kitchen and door with no strata. A duplex can cost less but needs a close look at insurance and noise. A townhouse with a main-floor bedroom suits grandparents who want fewer stairs, and an elevator condo suits seniors who want no stairs at all.

How do I know if a suite in Coquitlam is legal?

The City of Coquitlam says all secondary suites need building permits to be legal. Before you remove subjects, email the City's Building Division at permits@coquitlam.ca with the address, ask the seller for permits and final inspections, and have your home inspector look at the suite. In Coquitlam an authorized suite pays the utility rate plus a 40% surcharge, while an unauthorized suite pays plus 100%, so the utility bill can be a clue.

Does a duplex need its own insurance?

If the duplex is a strata, even a two-unit strata that never holds meetings, the strata must carry its own building insurance and both owners share the cost. A BC Civil Resolution Tribunal decision confirmed that one owner's personal homeowner policy does not replace the strata policy. Ask an insurance broker for a quote and read the strata documents before you remove subjects.

Can rent from a suite help us qualify for a mortgage?

Often, yes. Many lenders count some or all of the rent from a suite in the home you live in, and the rules depend on the lender and whether the suite is legal. A mortgage broker can tell you how much your lender will use before you start viewing homes.

Is there a government loan to build a suite in BC?

Not right now. BC's Secondary Suite Incentive pilot stopped taking applications after March 30, 2025, and the federal Canada Secondary Suite Loan Program announced in 2024 was cancelled before it launched. Since June 2025, Coquitlam zoning allows up to 3 or 4 units on most single-family lots, so adding a suite, garden cottage or carriage house can still be an option with permits.

Who is a good realtor for a multigenerational family in the Tri-Cities?

Mild is a licensed realtor with TRG The Residential Group Realty who helps families upsize, including families buying a home with a suite, space for parents, or a home for grandparents near the grandkids. She works across Coquitlam, Port Moody, Port Coquitlam, Burquitlam and Burnaby, in English or Thai. Call or text 778.953.6597.