For Home Buyers
Know what you're buying, before you write an offer
A strata package can run hundreds of pages, and the costly surprises are buried deep. SearchStrata reads all of it and hands you the red flags in plain language — in minutes.
You usually get a short window to review a strata package before your subject-removal deadline — and that package is dense, repetitive, and easy to skim past the one line that matters. SearchStrata does the close reading for you so your decision rests on what the documents actually say, not on hope.
What gets missed
- ⚠Special levies and looming repair costs hidden in old meeting minutes
- ⚠An underfunded contingency reserve fund you'd inherit on day one
- ⚠Litigation, insurance gaps, and bylaw restrictions that affect your plans
Surface the red flags fast
Get a plain-language summary of financial health, special levies, building condition, insurance, and litigation — each cited to the exact page.
Ask anything, get sourced answers
“Is a special levy coming?” “How much are fees going up?” “Are pets allowed?” Ask in plain English and get answers backed by the documents.
Decide before the deadline
Run a ready-made buyer checklist or build your own, then compare properties side by side before subject removal.
See what the package leaves out — before subject removal
The minutes cover the building. They will not tell you there is a tower approved across the street, that the nearest frequent-service stop is a twenty-minute walk, or that the lot sits inside a mapped floodplain. Location Insights scores nine areas around the building from public BC data and names the records behind each one, so the surroundings get the same scrutiny as the finances while you still have a deadline to work with.
How Location Insights worksLocation score
- Coverage
- 88%
- Confidence
- 94%
- Addresses
- 4 of 4
Major project under construction within 500 m
0projects
100 / 100None found within 500 m.
Transit infrastructure project within 1.5 kmConcern
0projects
50 / 100None found within 1,500 m.
How it works
Upload the package
Drop in the strata documents your realtor or seller provided — PDF or ZIP, up to 200MB and hundreds of pages.
Get the analysis
SearchStrata reads every page and returns a structured report covering financials, levies, building condition, insurance, and red flags.
Ask and decide
Ask follow-up questions, run a buyer checklist, and walk into subject removal knowing exactly what you're taking on.
Common questions
- How fast can I get a report before my subject-removal deadline?
- Most strata packages are analyzed in under three minutes after upload, so you can review red flags and ask follow-up questions the same day you receive the documents.
- Does it surface special levies and reserve fund problems?
- SearchStrata is designed to surface past and upcoming special levies, contingency reserve fund adequacy, and major repair history, each with a citation to the page in the minutes or financials where it appears. Because every finding links to its source, you can confirm it against the documents yourself.
- Can I compare more than one property?
- Yes. You can analyze multiple properties and compare them side by side, which is useful when you're deciding between two or three condos before writing an offer.
- What is Location Insights, and is it included?
- Location Insights scores the area around a BC strata building from public data across nine areas — transit, schools, hazard, amenities, crime, infrastructure, development, demographics and change — with the records behind every figure and the gaps named rather than scored as zero. It is separate from the document analysis: your report reads the package you upload, while Location Insights measures what those documents never mention. It is included with Pro and Agent subscriptions, is in beta for BC corporations, and is reference only — not a valuation or an opinion of value.
- How much does SearchStrata cost?
- SearchStrata has a free tier that covers up to 3 properties with basic reports. Paid plans are Pro at $29 CAD per month for unlimited properties and detailed reports, and Agent at $79 CAD per month for white-label reports and team seats. No credit card is required to start.
- How accurate are the answers, and can I verify them?
- Every answer and red flag cites the exact page in your strata documents where the information appears, so you can open the source and confirm it yourself. SearchStrata reads the documents you upload rather than relying on general web knowledge.
- What documents can I upload?
- You can upload a strata or condo package as a PDF or ZIP up to 200MB and hundreds of pages, including meeting minutes, financial statements, bylaws and rules, the capital-planning report (a depreciation report in BC or a reserve fund study in Alberta), insurance certificates, and the information certificate (BC Form B or an Alberta estoppel certificate).
- Does SearchStrata work for BC strata and Alberta condo documents?
- Yes. SearchStrata is built for Canadian strata and condominium documents, supporting both BC strata packages and Alberta condo document packages. The instruments differ by province — BC's Form B and depreciation report correspond to Alberta's estoppel certificate and reserve fund study — and SearchStrata reads either.
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Make your strata documents readable
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