Understanding Land-Lease Fees at Sunrise Village Before You Buy

The single most common question we get from buyers looking at Sunrise Village is also the one that's easiest to misunderstand at first: what exactly is the monthly land-lease fee, and what does it actually cover? Here's the straight answer.

You Own the Home, Not the Land

At Sunrise Village, buyers own their home outright but lease the land it sits on, under a structure governed by BC's Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act. That's a well-established, regulated arrangement — not an informal agreement — but it does mean your ongoing costs work differently than a typical freehold or strata purchase.

Land-Lease Fee vs. Strata Fee

A strata fee in a condo building funds shared building maintenance, insurance, and reserve funds. A land-lease fee is different — it's essentially rent for the land your home sits on, set by the park operator and typically reviewed periodically under the tenancy legislation that governs these communities. It doesn't build equity in the land the way a strata fee contributes to a shared asset; it's simply what you pay to lease the site.

What to Confirm Before You Offer

• The current monthly amount for the specific site, since this can vary by lot within the community.
• When it was last increased, and how increases are typically communicated and applied under the tenancy rules.
• What's included beyond the land itself — some communities bundle certain amenities or services into the fee, others bill them separately.
• Any pending increases that may already be scheduled but not yet in effect at the time you're viewing.

Why Buyers Still Choose Sunrise Village

Despite the added step of understanding the lease structure, land-lease communities like Sunrise Village remain genuinely popular — the homes themselves are typically more affordable than an equivalent freehold property, and the community here is well-established with a real, active clubhouse culture rather than being a purely transactional living arrangement.