How pricey is Vancouver real estate? Strangers are pooling money to buy houses

Liz Wilcox and her husband dreamed of owning a house in East Vancouver with a backyard and playroom for their two little boys, but they couldn’t afford the $2-million pricetag on their own.

“We just decided that the best way to get more space would be to split a house with someone,” said Wilcox, whose family of four was living in a 680-square-foot condo at the time.

When she couldn’t find a match among her family and friends, she posted an ad on a website created by realtor Noam Dolgin, who specializes in home co-ownership. The message, she recalled, said something like: “Couple with two small children and $1 million looking for like-minded people to share a house In East Vancouver.”

Ashley Pullman and her partner, who were also investigating co-owning as a way to afford a house with outdoor space close to their work, saw the ad and reached out. After they exchanged emails, Dolgin arranged for the four adults and their children to meet at Trout Lake Park in the summer of 2021.