Novel ‘try before you buy’ program offers weekend stays at Vancouver condo development

A woman lies in bed in a home at the Ace development on Commercial Drive. (Credit: Wesgroup Properties)

Prospective homebuyers are being offered a chance to “test drive” a condo development in East Vancouver—by spending a weekend living at the property.

Wesgroup Properties just launched the “try before you buy” campaign at Ace, a brand-new building on Commercial Drive and 12^th Avenue with 61 units.

Brad Jones, chief development officer at Wesgroup, said the idea was to let people get a feel for the living space, the building and the surrounding community before making a commitment.

“You get the opportunity to see what it’s like and see if it’s right for you,” Jones said. “It’s like test-driving a car, or trying on a pair of jeans.”

Jones said the novel sales tactic—which he described as a kind of “extended open house”—is a first for Wesgroup, and possibly for the city as a whole.

“Our sales team’s just now starting,” he added. “There’s been lots of attention on the program and we’re getting a high level of interest.”

Developers have been getting more creative with incentives as the real estate market in B.C.’s Lower Mainland—and particularly the condo market—has cooled off.

Overall home sales in the Vancouver area were down 2.8 per cent last month compared to March 2025, while condos were down 7.8 per cent, according to the latest statistics from Greater Vancouver Realtors.

The benchmark price of condos decreased to $707,700, which was also down 7.8 per cent from the same month last year.

Jones said some of the units at Ace are already spoken for, but that there remains a “range” of one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom homes available.

Wesgroup is hoping the Commercial Drive neighbourhood—a cultural hub of the city, with many beloved restaurants and coffee shops—will be a major selling point for the property, which is why it’s welcoming people to spend a weekend exploring.

“We think as people experience the community, it’ll be a really attractive opportunity,” Jones said.