Always Have a Plan: Condo Plans & Registered Size

You’ve heard the adage “measure twice, cut once,” right? Well, when it comes to the registered size of a client’s condo that you’re listing for sale – it’s even easier than measuring twice. You actually don’t need to measure at all. Finding the registered size of a condominium unit in Alberta couldn’t be easier.

If you’re listing a condominium, and the listing requires you to input the registered size – there is only one ‘registered plan size’ for every condominium unit. And, there’s only one source for that information – the actual condominium plan.

There’s been a significant increase in the number of Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) conduct files in which Edmonton-area real estate professionals are putting together condo listings and misrepresenting the registered size of the unit. In some cases, it’s a simple mistake or carelessness – transposing numbers, etc. but in other cases, real estate professionals have told RECA they don’t believe the registered size is the “right” size to include in a listing, so they’re putting in a different size.

We all know there are many ways to describe the size of a residential property; it could be living space, above-grade square footage or paint-to-paint measurement. But if the condo listing requires the registered size, then you need to input the registered size. Inputting anything other than registered size in a data field that’s labelled registered size is a misrepresentation.

If you’re not familiar with how to find out the registered size of condominium unit using the condominium plan, review this job aid on using SPIN2, which is the Alberta government’s Land Titles Spatial Information System. Within SPIN2, you can access condominium plans by searching “Titles and Registered Documents” and then selecting “Plan/Block or Unit/Lot.” To do a search in this way, you will need the condominium’s registered plan and unit numbers.

In the search results, you should choose a document titled “Current Condominium Plan Sheet.” Pick it, add it to your cart and then check-out and pay.

When you review the condominium plan, make sure you’re looking at the right unit and use that registered size when listing a client’s condominium, and indicate what that registered size includes. You can also find that information on the plan.