Rental property management
in New Westminster
We take care of the issues, so you don't have to.
At Birds Nest Properties, every property we manage in New Westminster is more than a rental. It's your investment, your tenant's home, and part of a neighbourhood we all care about. We pick up the phone, know your property, and treat it like our own. Licensed and regulated by the BCFSA.
Tell us about your property
LOCAL EXPERTISE
We know your neighbourhood
Our deep local roots in New Westminster stem from our merger with the long-established ACD Realty in New West, allowing us to retain the veteran staff that has served this community for decades.
Downtown
Columbia Street, the SkyTrain corridor, and the Fraser River waterfront. A dense mix of older purpose-built apartments and new condos is evolving a neighbourhood that keeps attracting new residents.
Pier West, 660–680 Quayside Dr • Ovation, 823 Carnarvon St • Riversky 2, 988 Quayside Dr • RiverSky Tower 1, 908 Quayside Dr • Marinus at Plaza 88, 888 Carnarvon St • The Q, 1 Renaissance Sq • and more
Queen's Park
Mid-rise condos, townhomes, and character apartments draw families and professionals seeking community character over high-rise living, with longer tenancies than the Downtown core.
The Lookout, 20 East Royal Ave • Carlyle, 280 Ross Dr • Whittaker, 225 Francis Way • The Grove, 270 Francis Way • Victoria Hill, 11 East Royal Ave • San Marino, 315 Knox St • and more
Queensborough
Predominantly modern townhomes and low-rise condos around Queensborough Landing, with a tenant pool of young families and first-time renters drawn by newer construction and lower price points.
Oxford, 789 Ota Ave • Portside, 488 Furness St • Portage, 262 Salter St • Regatta, 240 Salter St • and more
New Westminster properties we manage
We manage condos, townhouses, houses, duplexes, and apartment buildings across all New Westminster neighbourhoods.
Pier West - East Tower, 660 Quayside Dr
Downtown, New Westminster
Birds Nest was hired on completion date of this brand new condo, and found a qualified tenant for the owner to start collecting rental income within 30 days.
Garrett St & Braid St
Sapperton, New Westminster
Birds Nest advised splitting the home into two suites based on the neighbourhood rental market. We secured both tenants and now manage all maintenance, utilities, and tenant relations.
Edmond Court, 735 Royal Ave
Downtown, New Westminster
Birds Nest assumed management of property and legacy residents after being selected by an experience owner for seamless transition from self-management.
What rental owners say
★★★★★
Consistently go above and beyond
Their exceptional support in managing my rental property has removed any concerns I had about my home. It’s evident that they prioritize their clients’ needs and consistently go above and beyond.
— Jason L | Rental Owner
★★★★★
Timely but also a cost effective way
They have been exceptional caretakers. They started by choosing a great tenant with whom we have had no problems. Birds Nest deals with any and all tenant queries in a timely but also a cost effective way.
— David T | Rental Owner
★★★★★
Totally efficient and professional
Caela has been excellent to work with - totally efficient and professional. I would highly recommend Birds Nest Properties!
— Maria P | Rental Owner
New Westminster Rental Market Update - Q1 2026
Statistics from properties managed by Birds Nest
As of March 31, 2026
Source: Birds Nest Properties database
Rents and demand
In Q1 2026, Birds Nest signed 3 leases for New Westminster two-bedroom rental units for average rent $3,100, compared to the $2,344 average rent across our entire New Westminster 2-bedroom rental portfolio. The variance reflects the gap between newer condo product entering the rental market at today’s asking rents and longer-tenured tenants in older buildings
New Westminster’s broader rental market has cooled sharply, driven by the wave of new supply in recent years along the Fraser River, including Pier West, RiverSky, and Ovation. Queensborough continues to add townhome and low-rise condo inventory around Queensborough Landing. Beyond these clusters, much of New West’s rental stock is older mid-rise and walk-up product from the 1970s through 1990s, concentrated in Sapperton, Uptown, and east Downtown, where rent-cap-protected tenancies keep portfolio rents well below current market rents.
Average rent for New Westminster one-bedroom units in the Birds Nest portfolio was $1,602 as of March 31, 2026.
Taxes and regulations
New Westminster Property Taxes are due July 2, 2026. A 5% penalty applies on July 3, with another 5% added on September 3, 2026.
New Westminster Utility Fees for water, sewer, and solid waste are billed annually with statements mailed in late February and full payment due July 2, 2026. Unlike most Metro Vancouver municipalities, New West offers an early-payment discount: paying in full by May 4, 2026 qualifies for a reduced rate.
New Westminster Electrical Utility is unique among Metro Vancouver municipalities: the City owns and operates its own electrical utility, with electrical bills issued separately from water, sewer, and solid waste charges. Rates are set by City Council independently of BC Hydro, and bills carry a 21-day payment window from the date of printing.
Business licences are required for owners of long-term rental properties in New Westminster, and applies to landlords of apartments, condos, and houses.
Data from Birds Nest Properties. Updated March 31, 2026.
NEW WESTMINSTER PROPERTY MANAGEMENT | Last updated May 4, 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Most full-service property managers in Metro Vancouver charge a placement fee equal to half a month’s rent plus a monthly management fee of 7-10% of rent. Birds Nest charges half a month’s rent for tenant placement (plus GST) and 8.33% of monthly rent for ongoing management (plus GST), with no other fees. No vendor markups, no referral kickbacks, no renewal fees, no fees during vacancy.
Rental owners living outside Canada also pay a 2% non-resident tax filing fee if they want Birds Nest to cover their CRA NR4 reporting.
New Westminster is three distinct rental markets, each rewarding a different ownership strategy. Downtown runs along the Fraser waterfront from Westminster Quay to Sapperton, with high-rise condos along Quayside Drive and Carnarvon Street, including Pier West, Ovation, RiverSky, and Marinus at Plaza 88. Anchored by New Westminster SkyTrain Station, Westminster Quay, Douglas College, and the Anvil Centre, this is where most new condo investors land. Tenants skew toward young professionals commuting to Vancouver and Burnaby, plus downsizers drawn by the riverfront lifestyle.
Queen’s Park is the heritage residential neighbourhood, with tree-lined streets, character homes, and mid-rise condos anchored by Queen’s Park itself. Strong school catchments and a quieter, family-oriented tenant pool mean tenancies typically run longer than Downtown. Buildings include The Lookout, Carlyle, Whittaker, The Grove, Victoria Hill, and San Marino.
Queensborough is a master-planned riverside community on Lulu Island, accessed via the Queensborough Bridge. Mostly modern townhomes and low-rise condos around Queensborough Landing, including Oxford, Portside, Portage, and Regatta, with a tenant pool of young families and first-time renters drawn by lower price points and newer construction than the SkyTrain core.
For investors prioritizing rent-growth velocity, Downtown turns over faster but faces the most direct competition. For investors prioritizing stability, Queen’s Park typically delivers longer tenancies.
New Westminster has cooled harder than any other major Metro Vancouver market, driven primarily by the wave of new Downtown supply along Quayside Drive. Concord Pacific’s Pier West towers (660–680 Quayside Drive, 2023–2025) are the marquee deliveries, joining the earlier RiverSky community at 908 and 988 Quayside Drive (2019) and Ovation at 823 Carnarvon Street (2022). These new high-rises offer concierge service, gyms, air conditioning, and in-suite laundry. That’s the new baseline for tenants comparing.
For owners of older Downtown condos and walk-ups in Queen’s Park, Sapperton, and Uptown, this is the most important market dynamic to understand. Tenants touring your unit are comparing it to a brand-new tower five minutes away with amenities you don’t offer. Competing comes down to two things: condition (clean, updated, well-photographed, well-marketed) and pricing flexibility on first listing.
New Westminster property tax for 2026 is due July 2, 2026, a single annual payment, with a 5% penalty applied on July 3 and a further 5% added on September 3, 2026.
New Westminster water, sewer, and solid waste utility fees are billed annually with statements mailed in late February and full payment due July 2, 2026, the same date as property taxes. Unlike most Metro Vancouver municipalities, New West offers an early-payment discount: paying in full by May 4, 2026 qualifies for a reduced rate. New Westminster’s electrical utility is billed separately by the City, which owns and operates its own electrical service.
Yes. This is the most important regulatory difference between New Westminster and most of its Metro Vancouver neighbours. The City of New Westminster requires owners of rental properties to hold a valid business licence, regardless of whether a property manager is engaged. The requirement applies to apartments, condos, and houses rented on long-term leases.
No. The Empty Homes Tax is a City of Vancouver bylaw and applies only to residential properties within Vancouver city limits. New Westminster has no equivalent municipal vacancy tax.
But every New Westminster owner is still subject to the BC Speculation and Vacancy Tax, which is a separate provincial tax that applies across most of Metro Vancouver including New West. Every BC residential property owner in a designated taxable region must file the Speculation and Vacancy Tax declaration annually by March 31. See our BC Speculation and Vacancy Tax Guide for more details.
New Westminster is unique among Metro Vancouver municipalities. The City owns and operates its own electrical utility, so your tenant pays the City directly rather than BC Hydro. Tenant accounts are set up through the City’s MyCity portal at newwestcity.ca, with a 21-day payment window from the date of each bill.