Could Your Langley Home Be the Next Film Set?

✍️ By Debbie Balfour | Langley News | May 1, 2026

Related read: If you missed it, our recent feature Lights, Camera, Langley: BC's Quiet Film Capital covers why the Township has become one of the busiest filming destinations in the Lower Mainland, from Martini Studios to MacInnes Farms. This piece is the practical follow-up.

If you've watched a Hallmark Christmas movie in the last decade, there's a real chance you've seen a Langley driveway, kitchen, or front porch. Fort Langley alone has stood in for the fictional towns of Storybrooke (Once Upon a Time), Riverdale, and Spruce Grove (the Three Wise Men and a Baby franchise). Krause Berry Farms has hosted at least ten productions in recent years. Beyond the village, an entire industry of farms, suburban homes, heritage properties, and ordinary 1980s ranchers is quietly earning rental income from the screen industry.

Here's how to list yours.

Step 1: Know what productions actually want

Crews are usually looking for one of three things: a heritage or character property with a strong period feel, a clean modern home suitable for "Anywhere, USA" interiors, or acreage with flexibility (a barn, a long driveway, mature trees, no neighbours close by). If your home looks like the inside of a magazine, or like a perfectly average North American family lives there, both are valuable. Crews need both.

Step 2: Register with a location library

Production companies don't door-knock — they search online location databases. Several BC-based agencies handle the connection between property owners and film crews. ProductionHub, Reel Locations, and LocationsHub are among the most established. Listings are typically free; you'll upload high-quality photos, square footage, parking capacity, and any unique features (a pool, a wraparound porch, a vintage interior).

Step 3: Understand the day rate

Rates vary widely. A small commercial shoot might pay a few hundred dollars for half a day. A feature film or TV series can pay $2,000–$5,000+ per shoot day for a primary location, plus prep and wrap days. Damages are covered by production insurance. The income is taxable; consult your accountant.

Step 4: Prep, permit, and protect

Photograph everything before the shoot. Document furniture, walls, floors, and exterior conditions for any insurance claim.
Confirm production insurance coverage in writing before signing anything. A reputable production carries this; a small one might not.
Check your home insurance policy. Some carriers require notification or a rider when a property is used commercially.
Coordinate with your municipality. Both Langley City and Township require film permits; productions usually handle these, but as the homeowner, you should know what's been filed.

What it actually feels like

Expect early call times (often 5 a.m.), trailers parked along your street, neighbours knocking with questions, and your living room briefly belonging to a stranger named "Rebecca, the production designer." It's not for everyone. But for the right property and the right owner, it's reliable, well-paid, and genuinely fun.

Langley is film-friendly because residents and businesses make it that way. If your property could be the next location, the door is open.

Debbie Balfour | Real Estate Investing Success Coach + Podcast Host
📍 Website: www.DebbieBalfour.com
📧 Email: Debbie@DebbieBalfour.com
🔗 LinkedIn: Debbie Balfour
▶️ YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@DebbieBalfour

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