Selling your home in Coquitlam, Port Moody, or Port Coquitlam involves more than accepting an offer and handing over the keys. Pricing strategy, preparation, marketing, and BC tax rules all affect your final outcome. This guide walks you through the full process so you’re not caught off guard at any stage.
The first number that matters is not your list price — it’s what comparable homes have actually sold for in your neighbourhood in the last 60 to 90 days. A Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) pulls recent sales data for homes similar to yours in size, condition, age, and location.
In the Tri-Cities, market conditions vary significantly between detached homes, townhomes, and condos — and between neighbourhoods. Burke Mountain detached homes and Suter Brook condos are not the same market, even though they’re in the same region. A hyperlocal CMA is the only accurate starting point.
Pricing too high costs you. Listings that sit attract low offers. Buyers in today’s market are tracking days on market closely — a home that’s been listed for 30 days gets treated differently than one that just came to market. Getting the number right from day one is the single most important factor in your final sale price.
How your home presents in photos and at showings determines how many buyers walk through the door — and how serious they are when they do. A few targeted improvements consistently deliver a strong return:
Buyers will request the Form B information certificate, current budget, depreciation report, meeting minutes, and bylaws. These take time to compile — missing documents can delay or kill a deal. Budget $35–$200 for strata document preparation and request them as soon as you decide to list.
Getting on MLS is the baseline, not the strategy. A complete marketing plan for a Tri-Cities home includes:
When offers come in, price is only part of what you’re evaluating. A strong offer looks like:
In a multiple-offer scenario, the highest price on paper is not always the best net outcome. Conditions, buyer strength, and timing all factor into which offer actually closes.
Under BC law, buyers of residential property have a 3-business-day rescission period after an accepted offer. During this window, a buyer can walk away by paying a rescission fee of 0.25% of the purchase price to the seller. This means a signed contract is not immediately firm — it becomes binding after the rescission period expires (unless the buyer exercises their right to rescind). Budget for this timeline when making plans that depend on the sale being confirmed.
This is where many sellers are caught off guard. Before you list, understand where you stand on three fronts.
If the property is your principal residence for all the years you’ve owned it, you pay no capital gains tax on the sale. Most homeowners selling their primary home in the Tri-Cities will qualify. For secondary properties — rentals, investment properties, or vacation homes — 50% of your capital gain is added to your taxable income for the year. Talk to your accountant before listing if this applies to your situation.
If you sell a residential property and you owned it for less than 730 days, the profit is subject to the BC Home Flipping Tax:
| Ownership Duration | Tax Rate on Profit |
|---|---|
| 0 – 365 days | 20% |
| 366 – 729 days | Declining from 20% to 0% |
| 730+ days | 0% — tax does not apply |
A primary residence deduction of up to $20,000 may be available if you owned the property for at least 365 consecutive days and lived in it as your principal residence. Exemptions for life circumstances (job relocation, marriage breakdown, serious illness, death) exist but most require filing a separate BC Home Flipping Tax return within 90 days of the sale.
As the seller, your primary costs at closing are:
Once subjects are removed, the deal is firm and binding. Here’s what the final stretch looks like:
Questions about what your home is worth or what the process looks like in today’s market? Reach out directly — this is what I do.
The main costs are real estate commission, legal or notary fees ($1,000–$1,800), and a mortgage discharge fee ($200–$300) if breaking your mortgage. Sellers do not pay Property Transfer Tax — that is the buyer's cost. See the full seller's closing costs breakdown for detailed numbers. For a dedicated breakdown of commission structures, see REALTOR® commission in Coquitlam.
The most accurate starting point is a free CMA from a local REALTOR® — it compares your home to properties that have actually sold in the last 60 to 90 days. You can also get a free instant estimate at sebastianrealestate.ca/how-much-is-my-home-worth-coquitlam/, which shows sold comps, BC Assessment comparison, and active competition.
In a balanced Tri-Cities market, well-priced detached homes typically sell in 10 to 21 days; condos and townhomes can move faster. After an accepted offer, the subject removal period takes 5 to 7 business days, and completion follows 4 to 8 weeks later. Total time from listing to closing is typically 6 to 12 weeks. See the Coquitlam Real Estate Market 2026 report for current absorption rate and days-on-market data by property type.
No — Property Transfer Tax is paid by the buyer, not the seller. Your closing costs as a seller are commission, legal or notary fees, mortgage discharge fees (if applicable), and property tax adjustments. You are not responsible for PTT, GST on the buyer side, or land title fees.
The BC Home Flipping Tax applies if you sell a residential property within 730 days of purchasing it. The tax is 20% on profit from sales within the first 365 days, declining gradually to 0% at 730 days. Exemptions exist for job relocation, marriage breakdown, and serious illness — but most require filing a separate return within 90 days of the sale. If you've owned your home for more than 730 days, it does not apply.
Focus on the highest-ROI items: fix deferred maintenance (buyers' inspectors will find everything), declutter and depersonalize so buyers can picture themselves in the space, and apply fresh neutral paint if needed. Professional photography is non-negotiable — listings with poor photos get filtered out before they are ever toured. For condos and townhomes, order your strata documents early.
Sebastian Czarkowski is a Tri-Cities REALTOR® who has helped dozens of sellers achieve above-asking results. Get in touch for an honest conversation about your home and today's market — no pressure, no obligation.
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