BC Assessment Watch — Detached Single-Family Homes
Tri-Cities Detached Homes Are Listed at 57% of BC Assessment — What That Means for Buyers and Sellers in 2026
If you’re buying or selling a detached home in Coquitlam, Port Moody, or Port Coquitlam right now, one number deserves your attention: the average list-to-assessed ratio across 745 matched properties is just 57.0%. That means the typical detached home in the Tri-Cities is listed at barely half its BC Assessment value. For buyers, that sounds like a deal — but context matters enormously. For sellers, it raises urgent questions about how to price correctly. Here’s what this data actually tells you. Browse current Tri-Cities listings →
BC Assessment sets property values once a year, frozen to market conditions as of January 1. By the time you’re shopping in mid-2026, those numbers are already six months old — and in a market that has shifted, the gap between assessed value and list price can be dramatic. Across 745 detached single-family homes analyzed in the Tri-Cities this week, 232 properties (roughly 31%) are listed within 10% of their assessed value, which represents the most stable and reliably priced segment of the market. Meanwhile, 85 properties are listed above assessed value by more than 10%, signaling that sellers in those pockets believe — or have evidence — that demand has pushed prices up since January 1. Perhaps most striking: 74 homes are listed below 90% of their assessed value, meaning sellers have priced aggressively beneath what BC Assessment says their home is worth. That last group is where buyer opportunity — and seller urgency — collides. An average ratio of 57% across the board, however, tells a broader story: the detached market in the Tri-Cities has softened considerably relative to where assessed values were set, and sellers who are pricing to the assessment rather than to current market conditions are likely sitting unsold.
BC Assessment vs list price · Detached homes · Tri-Cities
How do list prices compare to BC Assessment?
All cities — Detached
See the full BC Assessment Watch report →
Key takeaways
An average list-to-assessed ratio of 57% does not mean homes are selling at a 43% discount. It means the current market, as reflected in active list prices, is running well below where BC Assessment pegged values on January 1, 2026. This can happen when the market cools after the assessment date, when assessed values were inflated by a prior peak, or when sellers are strategically pricing below assessment to attract offers. Buyers should treat this ratio as a market context tool, not a negotiation shortcut.
Of the 745 detached homes analyzed, 232 are listed within 90% to 110% of their BC Assessment value. These are the listings most aligned with the assessed snapshot and tend to attract serious buyers who are using assessment as a reference point. If you’re a buyer looking for a home where pricing logic is easiest to verify, this segment offers the clearest comparison baseline. If you’re a seller, pricing in this band signals confidence and market awareness.
Eighty-five detached properties in the Tri-Cities are currently listed more than 10% above their BC Assessment value. These sellers are signaling that their specific property — whether due to location, renovation, lot size, or neighbourhood demand — has appreciated beyond what January 1 data captured. Buyers approaching these listings should request comparable sales from the past 60 to 90 days and not assume assessed value sets a ceiling. In some submarkets of Port Moody and Coquitlam, recent sales data may justify the premium.
Seventy-four detached homes are listed below 90% of their BC Assessment value — the clearest sign of motivated sellers or market-adjusted pricing in this dataset. For buyers, these listings deserve close scrutiny: are they priced low because of condition issues, a dated layout, or a seller who simply needs to move? Or has the broader market in that micro-area softened enough to justify the discount? Either way, these are the listings where a data-backed offer — anchored to recent comparable sales, not assessment — carries the most weight.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions answered
What is BC Assessment and how is it calculated for homes in the Tri-Cities?
BC Assessment is a provincial Crown corporation that estimates the market value of every property in British Columbia as of January 1 each year. For detached homes in Coquitlam, Port Moody, and Port Coquitlam, assessors use recent comparable sales, property characteristics, and neighbourhood data to set values. These assessments are used primarily to calculate municipal property taxes and are mailed to homeowners each January. In 2026, BC Assessment values for Tri-Cities detached homes reflect market conditions from January 1, 2026 — meaning they do not capture any price movement that has occurred since that date.
How does BC Assessment affect home prices when buying or selling in 2026?
BC Assessment does not set or control home prices — the market does. However, assessment values are frequently used as a reference point by buyers, sellers, and their agents when evaluating whether a listing is fairly priced. In the Tri-Cities in 2026, the average detached home is listed at just 57% of its assessed value, which indicates that current market prices are running well below the January 1 assessment benchmark. Sellers who price too close to assessed value without accounting for market softening risk overpricing their home. Buyers who assume assessed value equals market value may overpay.
Should I offer below BC Assessment value on a Tri-Cities detached home in 2026?
Offering below BC Assessment value is reasonable in the current Tri-Cities market, but your offer should be anchored to recent comparable sales — not the assessment figure itself. With 74 detached homes currently listed below 90% of their assessed value and an overall list-to-assessment ratio of 57%, there is clear evidence that the market is pricing below assessment. That said, a strong offer is always supported by sales data from the past 60 to 90 days in the same neighbourhood. Your REALTOR® should pull those comps and use them alongside the assessment as context, not as your sole negotiation anchor.
Is BC Assessment an accurate reflection of real estate values in Port Moody in 2026?
BC Assessment provides a useful starting point but is not a precise measure of current market value in Port Moody or anywhere else in the Tri-Cities in 2026. Assessments are frozen to January 1 market conditions, which means they can lag significantly in a shifting market. If Port Moody prices have declined since the start of 2026, assessed values will appear inflated relative to list prices — which is consistent with what the current data shows across the broader Tri-Cities detached segment. For the most accurate valuation of a specific Port Moody home, use a comparative market analysis based on recent sold data.
How should I use BC Assessment when buying a detached home in Coquitlam or Port Coquitlam in 2026?
When buying a detached home in Coquitlam or Port Coquitlam in 2026, use BC Assessment as one data point among several — not as your primary valuation tool. Start by comparing the list price to the assessed value to understand where the seller is positioned relative to the January 1 benchmark. Then ask your REALTOR® to run comparable sold prices from the past 60 to 90 days in the same area and property type. If the list price is significantly above assessment, ask what justifies the premium. If it’s significantly below, investigate why. In the current Tri-Cities market, where the average detached home lists at 57% of assessed value, understanding this gap gives you a meaningful negotiating advantage.
Sebastian Czarkowski
REALTOR® · Royal LePage Elite West · Coquitlam, BC
Questions about buying or selling in the Tri-Cities? Reach out directly.
Data sourced from Paragon MLS® system · 22-June · For educational purposes only. Not intended as financial or legal advice.
Sebastian Czarkowski, REALTOR® | Royal LePage Elite West | sebastianrealestate.ca