Most people are not looking for more noise. They are looking for clarity. They want to understand what their current home is worth, whether this is the right time to move, where they should buy next, and how to avoid making expensive decisions under pressure.
That is especially true for families in Coquitlam who are not just buying or selling. They are doing both at the same time. That changes the strategy. It changes the timing. It changes how much guidance matters.
Craig Johnston helps clients across Burke Mountain, Westwood Plateau, Central Coquitlam, and the wider Tri-Cities build a plan around value, timing, negotiation, and next-home decisions so they can move forward with more confidence and fewer mistakes.
See what your current home may be worth before making assumptions about the next step.
Understand how the sale and purchase work together so one decision supports the other.
This guide helps visitors move into the exact topic they need instead of browsing randomly.
Coquitlam runs multiple markets inside one municipal boundary. Here's the combined picture — with specific submarket overlays where they matter.
Addresses withheld at clients' request. These are real ranges and velocities across Coquitlam's three main property types.
This guide is built to help you move through the decision in the right order. Choose the topic that best matches where you are right now.
Learn how to position your home, price it properly, and create stronger demand in the current Coquitlam market.
Build a move-up plan that protects your equity and helps your family buy from a stronger position.
Compare neighbourhoods, family fit, value trends, and where buyers are focusing right now.
See how to think through timing, risk, subject-to-sale strategy, and next-home planning.
Understand what impacts value in Coquitlam and how the market affects your next move.
See how Craig helps sellers and move-up buyers create a clear, smart, and lower-stress plan.
Craig Johnston is not just helping clients in Coquitlam. He lives the market, knows the neighbourhoods, and understands how families actually move here.
He grew up in the Tri-Cities, now lives on Burke Mountain, and helps clients make decisions with more context, better preparation, and stronger negotiation. For many families, that matters just as much as marketing or exposure.
Most real estate decisions in Coquitlam come back to these same questions: when to sell, where to move, and how to protect your buying power through the transition.
This is usually the first step that brings the whole move into focus. Until value is clear, everything else feels less certain than it actually is.
Get a clearer picture of your home’s value →That answer depends on your equity, comfort with risk, neighbourhood goals, and whether a subject-to-sale strategy makes sense for your situation.
Compare sell-first and buy-first strategies →The right neighbourhood is not just about price. It is about schools, commute, layout, long-term value, and whether the area fits your next stage of life.
Explore where to buy in Coquitlam →Different parts of Coquitlam attract different types of buyers. Some want newer homes and long-term growth. Others want established streets, larger lots, or school-driven neighbourhood decisions.
One of Coquitlam’s strongest choices for families wanting newer homes, growth, trails, parks, and long-term upside.
Explore Burke Mountain homes →Larger homes, established prestige, strong family appeal, scenic views, and a neighbourhood many move-up buyers continue to target.
Explore Westwood Plateau real estate →A Port Moody favourite for families who want strong community feel, larger homes, great schools, and long-term lifestyle appeal.
Explore Heritage Mountain homes →Neighbourhood fit matters: the best area is rarely just the cheapest or newest option. It is the one that best supports your schools, commute, lifestyle, layout needs, and next 5 to 10 years.
In a changing market, sellers do not just need exposure. They need pricing discipline, strong presentation, smart marketing, and a plan that creates urgency early.
The first window after launch is often your strongest. That is why pricing correctly, presenting well, and creating early buyer interest matters so much.
If your goal is to sell well and move up confidently, you need a process that protects your equity while keeping your next move in mind at every step.
For most move-up buyers, the decision starts long before they list. The home feels tighter. Storage becomes harder. Bedroom layouts stop working. School routines change. Life changes.
The smartest move-up plans do not begin with random showings. They begin with equity clarity, realistic numbers, neighbourhood focus, and a trusted process for timing the sale and purchase together.
Buyers and sellers do not just want advice. They want proof that the process works. One of the best ways to build trust is to show how real families moved through this exact challenge.
If your move involves selling one home and buying another, case studies help people understand the strategy, pacing, and decisions that create better outcomes.
Whether you are just starting to think about a move or already trying to line up the sale and purchase together, Craig Johnston can help you create a clear path forward.
These are the long-tail questions that come up in consultations. If yours isn't here, send it over — I'll answer directly.
I have spent the last 5+ years helping Coquitlam move-up buyers and sellers get from where they are to where they want to be — without the panic of owning two homes at once or selling under value. I work the Tri-Cities every day: Burke Mountain, Westwood Plateau, Heritage Mountain, and the rest of Coquitlam’s move-up neighbourhoods.
If you want a straight read on your timing, pricing, or move-up strategy, the fastest next step is a short call.
Licensed REALTOR® with The Macnabs. Tri-Cities-fluent, written-advice-first. Here's how I work any client file that lands on this page.
A five-step process built around clarity, strategy, and no-surprise execution — whether you're buying your first home or selling a property you've owned for twenty years.
We start with a real conversation about your goals, timeline, and numbers. I'll pull current comps, assess your buying power or home's true market value, and tell you exactly what the data says — not what you want to hear.
I build a written strategy around your priorities: target neighbourhoods, pricing strategy, timeline, financing structure, and the trade-offs at each decision point. Every recommendation comes with a reason.
For sellers: pre-list prep, staging direction, pro photography, and a pricing framework that draws interest without leaving money on the table. For buyers: offer structure, subject clauses, and the due-diligence checklist for every property that matters.
This is where experience pays for itself. I negotiate price, terms, subjects, deposit, completion dates, and the small details that don't show up in listings but decide whether a deal closes well or falls apart.
From subject removal through completion and possession, I coordinate with lawyers, lenders, inspectors, and trades so nothing drops. After closing, I stay in your corner for everything from tax-assessment appeals to the next move.
The short, honest version. Every answer here is what I'd tell you on a call — no fluff, no generic listing-agent talk.
Most people lose money because they read generic advice and act on it. The pages below are the opposite — Coquitlam-specific, opinionated, and built from real transactions. Pick the lane that fits the move you're actually making.
No hedging. No "it depends." If a page above contradicts what another agent told you, ask them to cite their source — every number on this site is checkable.
The resources below go deeper on the same topic. If you’re piecing together a full picture, these are the next logical reads.
Every claim on this site is checkable against a government, regulator, school district, or independent authority. Cross-reference anything — if a number here ever drifts from the source, the source wins.
External links open in a new tab. The Macnabs is not affiliated with these organizations — they are cited as independent authorities. Any time a number on this page differs from the authority, the authority wins.
Real reviews pulled from Google. No paid placements. No curated-only-positives. Every client below closed with Craig — most sold over asking, several within a week.
“Craig sold my property in just 6 days. After receiving one offer, he quickly reconnected with all the other realtors who had viewed the property, and before I knew it, we had multiple offers — all over asking price. Craig didn’t stop there; he negotiated even better terms for me.”
“We worked with Craig on three real estate transactions. In all cases he was extremely professional and efficient. In the case of the two sales, both houses were sold for over asking and within the one week of going on market. Craig analyzed the market accurately and advised on a selling price that was fair and saleable.”
“Craig recently sold my townhouse in West Vancouver in less than 6 days for over asking price. Craig is one of the most prolific and highly motivated realtors I have seen in the Realty business, and I have extensive experience buying and selling properties of all sorts.”
“We consider ourselves lucky to be able to work with Craig over the last 5 years, over multiple transactions. He is a professional who is guided by integrity, honesty, and punctuality. Craig is a seasoned and well-informed realtor who will be a great asset on any real estate journey.”
“As first-time home buyers, we had a myriad of concerns. Craig immediately put us at ease by taking the time to address each of our questions thoroughly and patiently. At no point did I feel pressured or rushed into making a decision. Instead, Craig empowered us with all the facts and options.”
“One of the most dedicated and professional realtors I’ve encountered. No matter the value of the property, Craig puts great care into preparing high-quality marketing content. With his in-depth knowledge of the Coquitlam area, I highly recommend Craig to anyone looking to buy or sell.”
“His creativity, top-notch communication skills, and a solid plan were instrumental in selling high and buying low. His foresight in negotiation skills, predicting outcomes before they happened, truly set him apart. A remarkable professional who exceeded expectations.”
“Craig absolutely delivered on his promise of selling my condo, exceeding my expectations. A++ communications and he kept me informed and educated every single step of the way. Rock solid performance and a very quick above asking sale, I am beyond grateful.”
“We were referred to Craig by a friend and knew from day one we were in great hands. The marketing was outstanding — we received seven offers, and Craig held firm on our priorities. When we re-listed in January, it sold in three days at the price we wanted, and he went on to find us an off-market buy in Vernon.”
More on Proof & Process
Craig writes the Tri-Cities coverage most realtors won't. Every page below is built on the same ground-truth data and the same negotiation playbook Craig uses for every client.
From $600K condos to $3M+ estate homes, Craig runs the same protocol. The scale changes, the discipline doesn't.
Most of Craig's business is dependent transactions. The orchestration is the edge.
The playbook flexes to your stage.
"Coquitlam has changed more in the last five years than in the previous twenty. The playbook that worked in 2020 doesn't in 2026. Run current data or don't run it."
Whether you're a first-time buyer at $850K or a luxury seller at $4.2M, the sequence is identical. The scale changes. The discipline doesn't.
Your numbers, your timeline, your non-negotiables, your trade-offs — written down before we pick any houses or pick any comps.
Current supply, current absorption, current days-on-market, current buyer pool — per neighbourhood, per property type, not 'Metro Vancouver' averages.
Target neighbourhoods, target price band, target timeline, target offer structure. Written. Agreed.
Whether buying or selling, the offer / listing is engineered — structure, contingencies, comps, pricing logic — not improvised.
Conditions, completion, possession, and the six-month check-in. Most agents stop at keys. Craig doesn't.
No pitch, no pressure. Just your numbers, your options, and the next move that's actually right for you.
Yes, for the right buyer with the right hold horizon. The under-$1.8M segment is the most interesting for 2026. Craig's current-quarter brief has the specifics.
Port Coquitlam price-to-livability, Westwood for commuters, Burke for families with schools, Heritage for buy-and-hold. Different answers for different buyers.
Interview three, pick the one who can actually run your specific transaction. Craig is happy to be one of the three.
Born in the Tri-Cities. Lived on Burke Mountain for 9+ years. Top 2% Nationwide Team. Craig runs every file — move-up, first-time, seller, investor — through the same repeatable playbook so nothing gets improvised at your expense. Start with the 20-minute fit call or the equity map. No pitch, no pressure, just your numbers and your options.
