How do I sell my home in Metro Vancouver for the best result? Selling a home anywhere in Metro Vancouver for the strongest outcome means pricing from live competition rather than wishful thinking, preparing the home before it lists, launching with a plan that creates demand pressure in the first 10 days, and sequencing the sale alongside your next purchase so equity is protected through the transition.
Whether you're selling on the West Side, in Burnaby, Coquitlam, North Van, or Surrey, the same principles decide the outcome: price from real data, prepare the home before it lists, and engineer the first ten days so buyers compete instead of wait. Location changes the comps — the playbook is the same.
Most sellers are also buyers. Too early and you're a homeless buyer; too late and you're a desperate seller. I run both sides in parallel — pricing, prep, marketing on the sell side; targets, timing, offer structure on the buy side — so you move on your terms, not the market's.
Selling specifically in Coquitlam, Port Moody, Port Coquitlam, Burke Mountain, Westwood Plateau, or Heritage Mountain? That's my home court — see the Coquitlam sellers guide for neighbourhood-specific data and case studies.
You are in the right place if you are trying to sell well, not just list. That usually means one or more of these is true:
Metro Vancouver prices corrected 5–8% year-over-year through early 2026 with wide variation by submarket. Here's what the GVR MLS® HPI shows at the regional level.
Addresses withheld at clients' request. Three recent listings across different Metro Vancouver submarkets — same playbook, different comps.
My seller strategy is built around four priorities: strategic pricing that supports stronger results, marketing that creates competition, communication that reduces stress, and negotiation that protects your equity.
Based on real comparables, active competition, buyer psychology, and the timing of your move.
Professional visuals, polished listing copy, floor plan clarity, buyer-ready presentation, and broad exposure.
Clear advice before showings, fast feedback after activity, and confident offer handling when it counts.
The seller guide makes the point clearly: market conditions change, but pricing is always the decision that controls exposure, urgency, and negotiating strength. In stronger markets, properly priced homes can move quickly. In balanced or buyer-leaning markets, price discipline becomes even more important. The guide also highlights the three controllable factors in a sale: listing price, seller motivation, and marketing plan.
When inventory is low, buyers move faster. That does not mean you can ignore price. It means the right price can compress timelines and create stronger terms.
When neither side has a major advantage, the homes that win are the ones that feel best priced, best presented, and easiest to understand.
More competing inventory means your home must present better and be positioned more precisely. Waiting too long often costs more than launching with the right strategy from the start.
I do not believe in pricing loosely or aspirationally. I believe in positioning a home where it is competitive, credible, and well-supported by the data so buyers take it seriously and sellers protect their value.
The guide outlines the job clearly: assess condition, help determine price, recommend improvements and staging ideas, market the property effectively, handle inquiries and showings, negotiate offers, and communicate honestly throughout the transaction.
That is exactly how I approach seller representation across Metro Vancouver. You should expect a plan that is structured, a process that is explained, and advice that is honest even when it is not the easy answer.
Your seller guide lays out a practical process: initial meeting, house prep, marketing production, sign installation, MLS launch, and live review. Here is the stronger, web-ready version of that process for today’s seller:
We walk the home, talk timing, review your goals, identify likely buyer profile, and outline the prep list that will make the biggest difference.
I help you decide what to paint, repair, remove, stage, improve, or leave alone so you do not waste money on the wrong upgrades.
I prepare a comparative market analysis, evaluate live competition, and decide how to position your home for the strongest first impression and best negotiating leverage.
Once the home is ready, we capture professional photography, video, floor plans, and all listing assets needed for a polished launch.
We finalize the listing story, schedule activation, coordinate signage, confirm all details, and make sure your first week on market is treated like the opportunity it is.
Showings, inquiries, online response, and agent feedback all get tracked so we know whether the market is confirming the strategy or telling us to adjust.
I help you evaluate not just price, but dates, conditions, deposits, buyer strength, and which offer best protects your outcome.
From accepted offer through completion and possession, I stay involved so details do not slip and the transaction stays calm.
The seller guide already points to this advantage: photography, video, social media distribution, feature sheets, 3D floor plans, and drone footage all work together when the launch is built properly. This is where your listing stops feeling ordinary and starts feeling intentional.
Drone footage adds context, scale, approach, streetscape, and neighbourhood feel. Used properly, it does more than look good. It supports perceived value, strengthens your first impression, and helps your launch feel more premium from day one.
Our team does not approach marketing like a basic checklist. We approach it like a launch system: use the right tools, capture the right angles, control the first impression, and make buyers feel the difference before they ever book a showing.
Drone footage is one of the clearest examples. It helps buyers understand positioning, lot context, approach, surrounding streetscape, outdoor spaces, and neighbourhood feel. That added perspective can make a home feel more premium, more complete, and more memorable.
Shows scale, setting, approach, and location context in a way still photos cannot.
Creates emotion and perceived value before the buyer steps through the door.
Gives the launch a stronger start across web, social, and listing exposure channels.
Helps your home look like a better opportunity than competing inventory.
The seller guide is very practical here. It recommends turning on all lights, opening blinds where the view helps, replacing burned-out bulbs, removing family photos, hiding pet items, clearing countertops, removing mats and clutter, and making sure kitchens, bathrooms, and exterior spaces feel clean and simple.
Do not think of this as “cleaning up.” Think of it as removing friction. Every item you remove makes the home feel larger, cleaner, calmer, and easier for buyers to say yes to.
The best launches feel organized because the strategy is organized. That means cleaner presentation, sharper positioning, better media, and a plan that makes buyers feel confidence quickly.
The seller guide says it directly: selling a property involves specialized knowledge, legal paperwork, pricing, staging, negotiation, and enforceable contracts. It also notes that selling on your own makes it far easier to miss something important or make a costly mistake.
That matters even more when the home you are selling is tied to your family timeline, your next purchase, or one of the biggest financial decisions you will make.
One client in the guide said their townhouse sold in a week with no subjects at the price they were aiming for, and highlighted Craig’s communication and support during negotiations.
Another review focused on preparation, professionalism, calm under pressure, and the way Craig listened, educated, and never pushed.
A seller in a declining market described strong staging, excellent photo and video work, and a sale in 14 days.
They find out what their home is worth, what their likely net looks like, and what their smartest timing window is before pressure shows up.
They fix the obvious issues, simplify the presentation, and make the home easier for buyers to understand online and in person.
They do not burn the first two weeks with weak positioning. They give the launch a real chance to work.
More attention. Better showings. Stronger offers. That’s not luck — that’s strategy.
Usually only selectively. The right answer is not “do more.” The right answer is “do what improves perceived value and removes objections.” I help you decide what actually pays off.
You need more than an estimate. You need real comparable sales, a read on current competition, and a pricing strategy built around how buyers behave in your segment.
That depends on your equity, tolerance for risk, financing, and the type of home you want next. Start with your home value, then build the move plan around facts. See the buying guide if you are planning both sides of the move.
Then we read the market honestly. Showings, buyer feedback, competing inventory, and online response all tell a story. The wrong move is denial. The right move is adjustment from a place of data.
This page should not only persuade. It should equip. That is why your seller guide belongs here as a downloadable resource, alongside your social channels where sellers can see your marketing style in the real world.
Fourteen pages on the $40,000+ most BC move-up sellers leave on the table — capital gains, principal residence exemption, and PTT timing. The same material I walk my own move-up clients through before we list.

You do not need pressure. You need clarity. If you are thinking about selling anywhere in Metro Vancouver — from the West Side through Burnaby, the Tri-Cities, North Shore, or Surrey — the smartest first move is understanding your value, your timing, and the strategy that gives you the best chance to win.
Keep moving through the ecosystem. These pages connect directly to the decision you are working on.
The practical sell-side questions that come up on every consultation — regardless of submarket.
Standard BC commission structure is tiered:
On a $1.5M home, total commission typically runs $35,000–$58,000. Exact structure is negotiable based on service tier (premium stack vs basic MLS entry), property specifics, and market conditions.
Commission is paid out of sale proceeds — nothing out-of-pocket.
Across Metro Vancouver, median DOM on sold homes is ~24 days. Active-listing DOM — homes still sitting — runs 50–80+ days in most submarkets. That gap is the real story: priced-right homes sell, overpriced homes stall.
Realistic expectation if we price right: 2–4 weeks to firm offer, plus 30–60 days to completion. Longer if we're priced above market — but the fix is pricing, not patience.
Three options:
In the balanced-to-buyer Metro Vancouver market of 2026, sell-first is often the safer move for most sellers. I walk every client through the specific math before we decide.
High-ROI pre-listing moves:
Low-ROI moves to usually avoid: major kitchen rebuild, bathroom gut renovation, room additions — these rarely recoup 100% of cost unless strategically targeted.
Depends entirely on what you're doing next:
The worst reason to sell is "because I heard the market is bad." Sell because your life calls for it — then price it right.
Unsold inventory in BC traces to one of three diagnoses:
Fix the actual diagnosis and re-launch. Don't grind a tired listing with small price drops every 30 days — buyers interpret each drop as a signal that more are coming.
Sometimes the right move is to withdraw, invest 30–60 days in real repairs and staging, and re-list fresh with a clean DOM counter.
Selling at the top of the market?
Private marketing, qualified-buyer networks, tax-informed pricing, concierge presentation. If your home is in the $2.5M+ range anywhere in Metro Vancouver, the process is not the same as a standard MLS® listing.
Read The Luxury Playbook →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 — opinionated, built from real transactions, and anchored in named sources. 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.
Pricing, regulatory disclosures, and tax implications when selling anywhere in BC — every one of these has an authority behind it. Cross-reference before you list.
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.
The $40,000+ most BC move-up families leave on the table — capital gains, principal residence exemption, and PTT timing. No sales pitch. Just the math, the dates, and the traps I see Monday-to-Friday.
Before you book a call, spend ninety seconds with Craig. You’ll know in the first thirty whether he’s the right realtor for your move.
Opens on YouTube. No autoplay. Craig@theMACNABS.com · 604-202-6092
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 selling your home
Craig writes the Metro Vancouver 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.
You've built serious value over 5-15 years. The wrong list price, the wrong staging, the wrong agent can cost you $40-80K. Craig's listing protocol is the same one that drove Top 2% Nationwide Team results.
The sequencing is everything. Sell-first vs buy-first in this market isn't a coin flip — it's a math problem with a right answer for your specific numbers. Craig solves it with you.
You need a lister who can run the whole file without you on the ground. Craig's done it for families in Ontario, Alberta, and overseas.
"The single biggest money-leak I see on Metro Vancouver listings is list-high-and-reduce. It kills the first two weeks of buyer attention — which is where 70% of the real interest lives."
Whether you're selling a $750K condo in Burnaby or a $4.2M detached on the North Shore, 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 region-wide 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.
Historically late February through May, and then a secondary window in September/early October. But the right window for your specific home depends on submarket, property type, price point, and current inventory — Craig runs the specific timing call with you.
Three comps from the last 60 days, three comps from the last 120 days — within 1.5 km and same property type. Adjust for square footage, lot, finish level, orientation. Then adjust again for current buyer sentiment and submarket absorption. Craig's protocol walks through the exact math in your listing presentation.
Usually: paint, deep clean, declutter, fix obvious deferred maintenance. Avoid major renovations right before listing — the ROI rarely hits. Craig's listing prep checklist is specific to your home.
Every benchmark price, sales ratio, and market signal on this page is drawn from named, publicly-verifiable sources refreshed monthly. I write from a licensed B.C. REALTOR®'s vantage point (license V99960, The Macnabs · Royal LePage Elite West) and tie claims to the reports real Metro Vancouver buyers, sellers, and appraisers actually rely on.
Greater Vancouver REALTORS® (GVR) — Monthly MLS® HPI benchmark prices, sales volume, days on market, and list-to-sale ratios for every Metro Vancouver submarket.
Statistics Canada 2021 Census plus BC Stats projections — population, household composition, median household income, and tenure splits across Metro Vancouver neighbourhoods.
BC Ministry of Finance and Canada Revenue Agency — current Property Transfer Tax exemption thresholds, GST/HST rules on new homes, BC Home Owner Grant amounts, and first-time home buyer programs.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and Bank of Canada — stress-test qualifying rate, posted mortgage rates, insured vs uninsured lending rules, and rental market data for the Vancouver CMA.
SD43 Coquitlam catchment maps plus Fraser Institute annual school report card rankings — used for every school-linked neighbourhood claim.
BC Assessment and BC Land Title & Survey Authority — assessed values, property-type classifications, title registry data, and historical ownership records.
This page is reviewed monthly. Benchmark pricing reflects the most recent GVR HPI release. Census figures are the 2021 Statistics Canada release with BC Stats growth projections. Tax thresholds are current as of the 2026 BC Budget and federal rules in effect at time of publication.
Last reviewed: April 23, 2026 · Written and signed by Craig Johnston, licensed REALTOR® V99960, The Macnabs · Royal LePage Elite West.