# How Much Below Asking Can You Offer in Coquitlam? **Source:** https://soldbycraig.ca/blog/how-much-below-asking-can-you-offer-coquitlam/ **Author:** Craig Johnston, REALTOR® (BCFSA Licence #187645) · Royal LePage Elite West --- November 14, 2026 · For Buyers · Coquitlam # How Much Below Asking Can You Offer on a Home in Coquitlam? For buyers in Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody who are wondering how far under the asking price they can reasonably go. There's no magic percentage, but there is real data, and three recent purchases where my buyer clients paid 4.9% to 6.3% less than the asking price. Here's how to work out your number without losing the home. By **Craig Johnston, REALTOR® (BCFSA Licence #187645)** · 47+ year Tri-Cities resident · Helping Tri-Cities families move up Royal LePage Elite West Quick Answer **There's no standard discount. It depends on the home, the property type and how long it has been for sale.** In October 2026, the median Coquitlam home sold for **96.5% of its original list price**: 96.2% for detached homes and condos, and 98.2% for townhouses (GVR Stats Centre). That median includes price reductions, and half of homes sold closer to their price. Your number should come from **recent comparable sales, the home's listing history and the competition**, not from a percentage. In October, my buyer clients bought **3963 Sefton Street, Port Coquitlam for $80,000 (6.3%) below asking**, because comparable sales supported that price. **Up front:** Market figures are Greater Vancouver REALTORS® (GVR) data through **October 2026**. Purchase figures are from my own transaction records. Every home and every negotiation is different, and past results don't predict or guarantee the outcome of any other purchase. General information only, not legal or financial advice. **Shopping now?** [Book a 20-minute strategy call](/book-a-strategy-call-with-craig-johnston/) and I'll show you how I'd price an offer on the homes you're watching. ## What Coquitlam homes are actually selling for, against their price The best public measure is GVR's median sale price as a percentage of the *original* list price. Because it uses the original price, it captures every price cut along the way. Here is Coquitlam over the last six months: | Coquitlam, 2026 | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Detached | 95.9% | 95.5% | 96.5% | 95.1% | 95.1% | 96.2% | | Townhouse | 99.8% | 97.7% | 100.0% | 99.2% | 100.0% | 98.2% | | Condo (apartment) | 97.1% | 96.8% | 96.9% | 97.3% | 96.0% | 96.2% | Source: GVR Stats Centre, City of Coquitlam, median sale price as a percentage of original list price, by month. Three things to take from that table: - **Detached homes have the most room.** The typical Coquitlam detached sale has landed roughly 3.5% to 5% under its original price for six straight months. On the October detached benchmark of $1,571,400, every percentage point is about $15,700. - **Townhouses have the least.** The median townhouse sold at 100% of its original price in July and September. In that segment a big discount offer can simply lose to a buyer who offers closer to the price. Coquitlam townhouses had a sales-to-active ratio of 19.1% in October, near the 20% line where GVR's scale tips toward sellers. - **Condos sit in between,** around 96% to 97%, with 575 condos for sale in Coquitlam in October. More choice for buyers usually means more room to negotiate. The neighbouring cities looked like this in October 2026 (all GVR Stats Centre, median sale price as a percentage of original list price): | October 2026 | Detached | Townhouse | Condo | |---|---|---|---| | Coquitlam | 96.2% | 98.2% | 96.2% | | Port Coquitlam | 93.2% | 97.7% | 98.0% | | Port Moody | 97.4% | 95.1% | 96.4% | Port Moody and Port Coquitlam have fewer sales each month, so one month can swing. Read these alongside my [monthly market reports](/market-reports/). **A median is not an offer strategy.** Half of homes sold for more than these figures, and many of the deeper discounts came after a home had already sat and been reduced. The useful question isn't "what's the average discount?" It's "what is *this* home worth, and how motivated is *this* seller?" ## A real example: $80,000 under asking in Port Coquitlam In October 2026, my buyer clients, a young family, bought **3963 Sefton Street in Oxford Heights, Port Coquitlam for $1,195,000 against a $1,275,000 asking price**. That's $80,000, or 6.3%, below asking. It's a 1968 split-entry home on an 8,808 sq ft lot with a rear lane. Here's what made that price possible: - **We priced it from sold comparables, not the asking price.** We reviewed comparable sales, looked at the property's history and weighed where it sat in the current market. That let us negotiate from a strong position, with an offer backed by what similar homes were actually selling for. - **It fit the market.** That month, the median Port Coquitlam detached home sold for 93.2% of its original list price. My clients' price, 93.7% of asking, was in line with the market. It was the result of pricing from real sales, not a lucky lowball. - **We used the inspection properly.** The inspection turned up a few items. Rather than simply accept them, we worked through them with the sellers, who agreed to address them before my clients removed subjects. - **We did our homework before writing.** I went to Port Coquitlam City Hall to confirm that a laneway or carriage home would be allowed, subject to the City's requirements. Knowing exactly what you're buying makes it much easier to commit to a firm number. The full story is in [how my clients bought 3963 Sefton Street](/blog/sold-3963-sefton-street-port-coquitlam/). ## My three most recent purchases for buyer clients | Home | Asking | Bought for | Under asking | |---|---|---|---| | [3963 Sefton Street, Port Coquitlam](/blog/sold-3963-sefton-street-port-coquitlam/) (detached), October 9, 2026 | $1,275,000 | $1,195,000 | $80,000 (6.3%) | | [3–2124 East 8th Avenue, Vancouver](/blog/sold-3-2124-e-8th-avenue-vancouver-forma/) (new duplex home), October 13, 2026 | $1,699,000 | $1,615,000 | $84,000 (4.9%) | | [2802–3080 Lincoln Avenue, Coquitlam](/blog/sold-2802-3080-lincoln-avenue-coquitlam/) (condo), October 23, 2026 | $699,900 (original) | $665,000 | $34,900 (5.0%) | From my own transaction records; percentages are my arithmetic. Three purchases are not a measure of the market, and every negotiation is different. The Lincoln Avenue purchase is worth a closer look, because the biggest lever wasn't the first offer. My clients **walked away** when the price wasn't right, then came back after the sellers reduced and relaunched, and bought for $5,000 below the reduced price. We also offered the sellers flexible moving dates, which cost my clients nothing. From our first meeting to securing the home took ten days. ## How to work out your offer price ### 1. Start with sold comparables Find three to five sales from the last 30 to 90 days that are as close as possible: same property type, similar size, age, condition and street appeal. Sold prices, not asking prices. That range is what the home is worth today. If the asking price sits well above it, you have room. If it sits at or below it, a big discount offer probably won't work. ### 2. Read the listing history How long has it been on the market? Has the price been cut? Was it listed before and taken off? A home that has sat for 60 days with a reduction is a very different negotiation from one that listed last Tuesday. Your REALTOR® can pull the full MLS® history. ### 3. Look at the competition If there are ten similar homes for sale nearby, the seller knows you have options. If it's the only one, they know that too. The sales-to-active ratio for that property type tells you how much choice buyers have overall. ### 4. Find out what matters to the seller The listing agent works for the seller and won't tell you their bottom line. But a good conversation often reveals what matters: a completion date, a quick, clean deal or a rent-back. Before my buyers see a home, I research it and call the listing agent. My goal on that call is simple: connect with the agent, so they tell their seller the same story about my buyers and our offer that I'd tell myself. In my experience, winning an offer comes down to building that relationship, asking the right questions, listening, and delivering an offer the listing agent can present to the seller as the best one. That isn't always the highest price, but you have to be close. I've won on dates. ### 5. Factor in condition and the inspection A roof near the end of its life, an old furnace or a leaky window is a fair reason to pay less, either in your first offer or after the inspection. Use inspection findings as a negotiation, not a pass-or-fail. More in [inspection subjects in BC](/blog/inspection-subjects-bc-coquitlam-buyer-guide-2026/). For condos and townhouses, the strata documents can matter as much as the inspection. ### 6. Decide your walk-away number before you write Write it down. It keeps emotion out of the counter-offers, and it makes walking away a real option, as it was on Lincoln Avenue. ## When a low offer can backfire - **New, well-priced listings.** If a home is priced at or below its comparables and just hit the market, a deep discount offer can get no response at all, and you may lose it to someone who offers closer to the price. - **Sellers who are already at their floor.** Right now everyone seems to want a deal, especially on condos. Many sellers have already cut their price as far as they can and are holding there. A low offer on a home that's already priced at its floor wastes time and can sour the negotiation. The listing history and that first call with the listing agent usually tell you which situation you're in. - **Townhouses in a tight month.** As the table shows, Coquitlam townhouses have been selling at or near their original prices. - **Multiple offers.** When there's competition, the conversation changes completely. Here's [how to write a winning offer](/blog/how-to-write-winning-offer-coquitlam-buyers-market-2026/). - **Offers that don't explain themselves.** A lower offer backed by comparable sales and a respectful, clean package gets a counter-offer. A low number with no explanation often gets ignored. ## Price is only one of the terms Deposit, subject conditions, completion and possession dates, what's included: all of it is negotiable. Sellers are often flexible on items that are cheap for them, and the reverse is true too. My guide to [what Coquitlam sellers are conceding](/blog/what-coquitlam-sellers-are-conceding-2026-buyer-negotiation-list/) covers the non-price terms worth asking for. I love to negotiate, and every situation is different. If you have a home in mind, [reach out](/book-a-strategy-call-with-craig-johnston/) and I'll walk you through how I'd approach it. ## Frequently asked questions ### How much below asking should I offer on a house in Coquitlam? There's no standard percentage. Start from three to five recent sold comparables, then adjust for the home's listing history, condition and competition. For context, in October 2026 the median Coquitlam home sold for 96.5% of its original list price: 96.2% for detached homes and condos and 98.2% for townhouses (GVR Stats Centre). Those medians include price reductions. ### Is offering 10% below asking an insult? Not if the comparable sales support it, for example on a home priced well above recent sales or one that has sat for months. On a newly listed home priced in line with its comparables, a 10% discount offer is likely to be ignored or countered firmly. Explain your number with sold comparables and keep the rest of the offer clean. ### Do townhouses in Coquitlam sell for asking? Often close to it. The median Coquitlam townhouse sold for 100% of its original list price in July and September 2026, and 98.2% in October (GVR Stats Centre). The townhouse sales-to-active ratio was 19.1% in October, near the 20% level GVR treats as a seller's market. ### How did your clients buy a Port Coquitlam home $80,000 under asking? They bought 3963 Sefton Street for $1,195,000 against a $1,275,000 asking price in October 2026. We priced the offer from comparable sales and the property's history, and negotiated the inspection items with the sellers. That month, the median Port Coquitlam detached home sold for 93.2% of its original list price, so the price was in line with the market. ### Can a listing agent tell me the seller's lowest price? The listing agent represents the seller and shouldn't disclose the seller's bottom line without permission. You can still learn a lot by asking good questions about what matters to the seller, such as dates or a clean, quick deal. ### Is it better to offer low and negotiate up? Only when the data supports a lower price. A well-supported offer usually gets a counter-offer, and that's where most deals are made. A number with no basis can end the conversation, especially on new listings and townhouses. Decide your walk-away price before you write. ### Besides price, what else can I negotiate? Deposit, subject conditions, completion and possession dates, inclusions and repairs after the inspection. Offering a seller something that costs you little, like flexible dates, can help you get a better price. ## Sources & Methodology - **Greater Vancouver REALTORS®, Stats Centre (May to October 2026).** Median sale price as a percentage of original list price for Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody, by property type. Read directly from GVR, not transcribed. - **Greater Vancouver REALTORS®, REALTOR® Report: Coquitlam, October 2026.** Detached benchmark ($1,571,400), townhouse sales-to-active ratio (19.1%) and condo active listings (575). - **My own transaction records** for 3963 Sefton Street (MLS® R3135364), 3–2124 East 8th Avenue (MLS® R3160780) and 2802–3080 Lincoln Avenue (MLS® R3178049). I represented the buyers in all three. The homes were listed by other brokerages. Methodology: "under asking" = asking price minus purchase price, divided by the asking price, rounded to one decimal place. For Lincoln Avenue the comparison uses the original asking price. The dollars-per-percentage-point figure is 1% of the October detached benchmark. Laneway-home eligibility for Sefton Street was confirmed in person with City of Port Coquitlam staff and remains subject to the City's requirements. General information only; not legal or financial advice. Last reviewed November 14, 2026. Signed: Craig Johnston, REALTOR® (BCFSA Licence #187645) · Royal LePage Elite West · Helping Tri-Cities families move up ## Have a home in mind? Tell me which home you're watching. I'll pull the comparable sales and the listing history and show you how I'd approach the offer, on a 20-minute call. No pitch, no spam. [Book a Strategy Call](https://soldbycraig.ca/book-a-strategy-call-with-craig-johnston/) [Meet Craig Johnston](https://soldbycraig.ca/coquitlam-realtor-craig-johnston/) Direct: [604-202-6092](tel:+16042026092) · [Craig@SoldByCraig.ca](mailto:Craig@SoldByCraig.ca) ## Related reading - [Bought $80,000 under asking: 3963 Sefton Street The full Port Coquitlam purchase story](https://soldbycraig.ca/blog/sold-3963-sefton-street-port-coquitlam/) - [How to write a winning offer When there's competition for the home](https://soldbycraig.ca/blog/how-to-write-winning-offer-coquitlam-buyers-market-2026/) - [What Coquitlam sellers are conceding The non-price terms worth asking for](https://soldbycraig.ca/blog/what-coquitlam-sellers-are-conceding-2026-buyer-negotiation-list/) - [Inspection subjects in BC Using the inspection in your negotiation](https://soldbycraig.ca/blog/inspection-subjects-bc-coquitlam-buyer-guide-2026/) - [Buying a property with Craig The full buyer process, step by step](https://soldbycraig.ca/buying-a-property/) - [Market reports This month's numbers by city and home type](https://soldbycraig.ca/market-reports/) Craig Johnston, REALTOR® — Earned on a Top 1% Team (2023–2025), 47+ year Tri-Cities resident, helping Tri-Cities families move up About the author ### [Craig Johnston, REALTOR®](/coquitlam-realtor-craig-johnston/) 47+ year Tri-Cities native, 9+ year Burke Mountain resident, earned on a Top 1% Team — Greater Vancouver REALTORS®, 2023–2025, earned on a Top 2% Team nationwide, 2023–2025 — Royal LePage, earned on a Medallion Club Team, 2021–2025, with Royal LePage Elite West. Helping Tri-Cities families move up. BCFSA Licence #187645, regulated by the BC Financial Services Authority (BCFSA). Specializes in Coquitlam, Burke Mountain, Westwood Plateau, Heritage Mountain, Port Moody, Anmore acreage, and Belcarra Indian Arm waterfront. Move-up family representation, first-time buyer guidance, $2M+ luxury. [Full bio + credentials →](/coquitlam-realtor-craig-johnston/) [Book a free strategy call](/book-a-strategy-call-with-craig-johnston/) Tri-Cities monthly ## Know the market before you make an offer. October 2026 Coquitlam detached HPI is $1,571,400, -7.0% YoY. What that means for your buy or sell decision — without the salesy fluff. One email per month. Unsubscribe anytime. No spam, no listings flood, no marketing automation games. Genuine monthly update from a 47+ year Tri-Cities resident. Neighbourhood guides ## Local guidance for your specific Tri-Cities city or neighbourhood. 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