How much home can you afford
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Buy vs rent math
Most buy-vs-rent calculators are wrong. They ignore opportunity cost or overlook maintenance. Here's the real math for the Coquitlam market — and what it means for your decision.
Quick Answer
Buying Vs Renting In Coquitlam — which is the better Tri-Cities choice?
Most buy-vs-rent calculators are wrong. They ignore opportunity cost or overlook maintenance. Here's the real math for the Coquitlam market — and what it… Craig Johnston, Top 1% Team Member — Greater Vancouver REALTORS® and 47+ year Tri-Cities resident, can walk you through the local context. Free Strategy Call ends with a written one-page plan in 24 hours.
Buying looks better than renting over long holds (8+ years) in almost every Coquitlam scenario — mostly because of forced savings and appreciation. Buying looks worse than renting over short holds (under 5 years) in most Coquitlam scenarios because of transaction costs.
The calculator answer matters less than the behavioural answer. Renters who don't save the difference never capture the 'advantage' of renting. Buyers who overextend don't capture the advantage of buying. Get the behaviour right first.
8+ year hold — forced savings compound.
Qualifying, not stretching.
Roots, schools, stability — real non-financial value.
You want to improve your space over time.
The corridor has appreciated well for decades.
Under 5 years — transaction costs eat returns.
Job or life might move you.
You have higher-return investments.
Relationship, kids, career still shifting.
Rare but sometimes real.
Coquitlam has been one of the more consistent-performing metro markets over 10+ years. The SkyTrain expansion plus family-market depth plus SD43 schools has kept demand structural.
If you're evaluating whether to buy in Coquitlam specifically, read the Coquitlam real estate guide and affordability math.
If you're on the fence, tell me your timeline. Under 3 years? Rent. Over 8 years? Buy. Between 3 and 8? Look at your stability and your budget, not at the market.
The single worst decision I see is buying something you can barely afford because you think the market is about to run. Coquitlam has rewarded patient buyers. It has not rewarded panic buyers.
Minimum 5 years to break even on costs in most scenarios. 8+ for full advantage.
No — but most people don't invest the difference. That's where the cliché gets messy.
Comparable to Metro Vancouver generally. Rents have risen meaningfully in recent years.
Often better than a rental if the timeline supports it. Small owned > stretching for big.
Tell me your timeline and income. I'll run the math with you honestly — no pressure to buy.
Once the buy-vs-rent math settles.
I have spent the last 47+ years living in Coquitlam, 9+ years on Burke Mountain, helping 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® in Coquitlam. Tri-Cities-fluent, written-advice-first. Here's how I work any client file that lands on this page.
Every cost, tax, and legal step in the Coquitlam buying process is spelled out by a government or regulatory authority below. Use these as the definitive source — your agent and lawyer should line up with them, not the other way around.
External links open in a new tab. I'm 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 Buying in Coquitlam
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.
Tri-Cities monthly
May 2026 Coquitlam detached HPI is $1,654,000, -5.7% 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.