# Coquitlam First-Time Buyer Starter Kit — Free 17-Page PDF > Free 17-page Coquitlam First-Time Buyer Starter Kit. **Source:** https://soldbycraig.ca/coquitlam-first-time-buyer-starter-kit/ **Author:** Craig Johnston, REALTOR® (BC Licence V99960) · The MACNABS · Royal LePage Elite West **Site:** https://soldbycraig.ca --- Free download · 17 pages ## The Coquitlam First-Time Buyer Starter Kit — honest math, BC-specific, written by a REALTOR® who'd rather you wait six months than overpay by $80K. Most first-time buyer guides in Metro Vancouver read like brochures. This one reads like a conversation. Real $575K Burquitlam-condo math. The three qualifying tests, with actual numbers. Every BC closing-cost line. The right Coquitlam zones for a first-time buyer. The 30-day plan from pre-approval to offer. Red flags. Offer mechanics. Next steps. Updated July 2026 · By [Craig Johnston, REALTOR®](/coquitlam-realtor-craig-johnston/) - ✓The three qualifying tests (GDS, TDS, stress test) explained on a real $575K condo. - ✓The full BC closing-cost stack — every line, plus the forgotten post-possession month. - ✓BC FTB programs (PTT exemption, FHSA, RRSP HBP) — what actually applies. - ✓The Coquitlam zones that work for first-time buyers — and the ones that don't. Get the Starter Kit ## Where should I send the PDF? Instant delivery. No sales call. After the PDF, monthly Tri-Cities market updates — the same one I send my office. Top 1% TeamGreater Vancouver REALTORS® Medallion ClubTeam Member since 2021 ★5.0 · 34+Verified Google reviews Top 2% National TeamRoyal LePage Source: Royal LePage internal rankings & Craig's verified Google Business Profile. Updated July 2026. Quick answer What's actually in the First-Time Buyer Starter Kit? **Eight parts, 17 pages, every page BC-specific and Coquitlam-real.** Affordability (the 3 qualifying tests). Closing costs (the full stack + the forgotten post-possession month). BC programs (FTB exemption, FHSA, RRSP HBP). Zones (the Coquitlam pockets that work for first-time buyers). The 30-day plan. Red flags. Offer mechanics. Next steps. Written for honest math, not marketing — it'll tell you when waiting six months is the right answer. What's inside ## Every part of the kit — written from real Coquitlam buyer conversations. No filler. Every page from the questions first-time buyers ask Craig before they ever write an offer. 01 ### Affordability. The three qualifying tests (GDS, TDS, stress test). Real $575K Burquitlam 1-bed numbers. What your bank's calculator won't tell you. 02 ### Closing costs. The full BC closing-cost stack, every line, with $575K worked example. Plus the forgotten post-possession month most buyers blow. 03 ### BC programs. BC FTB PTT exemption thresholds, FHSA contribution math, RRSP Home Buyers' Plan, and which programs stack vs. don't. 04 ### The right zones. Which Coquitlam pockets work for first-time buyers at $500K–$900K. Burquitlam, Coquitlam Centre, Maillardville — honest read on each. 05 ### The 30-day plan. Week-by-week from pre-approval to written offer. What happens each week, who you talk to, what gets done. 06 ### Red flags. Buildings, contracts, and circumstances to walk away from. The poly-B paragraph alone has saved buyers from $40K renos. 07 ### Offer mechanics. What a BC offer actually contains. Price, deposit, completion date, subject conditions. The 6-step path from offer to keys. 08 ### Next steps. Where to go from here. Strategy Call structure, the Affordability Calculator, the Buyer Resource Hub. No upsell — just the path. What happens after signup ## No pressure, no spam, no surprise calls. Here's exactly what lands in your inbox — and what doesn't. Minute 1 ### You get the PDF. Confirmation email arrives within a minute with a direct download link. The PDF is yours, no strings attached. Day 3 ### One short follow-up. A brief email asking if anything in the guide raised a question. Reply if it did. Ignore if it didn't. That's the entire sequence. Monthly ### Tri-Cities market update. First of each month. Current inventory, pricing by neighbourhood, days-on-market trends, plain-English commentary. Unsubscribe one-click, any time. ✕ ### What you will *not* get. No phone calls unless you ask. No 30-day drip with urgency tactics. No list-rental. No "are you ready to buy?" emails every week. This is a signup, not a sales funnel. Who I am ## The Tri-Cities Move-Up Specialist. ![Craig Johnston, REALTOR®](https://soldbycraig.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/DSC1119-1-scaled.jpg) Craig Johnston, REALTOR® 47+ year Tri-Cities resident · Top 1% Team Member — Greater Vancouver REALTORS® · Medallion Club Team Member since 2021 · Top 2% Team Member — Royal LePage nationwide · The MACNABs Team, Royal LePage Elite West · BCFSA #V99960 [More about Craig →](/coquitlam-realtor-craig-johnston/) 5.0 stars across 34+ verified Google reviews. The first review below is from a real first-time-buyer client. ★★★★★ > “Craig was patient throughout the entire process. He never pushed us to buy something we weren't sure about, and when we decided to wait six months and save more, he just said ‘good call’ and stayed in touch. When we did finally buy, the math was so much cleaner.” Susie & Hans First-time buyers · Patient strategy · Google Review ★★★★★ > “Craig assisted in every aspect of the purchase of my Bowen Island home, including the building inspection, the follow-up inspection, and ensuring deficiencies were repaired. He was thorough and protected my position every step of the way.” Roberta Shaw Diligence-focused buyer · Google Review ★★★★★ > “We received seven offers, and Craig held firm on our priorities: no subject to sale and achieving our price. When we re-listed in January, it sold in just three days to buyers he had been nurturing — at the price we wanted.” Jim Turnbull Move-up sale · 7 offers · Google Review [Read all 34+ reviews on Google →](https://www.google.com/search?q=Craig+Johnston+REALTOR+Coquitlam+reviews) FAQ ## Common questions before downloading. What is in the Coquitlam First-Time Buyer Starter Kit?+ A 17-page guide covering eight parts: 1) Affordability — the three qualifying tests with a $575K Burquitlam condo example. 2) Closing costs — the full BC stack including the post-possession month. 3) BC programs — FTB exemption, FHSA, RRSP HBP. 4) Zones — the Coquitlam pockets that work for first-time buyers. 5) The 30-day plan from pre-approval to offer. 6) Red flags. 7) Offer mechanics. 8) Next steps. Is the kit really free?+ Yes. No charge, no credit card, no paywall. Enter your email, get the PDF instantly. After download, you receive one short follow-up email a few days later asking if anything raised a question, then monthly Tri-Cities market updates. No phone calls unless you ask. Unsubscribe honoured immediately. Who is this kit for?+ Any first-time buyer planning to purchase in Coquitlam, Port Moody, Port Coquitlam, or the wider Tri-Cities. Especially useful for buyers in the $500K–$900K price band — the condo and entry-townhouse market where affordability math and BC program eligibility matter most. Written for honest math, not marketing — it will tell you when waiting six months is the right answer. How much do I really need saved up to buy in Coquitlam?+ On an $800K Coquitlam condo: ~$55–60K all-in (5% down + ~$15–20K closing). On a $1.2M townhouse: ~$120K all-in. On a $1.5M detached: ~$330–340K all-in (20% required, no CMHC over $1M). First-time buyers may qualify for BC PTT exemption up to $835K purchase. The kit walks the full math with a real $575K Burquitlam example. What is the BC First-Time Home Buyer PTT exemption?+ Full exemption up to a price ceiling (set by the BC government and updated periodically — verify current threshold) and partial exemption above it. Eligibility requires Canadian citizenship or permanent residency, residency in BC for the prior year, never having owned a principal residence anywhere, and a commitment to occupy the home as your principal residence. Your lawyer or notary confirms eligibility at close. Ready when you are ## Want the kit plus a conversation about your specific numbers? The PDF answers the questions every first-time buyer has in common. A 20-minute Strategy Call answers the questions specific to *your* income, savings, target zone, and timeline. You leave with a written one-page plan. No pitch, no pressure. [Book a 20-min Strategy Call](/book-a-strategy-call-with-craig-johnston/) [Run the affordability calculator](/coquitlam-home-affordability-calculator/) **5.0** across 34+ Google reviews **Top 1% Team** — Greater Vancouver REALTORS® 47+ years in the Tri-Cities Or call direct: [604-202-6092](tel:+16042026092) Keep digging ## Related Coquitlam first-time buyer resources [Buyer Resource Hub](/coquitlam-buyer-resource-hub/) [Affordability calculator](/coquitlam-home-affordability-calculator/) [Mortgage calculator](/coquitlam-mortgage-calculator/) [The 45–75 day timeline](/coquitlam-buyer-timeline/) [Closing costs guide](/coquitlam-closing-costs-guide/) [Buying vs renting](/buying-vs-renting-in-coquitlam/) Best REALTOR® by area ## A specialist for your specific Tri-Cities city or neighbourhood. 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