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.
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.
Get the Starter Kit
Instant delivery. No sales call. After the PDF, monthly Tri-Cities market updates — the same one I send my office.
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.
No filler. Every page from the questions first-time buyers ask Craig before they ever write an offer.
The three qualifying tests (GDS, TDS, stress test). Real $575K Burquitlam 1-bed numbers. What your bank's calculator won't tell you.
The full BC closing-cost stack, every line, with $575K worked example. Plus the forgotten post-possession month most buyers blow.
BC FTB PTT exemption thresholds, FHSA contribution math, RRSP Home Buyers' Plan, and which programs stack vs. don't.
Which Coquitlam pockets work for first-time buyers at $500K–$900K. Burquitlam, Coquitlam Centre, Maillardville — honest read on each.
Week-by-week from pre-approval to written offer. What happens each week, who you talk to, what gets done.
Buildings, contracts, and circumstances to walk away from. The poly-B paragraph alone has saved buyers from $40K renos.
What a BC offer actually contains. Price, deposit, completion date, subject conditions. The 6-step path from offer to keys.
Where to go from here. Strategy Call structure, the Affordability Calculator, the Buyer Resource Hub. No upsell — just the path.
Here's exactly what lands in your inbox — and what doesn't.
Confirmation email arrives within a minute with a direct download link. The PDF is yours, no strings attached.
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.
First of each month. Current inventory, pricing by neighbourhood, days-on-market trends, plain-English commentary. Unsubscribe one-click, any time.
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.
5.0 stars across 35+ verified Google reviews. The first review below is from a real first-time-buyer client.
“Craig was an absolute pleasure to work with. He is extremely friendly, highly knowledgeable, and constantly monitors trends and data so we could make informed decisions. The more time we spent interacting with other agents during our home-buying process, the more pleased we were with choosing Craig.”Ashley K.
“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.”Jeff Kwok
“Craig sold my property in just 6 days, which is an incredible feat. 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!”Heather Fox
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.
5.0 across 35+ Google reviews Top 1% Team — Greater Vancouver REALTORS® 47+ years in the Tri-CitiesOr call direct: 604-202-6092
A 17-page guide covering eight parts: 1) Affordability — the three qualifying tests (GDS, TDS, stress test) and what they mean on a real $575K Burquitlam condo example. 2) Closing costs — the full BC stack, every line item, including the often-forgotten post-possession month. 3) BC programs — first-time buyer exemptions, FHSA, RRSP HBP, and what actually applies. 4) Zones — the Coquitlam pockets that work for first-time buyers. 5) The 30-day plan — week-by-week from pre-approval to offer. 6) Red flags — buildings, contracts, and circumstances to walk away from. 7) Offers — what BC offer mechanics actually look like. 8) Next steps.
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 on any email.
Any first-time buyer planning to purchase in Coquitlam, Port Moody, Port Coquitlam, or the wider Tri-Cities. It is especially useful for buyers in the $500K-$900K price band — the condo and entry-townhouse market where the affordability math and BC program eligibility decisions matter most. The kit is written for honest math, not marketing — it will tell you when waiting six months is the right answer.
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.
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. The kit walks the math on what the exemption actually saves.