Craig Johnston Personal Real Estate Corporation · Brokerage: Royal LePage Elite West
A sign on the lawn and an MLS® entry are the minimum, not a plan. Here is the marketing a Coquitlam listing should get, the order it happens in, and the questions to ask any REALTOR® before you sign a listing agreement.
Reviewed: October 29, 2026 · Market data: GVR September 2026 · BCFSA Licence: 187645 · Brokerage: Royal LePage Elite WestA complete listing marketing plan has four layers: presentation (preparing and staging the home, then professional photography), reach (MLS® and REALTOR.ca, where buyers start their search), digital depth (a dedicated listing page, video where the home warrants it, and brokerage and agent-network exposure) and follow-through (showing feedback, weekly market-response reviews and price conversations based on data). Ask any REALTOR® you interview to show you all four in writing, for your home, not a generic brochure.
Buyers meet your home on a phone screen before they meet it in person, so the photos are the first showing. The home is prepared before the camera arrives (the staging guide covers the sequence), and the photography is professional: composed, corrected and shot when the light flatters the home. Weak photos tend to get scrolled past.
MLS® syndication puts your listing in front of buyers’ agents across Greater Vancouver and on REALTOR.ca, where most buyers search. Getting the listing data right matters more than sellers expect: accurate measurements, complete features and the right property class, because buyers filter, and a carelessly entered listing never appears in the searches that matter.
Beyond the portals: a dedicated listing page with the full photo set, video where the home warrants it, and exposure through the brokerage and agent networks that bring buyers. My listings run through Royal LePage Elite West and sit on this site, which buyers use to research Coquitlam homes and market data.
Marketing doesn’t end at launch. A real plan includes structured showing feedback, a weekly read on market response (showings, saves, days on market against the competition) and honest conversations about what the data says, including price if the market is telling you something. Listings that sit are often the ones nobody re-evaluated.
Order matters more than effort. Homes that list before they’re ready spend their best marketing window on a weak first impression.
Set the price first, from the last 90 days of comparable sales, not from a wish or a neighbour’s list price.
The home is prepared and staged before anyone photographs it.
Professional photography and, where the home warrants it, video, only once the home is ready.
The listing goes live on MLS® with complete, accurate data and the full photo set.
When a listing launches, it reaches every matching saved search and buyer alert at once. That is the largest audience it will have at one time; after that, you’re waiting for new buyers to enter the market. It’s why pricing, preparation and photography all have to be done before day one.
For the full picture on timing and conditions, read the monthly Coquitlam market report and the is now a good time to sell guide.
Thinking about listing? I’ll show you what comparable homes near yours actually sold for, and what the launch plan for your home would look like, in writing.
Book a 20-min call →Use these in every listing interview, including with me.
“Show me the complete marketing plan for my home, in writing.”
“Who shoots your photography, and can I see recent listings?”
“What happens in week two if showings are slow? What’s the process, not the reassurance?”
“How will you report market response to me, and how often?”
“What do you think my home’s honest weaknesses are?”
That last one tells you the most. How an agent names a weakness before listing shows how the hard conversations will go after. More on what sellers should expect: the full seller guide and selling your home in Coquitlam.
Four layers: presentation (staging plus professional photography), reach (MLS® syndication and REALTOR.ca, where most buyers search), digital depth (a dedicated listing page, video where warranted, and brokerage and agent-network exposure) and follow-through (structured showing feedback, weekly market-response reviews and price conversations based on data). Ask to see all four in writing before you sign a listing agreement.
Yes. Buyers meet your home on a screen before they visit, so the photos work as the first showing, and poorly photographed listings tend to get scrolled past regardless of the home’s condition. You also only launch once: the first two weeks are when saved-search alerts put your home in front of the whole active buyer pool.
When a listing launches, it reaches every buyer’s matching saved-search alerts at the same time, which is the largest audience it will have at once. After that window, you’re waiting for new buyers to enter the market. That’s why launching before the home is priced, prepared and properly photographed wastes the listing’s best moment.
A real plan treats that as data, not bad luck. Review market response weekly (showings, online engagement and days on market against comparable listings), work out whether the issue is price, presentation or exposure, and act on it, including an honest price conversation if that’s what the numbers say. See why a Coquitlam home doesn’t sell.
Ask to see the complete marketing plan for your home in writing, who shoots their photography and which recent listings you can look at, what happens in week two if showings are slow, how and how often they will report market response, and what they think your home’s honest weaknesses are. The answer to the last question tells you how the hard conversations will go later.
On evidence rather than claims. I’m a REALTOR® with Royal LePage Elite West, and my listings sit on this site, which buyers use to research Coquitlam neighbourhoods, prices and market data. Ask me the same five questions above; the specifics for your home get laid out in writing on a no-obligation 20-minute call, and you can read what past clients say on the reviews page.
Have a question about a specific home or street? Book a 20-minute call or see what your current home is worth.
Every report is refreshed when Greater Vancouver REALTORS® publishes new data: the September 2026 release came out October 2, 2026, and the next is expected early November 2026 (October 2026 data).
“We had such a great experience working with Craig to buy our home! He was incredibly knowledgeable, patient, and always available whenever we needed him. He made us feel supported throughout the entire process and was always willing to answer our questions and take the time to make sure we felt comfortable and confident in our decisions. We never felt pressured or rushed.”
“Craig worked with my wife and me for over 3 years to find the perfect home. He was endlessly patient with us through the process. Eventually, we found our perfect home and he moved fast to execute on our behalf. He negotiated fairly and thoroughly with the sellers and was our advocate all throughout our first home purchase.”
“After searching for several years, I knew exactly what I was looking for—and Craig delivered. We viewed a handful of properties, and the home he ultimately found was exactly what I had been searching for. I couldn't believe how quickly he nailed it.”
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“Craig is one of the best realtor to work with, highly knowledgable and very patient. Guided us through the whole process stress free. Highly Recommend Craig Johnston.”
“He spent time getting to know us, visiting homes on our behalf until we were in the market. Craig prepared us to better understand the local market, city planning and developments all to refine our search. He is professional and works well with other realtors — a true partner in the process of purchasing a home!”
“Craig is what everyone hopes they will find in a realtor, yet is so incredibly rare. His foundation of genuine care and generosity with his time is outstanding… We never felt rushed, pressured or stressed by what is fundamentally a rather daunting experience, and it was because he created a dynamic of collaboration and support.”
“Craig extended such patience, excitement and professionalism in helping my husband and I buy a townhouse in Port Coquitlam (my hometown!) so we could continue raising our two girls where I also grew up. When we faced a hurdle getting financing approval because of a lien on our desired townhome, Craig worked tirelessly with our broker to get the lien removed.”
“Craig was a pleasure to work with for the purchase of our home. Craig was very patient as we debated between a condo and a townhome. Craig found us a home that ticked all of our boxes plus some! He made the whole process smooth and enjoyable.”
“We had a fantastic experience working with Craig on the purchase of our first home in Coquitlam. He was incredibly friendly and responsive, always quick to answer our messages and questions. Throughout the process, he took the time to walk us through each step so my partner and I always knew exactly what was going on and what to expect next. Craig also gave us honest, helpful opinions on properties we were considering, which really helped guide us toward a place we love. On top of that, he connected us with a great broker and lawyer, making the whole process feel seamless. We're so happy in our new home and couldn't have done it without him. Highly recommend Craig to anyone buying a home!”
“Throughout our journey, Craig demonstrated immense patience and understanding. He went out of his way to provide extra resources and various options to consider on both the buy and sell side.”
“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.”
“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.”
“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.”
“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.”
“We had such a great experience working with Craig to buy our home! He was incredibly knowledgeable, patient, and always available whenever we needed him. He made us feel supported throughout the entire process and was always willing to answer our questions and take the time to make sure we felt comfortable and confident in our decisions. We never felt pressured or rushed.”
“Craig worked with my wife and me for over 3 years to find the perfect home. He was endlessly patient with us through the process. Eventually, we found our perfect home and he moved fast to execute on our behalf. He negotiated fairly and thoroughly with the sellers and was our advocate all throughout our first home purchase.”
I’ve lived in the Tri-Cities for more than 47 years and on Burke Mountain for more than nine. Before a home of mine goes live, the price is set from accurate comparables, the home is prepared and photographed, and you have the marketing plan in writing. After launch, you get a regular read on showings and market response, and a straight conversation if the numbers say something needs to change.
Written and reviewed by Craig Johnston, REALTOR® (BCFSA Licence #187645), Royal LePage Elite West · Last reviewed October 29, 2026. This page is general information, not financial advice. Data attribution: Greater Vancouver REALTORS®.
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