# The Coquitlam Move-Up Protocol > The five-step Coquitlam Move-Up Protocol: Equity Mapping, Catchment Lock, Parallel Motion, Bridge Strategy, Soft Landing. **Source:** https://soldbycraig.ca/coquitlam-move-up-protocol/ **Author:** Craig Johnston, REALTOR® (BC Licence V99960) · The MACNABS · Royal LePage Elite West **Site:** https://soldbycraig.ca --- The Coquitlam Move-Up Protocol ## Five steps. One orchestrated move. Never desperate on either side. Selling your current home and buying the next one in the same season is the highest-stakes transaction most families ever attempt. Most agents treat it as two separate deals. The Move-Up Protocol is the five-step framework that runs them as one orchestrated move — Equity Mapping, Catchment Lock, Parallel Motion, Bridge Strategy, Soft Landing — so the sale and the buy line up, the family negotiates from strength on both sides, and nobody sleeps on a couch. Updated July 2026 · By [Craig Johnston, REALTOR®](/coquitlam-realtor-craig-johnston/) · The Tri-Cities Move-Up Specialist [Book the 20-min Move-Up Fit Call](/book-a-strategy-call-with-craig-johnston/) [Get an Equity Map](/home-evaluation/) Or call: [604-202-6092](tel:+16042026092) **5.0** across 34+ Google reviews **Top 1% Team** — GVR 47+ years in the Tri-Cities 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. Free · one email per month ## Get the honest Tri-Cities market read — monthly, by email. Real GVR numbers. Plain-English explanation of what they mean for your move. No salesy fluff, no listings flood, no follow-up calls. Unsubscribe anytime. Rather have it as a PDF? [Get the Tri-Cities Pricing Cheat Sheet →](/tri-cities-pricing-cheat-sheet/) Quick answer What is the Coquitlam Move-Up Protocol? **The five-step process Craig runs every move-up file through.** **Equity Mapping** (three precise numbers before any shopping). **Catchment Lock** (SD43 school first, then the streets). **Parallel Motion** (list and shop simultaneously, not in series). **Bridge Strategy** (pre-approved bridge financing and a 30–90 day overlap plan). **Soft Landing** (move-day logistics and a 30-day post-close touchpoint). Most agents treat a move-up as two deals. The Protocol treats it as one orchestrated move — families negotiate from strength on both sides, never desperate on either. Why a named framework ## Letters are credentials. A process is a promise. Competitors have letters after their name. The Move-Up Protocol is a written process. Here's why the process matters: **letters are earned once; a process is delivered every time.** You can't explain letters to your family. You can explain a five-step process. The naming exists so you can hold me accountable to each step on your specific file — not so I sound clever in marketing copy. The five steps · at a glance ## Equity Mapping · Catchment Lock · Parallel Motion · Bridge Strategy · Soft Landing. Five steps. Each with a specific deliverable. Detail on each follows below. Step 1 ### Equity Mapping. Three precise numbers before any shopping. Net sale value, true available equity, real next-home ceiling. Step 2 ### Catchment Lock. Pick the SD43 school first. Then the streets. Wrong-catchment buyers pay 8–14% more at resale. Step 3 ### Parallel Motion. List and shop simultaneously. Target 7–14 day simultaneous close. Never desperate on either side. Step 4 ### Bridge Strategy. 30–90 day overlap plan, pre-approved bridge financing, rent-back terms, storage contingency. Step 5 ### Soft Landing. Move-day logistics, school transition, 30-day post-close touchpoint, neighbourhood handoff. Step 1 of 5 ## Equity Mapping — know what you have before you shop. Before we look at a single listing, we establish three numbers with precision: - **1. Today's net sale value.**Not a Zestimate. A real comp-backed range with high/mid/low cases, discounted for the season you're actually selling in. - **2. True available equity after sale.**Sale price minus mortgage payout, commission, legal, staging, and the three things the pre-listing inspector will catch. The number that actually lands in your down-payment account. - **3. Real next-home ceiling.**PTT, closing costs, and the overlap month's double-carry included. Not the bank's pre-approval number. The family's actual sleep-at-night number. What most families think it costs: thirty minutes with a calculator. What it actually costs: two meetings, a mortgage-broker coordination call, a full comp pull on the last 90 days of sold data in your neighbourhood, about six hours of my time. What they get: a single sheet with three numbers. Those three numbers govern every decision from here. They settle the most common family argument in a move-up — *"Can we afford the $2M house or do we have to settle for $1.7M?"* — because the sheet answers it definitively. **Deliverable**The Equity Map one-sheet. Signed by both spouses. Posted on the fridge. Every listing you look at, you glance at the sheet first. Step 2 of 5 ## Catchment Lock — pick the school first, then the streets. Most move-up families shop the house first and hope the school works. That's backwards and it produces either a reluctant private-school tuition bill or a painful mid-year school switch. We flip the order. Before any house hunting starts, we nail the SD43 elementary catchment you're committed to, the secondary school that feeds it, and your family's non-negotiables on cross-boundary — Lougheed, Coquitlam-proper vs. Burke Mountain vs. Westwood Plateau, whether Anmore is open if the price right-sizes. **Why this matters more in Coquitlam than anywhere else:** SD43 catchment lines are among the most consequential in Metro Vancouver for resale value. A detached home in one catchment sells for **8–14% less than an identical home three blocks over in a different one**. Move-up families who don't know this buy the cheaper block, then fight with the resale buyer five years later who *does* know. **Deliverable**The Catchment Lock sheet. Three to five approved submarkets, in priority order, with the secondary school feed noted. This governs the MLS filter I set up for you — everything else gets marked "off-protocol" and doesn't waste your Saturday mornings. Step 3 of 5 ## Parallel Motion — list and shop simultaneously, not in series. Here's where I diverge from the one-transaction agent by the widest margin. Most agents say: *"List first. Once it's under contract, we'll start looking."* That's the two-deal pattern. It creates every problem downstream. - **List preparation and buyer search start the same week.**Staging call, pre-listing inspection, photography — in parallel with the first showings on the buy side. - **The listing goes live the same week you've seen 4–6 target properties.**Both sides active. Offers on the sell side come in while we're actively negotiating on the buy side. - **Subject-to-sale offers become strategic, not desperate.**A subject-to-sale offer from a seller with a listed home already attracting showings reads entirely different to the other side than one from a family who hasn't photographed yet. - **Target simultaneous-close window: 7–14 days.**Most one-transaction agents call a 30-day gap "coordinated." I aim for 7–14. It's harder. That's the point. The counterintuitive outcome: parallel-motion families negotiate from a stronger position on both sides. Never desperate on either. A family who has already sold but hasn't bought is a desperate buyer. A family who has bought but hasn't sold is a desperate seller. **Parallel Motion is neither.** **Deliverable**The Parallel Motion calendar — a live shared Google calendar showing every showing, every offer deadline, every inspection, every conditional removal, on both sides, in one view. Step 4 of 5 ## Bridge Strategy — plan the 30–90 day overlap before it becomes a crisis. Even with Parallel Motion, sometimes the windows don't perfectly line up. A great buy surfaces two weeks before the sell closes. A sell closes three weeks before the buy is ready. This is the most predictable failure point in a move-up, and the one-transaction agent treats it as "the mortgage broker's problem." **It's not. It's an orchestration problem, and we plan for it in Step 1.** - **Pre-approved bridge financing.**Through one of two local brokers, established in Step 1. Paperwork in draft — not scrambling when we need it. - **A known short-term-rental plan.**A specific serviced rental pre-identified in the target catchment, if there's a gap. We do not "figure it out when the time comes." - **Pre-agreed rent-back terms.**A rent-back on the sale (you stay in the old place for 30 days post-close) is usually cheaper and less disruptive than a bridge loan. - **A furniture-and-storage contingency.**Pod-style storage pre-contracted if the gap is 3+ weeks. We're not calling U-Haul at 9pm the night before. Why families cry at the bridge stage in a one-transaction deal: they find out in week 2 of the gap that their bridge loan was declined, their rent-back extension was denied, and their stuff is in a storage facility they chose in panic. **Every piece of that was preventable 60 days earlier.** **Deliverable**The Bridge Contingency Plan — one page, reviewed at Step 1, updated at every milestone. Every possible gap scenario has a named response. Nothing is "we'll figure it out." Step 5 of 5 ## Soft Landing — move-day logistics so nobody sleeps on a couch. The one-transaction agent's involvement ends at funding. Mine continues through move day plus thirty days. - **The move-day sequence.**Movers booked 60 days in advance. Arrival windows coordinated with both closings. Key handover timing. Utility switchover dates. - **School transition timing.**If a mid-year change was unavoidable: a warm handoff to the new school's admin before the first day, uniform list in hand, a scheduled call with the new principal if the kid is anxious. Not a realtor job in the traditional sense. I do it anyway. - **The 30-day post-close touchpoint.**I show up in week 4 with a punch list: what's working in the new place, what isn't, which contractors I'd call for the three things the inspector flagged. The difference between "transaction complete" and "family moved." - **The neighbourhood handoff.**Introductions to two or three neighbours, the right coffee spot, the trailhead closest to the new house, the off-leash park if there's a dog. Why this matters beyond the deal: **nine of my last ten referrals came from Soft Landing, not from the transaction itself.** People forget what you sold them for. They don't forget that you showed up at week four with a list of the three best painters in their new neighbourhood. **Deliverable**The Soft Landing checklist — reviewed the week before move day, executed over the 60 days that follow. 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. Three below from Tri-Cities move-up families who ran the Protocol. ★★★★★ > “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 ★★★★★ > “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.” Heather Fox Sold over asking in 6 days · Google Review ★★★★★ > “Craig coordinated our sale and our move-up purchase as one operation. We never felt rushed on either side. He had a plan for every possible gap before we needed one.” Gerry & Aline Howitson Move-up coordination · Google Review [Read the full case studies →](/coquitlam-real-estate-case-studies/) FAQ ## Common questions about the Move-Up Protocol. What is the Coquitlam Move-Up Protocol?+ The five-step process I run every Coquitlam move-up file through: Equity Mapping (three precise numbers before any shopping), Catchment Lock (SD43 school first, then the streets), Parallel Motion (list and shop simultaneously, not in series), Bridge Strategy (pre-approved bridge financing and a 30–90 day overlap plan), and Soft Landing (move-day logistics and a 30-day post-close touchpoint). The framework exists so a dependent sale-and-buy reads as one orchestrated move, not two separate scrambles. What is Equity Mapping?+ Three numbers before any house shopping starts. 1) Today's net sale value — a comp-backed range, not a Zestimate. 2) True available equity after sale — sale price minus mortgage payout, commission, legal, staging, and the three things the inspector will catch. 3) Real next-home ceiling — PTT, closing costs, and the overlap month's double-carry included. Deliverable: a one-sheet, signed by both spouses, posted on the fridge. What is Catchment Lock and why does it matter in Coquitlam?+ Picking the SD43 school catchment before any house shopping. Most move-up families shop the house first and hope the school works — that produces either a private-school tuition bill or a painful mid-year switch. SD43 catchment lines are among the most consequential in Metro Vancouver for resale: a detached home in one catchment commonly sells for 8–14% less than an identical home three blocks over in a different one. What is Parallel Motion?+ Listing and shopping simultaneously, not in series. Most agents say "list first, then look once it's under contract." That's the two-deal pattern and it creates every downstream problem. Parallel Motion: list prep and buyer search start the same week. Listing goes live the same week you've seen 4–6 target properties. Subject-to-sale offers become strategic, not desperate. Target simultaneous-close window: 7–14 days, not 30. How does Bridge Strategy work?+ The 30–90 day overlap plan, established in Step 1, not improvised when the gap shows up. Four components: pre-approved bridge financing through a local broker (paperwork in draft); a known short-term rental pre-identified in the target catchment; pre-agreed rent-back terms (often cheaper and less disruptive than a bridge loan); and a furniture-and-storage contingency for gaps of 3+ weeks. Every gap scenario has a named response. What is Soft Landing?+ Move-day logistics plus 30 days of follow-through. The one-transaction agent ends at funding; I continue through move day plus 30 days. Move-day sequence (movers booked 60 days in advance). School transition (warm handoff to new school admin if needed). 30-day post-close touchpoint (I show up in week 4 with a punch list and contractor recommendations). Neighbourhood handoff (introductions, coffee spot, trailhead). Nine of my last ten referrals came from Soft Landing, not from the transaction itself. Why does the protocol have named steps when other agents just do their job?+ Letters after a name are credentials earned once. A process is a promise delivered every time. You can't explain letters to your spouse over dinner. You can explain a five-step process. The name is the moat — other agents can copy the steps but they can't copy the naming. The protocol exists so move-up families can hold me accountable to it on every file. How do I start the Move-Up Protocol with Craig?+ Book a free 20-minute Move-Up Fit Call. You tell me your current address, your target catchment, and your timeline. I tell you whether the math works right now. If it doesn't, I tell you to wait — and what would need to change for it to work in 6 or 12 months. No obligation. The call ends with a written one-page plan within 24 hours. Ready when you are ## Five steps. One orchestrated move. No panic. If this is how you want your next move run, the first step is a 20-minute Move-Up Fit Call. You tell me your current address, your target catchment, and your timeline. I tell you if the math works right now. If it doesn't, I tell you to wait. [Book the 20-min Move-Up Fit Call](/book-a-strategy-call-with-craig-johnston/) [Get an Equity Map](/home-evaluation/) **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 move-up resources [Tri-Cities Move-Up Specialist](/tri-cities-move-up-specialist/) [Coquitlam move-up guide](/coquitlam-move-up-guide/) [Sell first or buy first?](/sell-first-or-buy-first-in-coquitlam/) [Seller's Starter Kit (free PDF)](/coquitlam-sellers-starter-kit/) [Get an Equity Map](/home-evaluation/) [Move-up case studies](/coquitlam-real-estate-case-studies/) Tri-Cities monthly ## Get the honest Tri-Cities market read, monthly. June 2026 Coquitlam detached HPI is $1,649,000, −5.7% YoY. What that means for your move-up math — without the salesy fluff. One email per month. No spam, no listings flood. Genuine monthly update from a 47+ year Tri-Cities resident. Best REALTOR® by area ## A specialist for your specific Tri-Cities city or neighbourhood. [Coquitlam](/best-realtor-in-coquitlam/) [Burke Mountain](/best-realtor-in-burke-mountain/) [Westwood Plateau](/best-realtor-in-westwood-plateau/) [Heritage Mountain](/best-realtor-in-heritage-mountain/) [Port Moody](/best-realtor-in-port-moody/) [Port Coquitlam](/best-realtor-in-port-coquitlam/) [Anmore](/best-realtor-in-anmore/) [Belcarra](/best-realtor-in-belcarra/) [Or compare all Tri-Cities specialists →](/best-local-realtor-tri-cities/)