The five line items that quietly cost Coquitlam move-up families $40,000 they didn't need to spend. Usually more.
Property transfer tax at the higher purchase price. The bridge financing gap most families don't plan for. The catchment premium they didn't know they were paying. School-year timing nobody coordinates. The three things every pre-listing inspector finds. Most move-up families never see these until it's too late to do anything about them. This guide shows you all five — before you list.
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What should you know about Move Up Tax Trap?
Five line items that quietly cost Coquitlam move-up families $40,000. Transfer tax, catchment premium, bridge gap, school timing. Free 14-page PDF. 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.
This is the content that most Coquitlam agents won't send you — because sending it before you list means fewer families listing under pressure. That's fine. I'd rather you list when the math works than list when it doesn't.
Everything in the guide comes from the Coquitlam Move-Up Protocol — the five-step process I run for every family, every time.
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Before you book a call, spend ninety seconds with Craig. You’ll know in the first thirty whether he’s the right realtor for your move.
Property Transfer Tax jumps at $2M (additional 2% on the portion over) and again at $3M (another 2% on the portion over). Here's where Coquitlam's move-up inventory sits relative to those thresholds — and where the math quietly changes.
The $2M threshold lives right in the middle of Burke Mountain's move-up inventory. A $2.2M detached pays the extra 2% PTT on $200K — an extra $4,000 nobody mentioned. GST applies to newer builds ($2M x 5% = $100K if it's under ten years and fully new-build-taxable). This is the neighbourhood where careful price-point negotiation preserves the most equity.
Luxury tier, $3M+ territory, where both the 3% and the additional-tax bands apply. A $3.4M Westwood Plateau detached triggers $111,000 in PTT alone — before legal fees, moving, staging, or the bridge financing most families don't plan for. This is where the tax trap becomes a six-figure issue, and where pre-list strategy pays for itself five times over.
Port Moody's detached move-up sweet spot, typically $1.6M–$2.4M — mostly under the PTT luxury threshold with room to negotiate before it trips. This is the neighbourhood where smart timing on a move-up can keep your total tax load inside the standard PTT band. Heritage Mountain is frequently the math-optimal answer for families who want detached without the top-bracket tax exposure.
Thresholds that change the math
Source: Greater Vancouver REALTORS® (GVR) stats package, May 2026. Last refreshed June 2, 2026. Coquitlam MLS® data. Updated monthly. Numbers are medians for the Coquitlam geographic area; individual neighbourhoods vary. Verify current data before making buy/sell decisions.
A five-step process built around clarity, strategy, and no-surprise execution — whether you're buying your first home or selling a property you've owned for twenty years.
We start with a real conversation about your goals, timeline, and numbers. I'll pull current comps, assess your buying power or home's true market value, and tell you exactly what the data says — not what you want to hear.
I build a written strategy around your priorities: target neighbourhoods, pricing strategy, timeline, financing structure, and the trade-offs at each decision point. Every recommendation comes with a reason.
For sellers: pre-list prep, staging direction, pro photography, and a pricing framework that draws interest without leaving money on the table. For buyers: offer structure, subject clauses, and the due-diligence checklist for every property that matters.
This is where experience pays for itself. I negotiate price, terms, subjects, deposit, completion dates, and the small details that don't show up in listings but decide whether a deal closes well or falls apart.
From subject removal through completion and possession, I coordinate with lawyers, lenders, inspectors, and trades so nothing drops. After closing, I stay in your corner for everything from tax-assessment appeals to the next move.
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 The Move-Up Play
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