Craig Johnston Personal Real Estate Corporation · Brokerage: Royal LePage Elite West
Coquitlam · Subject removal
Subject removal is the most consequential moment in a Coquitlam home purchase. Once you sign the subject removal addendum, your deposit is at risk and you are committed to the purchase. Here is exactly what the conditions mean and how Coquitlam buyers should approach them.
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What should you know about subject removal in Coquitlam?
Subject removal is the most consequential moment in a Coquitlam home purchase. Once you sign the subject removal addendum, your deposit is at risk and you are committed to the purchase. Here is exactly what the conditions mean and how Coquitlam buyers should approach them. Craig Johnston, earned on a Top 1% Team — Greater Vancouver REALTORS®, 2023–2025 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.
Subject removal · Coquitlam
When you write a subject offer on a Coquitlam home, you typically include 4-6 conditions (subjects) that must be satisfied before the deal becomes firm. There's no standard subject removal period in BC; it's whatever your contract says, built around what your lender needs. Here is what each one actually does.
Confirms you can secure the mortgage. Without this subject, if your financing falls through after acceptance, you lose your deposit. With this subject, you have until subject removal to confirm financing in writing from your lender. Critical for any buyer not paying cash.
Allows you to walk away if the home inspection reveals material defects. Inspect within the first 2-3 days of the subject period to leave time for follow-up specialty inspections (oil tank, sewer scope, mould).
For strata properties only. You receive Form B (current strata fees, special assessments, parking/storage assignments), 2 years of council meeting minutes, depreciation report, financial statements, bylaws. Read every line. Buildings with deferred maintenance often show up here first.
Lawyer/notary reviews title for liens, encroachments, easements, restrictive covenants. Standard.
Confirms you can secure home insurance. Buildings with prior water damage, knob-and-tube wiring, oil tanks, or earthquake-zone considerations may face limited insurance availability or high premiums.
Used when buyers need to sell their current home to fund the purchase. Sellers often resist this subject; some accept it with a 'time clause' (24-72 hour right of first refusal if seller gets another offer).
Craig Johnston is a 47-year Coquitlam resident and licensed REALTOR® at Royal LePage Elite West. Earned on a Top 1% Team — Greater Vancouver REALTORS®, 2023–2025. Talk through your specific situation — no pressure, no obligation.
Subjects — the conditions in an offer — are where much of a purchase’s risk is managed. Six points to understand how they work.
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Subjects, or conditions, are things that must be satisfied before a deal becomes firm — protections that let a buyer do their due diligence before fully committing.
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Typical conditions include financing, a home inspection, review of strata documents and, sometimes, the sale of the buyer’s current home. Each protects against a specific risk.
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Offers usually allow a set number of days to satisfy the conditions. Using that window efficiently — arranging inspections and financing promptly — keeps the deal on track.
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When the buyer is satisfied, they remove the subjects in writing, and the deal typically becomes firm and binding. This is a significant step and should never be rushed or taken lightly.
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In competitive situations some buyers make subject-free offers to strengthen their position. This removes protections and carries real risk, so it demands careful advice beforehand.
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Because removing subjects — or waiving them — commits you, understanding the implications with your agent and, where needed, other professionals is essential before you act.
The heart of subject removal is that it marks the moment a purchase shifts from conditional to committed. The subjects exist to let you verify the important things first; removing them says you are satisfied and ready to proceed. Treating that step with the seriousness it deserves — rather than as a formality — is what protects buyers from expensive mistakes.
This is general information about how conditions typically work, not legal advice, and the right approach depends on your situation and the specific contract. Before removing or waiving any subject — and especially before considering a subject-free offer — talk it through with your REALTOR® and, where appropriate, a lawyer, so you understand exactly what you are committing to.
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Typically 5-7 business days. Can be longer (10-14 days) for new construction, complex strata, or financing-heavy deals.
The deal collapses. Your deposit is returned (assuming you were within the subject period). You walk away with no further obligation. The seller can then put the home back on the market.
Yes, with seller's written consent via amendment. Common when waiting for a slow lender or specialty inspection. Sellers may decline if they have a backup offer.
If a buyer's offer is subject to sale of their existing home, sellers often add a time clause: if the seller receives another firm offer, the subject buyer has 24-72 hours to remove the subject-to-sale condition or step aside.
No — as long as you formally collapse the deal within the subject period (per the contract). If you remove subjects and then back out, yes, the deposit is at risk and the seller may sue for damages beyond the deposit.
Standard BCREA subject removal addendum, signed by buyer and acknowledged by seller (or seller's agent). Your REALTOR® drafts and submits.
Offer with zero conditions — also called 'naked' or 'firm' offer. Common in hot markets to win bidding wars. Carries substantial risk; only consider with cash, pre-arranged unconditional financing, and willingness to absorb any inspection issue.
Generally no, unless you have unconditional pre-approval in writing from a lender (rare) or are paying cash. Waiving financing without certainty is one of the most direct ways buyers put their deposit at risk.
Subject removal = the deal becomes firm; deposit is at risk. Closing = ownership transfers; you take possession. There is typically 30-90 days between the two.
Arrange financing pre-approval before writing offers. Have an inspector lined up. Know your strata document review process. Have a lawyer/notary ready. Move fast on each subject — many subject problems come from leaving things to the last day.
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