- Office Hours: Open 24 Hours
In October 2026, a typical detached home in Coquitlam was worth about $947,200 more than a typical condo. For most empty nesters, downsizing frees up real money and cuts upkeep. The keys are pricing the house well, choosing the right building, and timing the sale so you only move once.
Source: Greater Vancouver REALTORS® MLS® Home Price Index benchmark prices, October 2026.
Going from a detached home to a condo freed up about $685,000 in Port Coquitlam, $947,000 in Coquitlam and $1.19 million in Port Moody, based on October 2026 benchmark prices. Going to a townhouse frees up less, but keeps more space and a ground-level door.
| City | Detached | Townhouse | Condo | Detached to condo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port Coquitlam | $1,235,900 | $854,900 | $551,200 | $684,700 |
| Coquitlam | $1,571,400 | $962,600 | $624,200 | $947,200 |
| Port Moody | $1,868,000 | $895,800 | $680,000 | $1,188,000 |
Benchmark prices from the Greater Vancouver REALTORS® October 2026 stats package. A benchmark is the price of a typical home in that area, not an average. Your house and the home you buy can sit well above or below it, and the figures don’t include selling, legal or moving costs.
Prices have softened on both sides. Over the past year Coquitlam detached benchmarks were down 7.0% and condo benchmarks were down 9.1%. A softer condo market means more choice and more room to negotiate on the home you’re buying.
Most downsizers sell first or line the two up. Because the next home costs less than the one you’re selling, you rarely need bridge financing, and a longer completion date on your house gives you time to find the right place.
Sell the house and negotiate a completion date 60 to 90 days out, or longer.
Lock in a specific building or floor plan before you list.
Buy a presale condo and stay in your house until it’s built.
It comes down to stairs, space and upkeep. Condos free up the most money and the least maintenance. Townhouses keep more space and often a yard. A 55+ building gives you neighbours at the same stage of life.
One-level living, an elevator, and the strata looks after the building. Lock the door and travel. The biggest equity release of the three.
More room for visiting kids and grandkids, a ground-level entry and often a small yard. Look for a main-floor bedroom if stairs are a concern.
BC strata buildings can still restrict age to 55 and over. Some people are exempt, like a younger spouse or a live-in caregiver, so ask how the bylaw works in that building.
One rule changed in November 2022: BC strata buildings can no longer ban rentals. If an owner-occupied building matters to you, we’ll find out how many units are rented before you buy.
The strata’s paperwork tells you what you’ll really pay. Before you remove subjects, read the depreciation report, recent minutes, the Form B and the contingency reserve fund balance, and look for upcoming special levies.
Strata fees, the contingency reserve fund, and any special levy that’s been voted on or discussed. A low fee with a thin reserve can mean a big bill later.
The age of the roof, windows, elevators and building envelope, and what the depreciation report says is due in the next few years.
Pets, parking, storage, renovations and short-term rentals. Check the rules fit how you want to live before you commit.
Jordan won Mike Holmes’ Handyman Superstar Challenge on HGTV and has spent his career around construction. He reads strata documents for the repairs that are coming, not just the ones that are done.
Fix what buyers will pay for, skip what they won’t, and launch with marketing that brings serious buyers in the first week. After decades in a home, the right prep usually means repairs and a refresh, not a renovation.
Roof age, drain work, plumbing, electrical and any suite. Buyers of older Tri-Cities homes ask about all of it. Having the answers ready keeps deals together.
Paint, lighting, small repairs, a yard clean-up and decluttering. We’ll walk the house with you and tell you room by room what’s worth doing.
Cinematic video, drone, 3D tours and a launch event put your home in front of buyers the first weekend. See how we sell in Coquitlam.
Over the years we’ve built a list of movers, organizers, cleaners and trades we trust. We’ll connect you with the right people so the move is one less thing to manage.
Budget for Property Transfer Tax on your new home, legal fees on both sides and moving costs. Check whether you qualify for the extra Home Owner Grant at 65, and know that BC’s property tax deferment program now costs more than it used to.
Sources: Province of BC Home Owner Grant and Property Tax Deferment Program pages, 2026. This is general information, not tax or financial advice. Talk to your accountant or financial advisor about your situation.
Most of our downsizers want to stay close to family, friends and their doctor. They usually pick a walkable area near SkyTrain, shops and parks.
Condos and townhomes near Lafarge Lake, Coquitlam Centre, the library and the Evergreen Line.
Newer high-rises and townhomes along the SkyTrain line, with shopping and services close by.
Suter Brook, Newport Village and Klahanie: walkable villages near Rocky Point Park and the Shoreline Trail.
Staying in your neighbourhood? We also help clients find townhomes and condos close to the house they’re leaving, so the move changes the house, not the life.
We price your house and talk through what you want next.
Condo, townhouse, 55+ or presale, and the areas that fit.
Smart fixes, decluttering help and a launch plan.
A long completion so you have time to buy and pack.
We read the strata documents with you before you commit.
Into a home that fits the next chapter.
Our clients raised their family in their Coquitlam home for 40 years. Leaving it was emotional, and we took a few years to find the right smaller place, close to their grandson. They sold, bought a home for the two of them, banked the difference, and now spend their time travelling the world.
This was the house where they raised their kids. Deciding to sell was hard, and we never pushed. We let them set the pace.
It took a few years to find the perfect little downsizer. It had to be right for the two of them, and close to their grandson.
They sold the family home, bought their smaller place and put a good chunk of money in the bank. Now they’re travelling the world.
Why it worked: downsizing isn’t only about numbers. When it’s the home you raised your family in, the right timing and the right next place matter more than speed. We’ll take as long as you need.
When their kids moved out, our clients went looking for a half duplex or a larger townhouse. We found a three-bedroom townhouse with a double garage, then sold their Coquitlam house inside a two-week subject-to-sale window because the marketing was already done.
They wanted less house, not less life. Three bedrooms for visits, and a garage big enough for all their gear. Garage space is one of the hardest things for downsizers to find.
We found the right townhouse with a two-car garage and made an offer subject to selling their house within two weeks.
Their photos and floor plans were already done, so the house hit the market right away and sold inside the window.
Why it worked: downsizing doesn’t have to mean a small condo. A half duplex or a bigger townhouse can keep the space you use and drop the upkeep you don’t. And having your marketing ready before you shop turns a short subject-to-sale window into an easy win.
In October 2026 the Coquitlam benchmark was $1,571,400 for a detached home and $624,200 for a condo apartment, a difference of about $947,200. Moving to a townhouse ($962,600 benchmark) frees up about $608,800. Your numbers depend on your house, the home you buy, and your selling and moving costs.
For most downsizers, yes, or line the two up. Because you’re buying for less than you’re selling, you can often sell first, negotiate a longer completion date, and buy during that window without needing bridge financing.
Yes. Since November 2022, BC strata corporations can only restrict age to 55 and over. Even in a 55+ building, some people are exempt, such as a younger spouse or partner, a live-in caregiver, or an adult child moving home.
No. BC ended strata rental restrictions in November 2022, so most strata buildings now allow rentals. Short-term rentals can still be limited by bylaws and city rules. If an owner-occupied building matters to you, ask how many units are rented.
Read the depreciation report, recent minutes, the Form B and the contingency reserve fund balance. Look for upcoming special levies, big repairs like a roof or building envelope, and bylaws on pets, rentals and renovations. We go through these with you before you remove subjects.
Usually, if you’re 55 or older and have enough equity in your home. For taxes deferred in 2026 and later, BC now charges prime plus 2%, compounded monthly, so deferring costs more than it used to. Check the BC government’s tax deferment page or talk to your accountant first.
Jordan helps Coquitlam empty nesters sell the family home and move into something that fits the next chapter. He has 18 years in real estate, is a top 1% Greater Vancouver agent and a Medallion Club, President’s Club and Chairman’s Club member, and won Mike Holmes’ Handyman Superstar Challenge on HGTV. He has personally sold 105 homes in Coquitlam and 174 across the Tri-Cities. Jordan and his brother Russ lead The Macnabs Real Estate Team at Real Broker.
A 30-minute call gets you a price for your house, a clear picture of what you’ll free up, and a plan for the timing. No pressure.