Cityecho and Zealty.ca: choosing between them

Why listing history matters

A property listed today may have been on the market before. It may have started at a higher price, sat for months, expired, and returned at a lower number. None of that shows in the current listing, which only reflects the active asking price.

Zealty's price history, which it says goes back to 2003 for BC listings, lets you see that path. A home re-listed several times signals something worth investigating: either the price was wrong for the market, or there was a reason buyers walked away. A property that has traded several times in the past decade tells a different story than one with a single long-term owner.

That context does not explain the reason. It tells you the question to ask. What happened between the last sale and this one is a conversation with the sellers, their disclosures, and a professional who has seen the building records.

• Check how many times the property has been listed and at what prices
• Note the time between listing and sale on prior transactions
• A large gap between assessed value and asking price is a question, not an answer
• History data is a starting point for due diligence, not a substitute for it

AI valuations: what they measure and what they do not

Zealty offers an AI-powered estimate called OfferValue alongside the assessed value from BC Assessment. Both figures are useful reference points. Neither is a market evaluation.

An AI valuation is built from transaction records and statistical patterns. It measures what comparable sales imply about a given address. It does not see the condition of the kitchen, whether there is a permitted suite, whether the roof was replaced two years ago or twenty, or whether a neighbour's property is subject to a development application.

A professional market evaluation incorporates all of those factors because the professional has walked through the property. The AI figure is useful for narrowing expectations before you visit. After you have visited and before you write an offer, it is the professional's number that matters.

What this comparison deliberately leaves out

This page compares public website features as checked on the date shown. It makes no claim about the results, fees, or credentials of any individual professional.

Zealty's claims about coverage, history depth, and AI valuation were taken from its own published material. Features on data platforms change; the verification date on this page is the useful life of the table above.

I want to see the full listing history for a specific address.

Zealty's price history covers BC MLS data back to 2003, including every price change and re-list.

I want to understand the municipal context for a lot I am considering.

Use this site's area guides, which cover zoning, permitted suites, and density corridors at the Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam level.

I want a rough estimate of what a home might be worth.

Zealty's AI estimate and assessed value provide a starting reference. A professional market evaluation gives you a defensible figure for an offer.

I am ready to discuss a specific property with an agent.

Send the MLS number and the questions the listing did not answer. No website settles representation, fees, or the decision on that property.

How far back does Zealty's BC price history go?

Zealty's own published material states that its MLS price history for BC listings goes back to 2003, and includes every price change, re-list, and sold date. Coverage is described as Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, Sea-to-Sky, the Sunshine Coast, and Chilliwack.

Do I need an account to see sold prices on Zealty?

According to Zealty's own published material, sold prices and sold dates are visible to anyone with a free account.

Is Zealty's AI valuation the same as an appraisal?

No. An AI valuation is built from comparable transaction records and statistical patterns. It does not account for condition, permitted improvements, recent renovations, or local factors that a professional sees on a visit. It is a reference point, not an appraisal or a professional market evaluation.

Does Zealty cover Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam?

Zealty describes its coverage as Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, Sea-to-Sky, the Sunshine Coast, and Chilliwack. Both Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam are within Metro Vancouver. Whether data depth and currency for your specific address match what is shown for central Vancouver areas is worth confirming directly.

Why does this site not show price history or AI valuations?

This site reads an active-listing feed and provides area guides, a home-comparison worksheet, and a direct contact point. Sold-price data and valuation tools require different data licences. Zealty and REW both offer sold-data features for BC.

Should I rely on Zealty's estimate when making an offer?

Use it as a sanity check on where an asking price sits relative to recent comparable sales. Before writing an offer, ask a professional for a market evaluation of the specific property in its current condition. The AI figure and the professional's number may differ significantly, and understanding why they differ is part of deciding what to offer.

Does this comparison recommend one website over the other?

No. It describes what each website publicly offers as at the verification date. The choice of which to use depends on the question you have at the stage you are at.

Can I use Zealty and this site together?

Yes. Zealty's price history and valuation tools address the research stage. This site's area guides, municipal context, and home-comparison worksheet address a different set of questions. Using them in sequence rather than choosing between them is the practical approach.

Does the price history include failed sales?

Zealty's published material describes the history as including price changes, re-lists, and sold dates. Whether a sale that collapsed before completion appears in that history depends on how the listing was handled by the brokerage and board, not by Zealty's platform.

What is the difference between assessed value and market value?

BC Assessment sets assessed values once a year, based on sales data from the prior July 1. The assessed value reflects the market as it was at that reference date for a standardised description of the property. The market value today is what a ready buyer and a ready seller would agree on for this specific property in its current condition. In a rising or falling market the gap between assessed and market value can be substantial.