Some houses in Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam sell for the value of the land. The buyer is a builder who plans to replace the house with new homes, or to add homes to the lot. These sales use the same contract as any other sale, but the terms are often different. The offer may depend on a city approval, the subject period may be long, and the completion date may be far away. This chapter explains what a builder looks at, how those conditions work, and the questions to ask before you agree to them.
The chapter is part of the selling a home guide. It builds on reviewing offers and on the chapter on the time after an offer is accepted, because a builder's offer uses the same parts, with larger risks in the subjects and dates. The journal article on selling a Coquitlam house to a builder looks at one example in more detail. For what a lot can become under current rules, read the land and zoning guide.
What makes a lot interesting to a builder
A builder starts with what the city will allow. Coquitlam's page on small-scale multi-unit housing explains that provincial legislation requires the city to enable more homes on lots in single-family and duplex areas. The city must allow up to three units on lots of 280 square metres or smaller, and up to four units on lots larger than 280 square metres but less than 4,050 square metres. Council adopted the zoning changes on June 9, 2025. The page also states that Coquitlam had no bus stops meeting the provincial criteria for frequent service, so the provincial rule allowing up to six units near such stops did not apply when the page was accessed on 30 September 2026.
The same page asks owners to contact city staff first if the existing house was built before 1945, if there is a steep slope on or next to the lot, or if the lot is in a Transit-Oriented Area or another planning study area. Each of these can change what can be built.
Other facts matter as well. The table lists common features and the question each one raises.
| Feature of the lot | The question a builder asks |
|---|---|
| Lot area | How many units does the zoning allow on this size? |
| Lot width and shape | Can the lot be subdivided under the minimum dimensions? |
| Lane access | Can parking and servicing come from the back? |
| Slope | Will the site need extra engineering or a city review? |
| Age of the house | Does the house raise heritage questions? |
| Location | Is the lot in a Transit-Oriented Area or a planning study area? |
| Neighbouring lots | Could the lot be combined with others? |
Pricing a house that may sell for its land
When a builder is a likely buyer, the comparison changes. Ask your licensee to find recent completed sales of similar lots to builders, as well as sales to buyers who plan to live in the house. For each builder sale, note the lot area and width, the zoning, whether the sale depended on rezoning or subdivision, and how long the buyer had to complete. A sale that closed with no conditions and a sale that waited a year for an approval are different kinds of evidence.
A builder who plans to demolish the house and a buyer who plans to live in it will look at its condition in different ways. Your list price and your preparation depend on which buyer you expect. The pricing chapter explains how comparable sales are adjusted, and the same method applies here.
Offers subject to rezoning
Some builders want to build more than the current zoning allows. They then need the city to change the zoning. Port Coquitlam's rezoning application page explains that a zoning bylaw amendment is required when an owner wants to use or develop a property in a way the zoning bylaw does not allow. It states that there is no defined timeframe for a rezoning decision. The time depends on the complexity of the policy issues, the completeness of the application, the time taken to respond to issues, public consultation and the timing of Committee and Council meetings.
A rezoning decision belongs to the city council. Nobody can promise the result. A contract subject to rezoning can therefore stay conditional for a long time and still end without a sale. Before you accept, ask how long the condition runs, who files and pays for the application, what the builder must do to pursue it, and what happens to the deposit if the rezoning is refused or withdrawn.
Offers subject to subdivision
Other builders plan to divide one lot into two or more. Coquitlam's subdivisions page says the city's Approving Officer reviews each application against the Subdivision and Development Servicing Bylaw and the Zoning Bylaw, including minimum lot dimensions, lot area, lot width and servicing such as sidewalks, street lighting and sewer and water connections. The owner or developer may have to install works on the adjacent road up to its centre line.
Port Coquitlam's subdivision page gives time estimates. It asks applicants to allow at least 60 days for review and a tentative approval letter, and says the whole process may take six to 12 months on average, depending on the complexity of the application and how prepared the applicant is. Ask how the builder's condition is worded. A condition tied to preliminary approval is different from one tied to final registration of the new lots.
Long subject periods and late completion dates
BCFSA's page on offers from buyers notes that a buyer with subject clauses is in effect asking you to take the home off the market while they try to meet the conditions. With a builder, that period can be long. The buyer must still use every reasonable effort to satisfy each condition.
A late completion date may suit you. It can give you time to find your next home or to stay in the house until your plans change. It also means your money arrives later, and you keep paying property taxes, insurance and upkeep until completion. Ask your lawyer how the statement of adjustments will treat the costs you carry during that time.
The Home Buyer Rescission Period still applies to a detached house. A builder can rescind within three business days after acceptance and must pay you 0.25% of the price.
Lot assemblies with neighbours
A lot assembly is when a builder buys several neighbouring lots for one project. Each owner signs a contract, and the contracts may depend on each other. If one neighbour does not sell, the builder may not want the other lots.
Ask whether your contract goes ahead only if the other contracts do. Ask whether all lots complete on the same date, and whether the builder can release one lot and keep the others. Ask whether each owner has their own licensee and lawyer. If one licensee acts for several owners, section 30 of the Real Estate Services Rules requires the brokerage to take reasonable steps to avoid conflicts of interest, and to disclose any conflict in writing, separately from the listing agreement and the contract.
Tenants and long dates
If a tenant lives in the house, the tenancy continues through the sale. The province's page on selling a rental property explains that a new landlord can serve a Four Month Notice to End Tenancy for demolition only after the title has been transferred and all required permits and approvals are in place. The landlord who serves a three or four month notice must compensate the tenant with an amount equal to one month's rent. Discuss with your lawyer how these rules fit the builder's plans and your dates.
Questions to ask before a long subject period
Take these questions to your licensee and your lawyer before you accept a builder's offer.
- What exactly is each condition, and who decides whether it is met?
- How long does each condition run, and can the builder extend it?
- How much is the deposit, when is it paid, and does it increase over time?
- What happens to the deposit if a condition is not met?
- Can you require the builder to remove conditions early if another offer arrives?
- Does the builder need access for surveys, soil tests or other work, and on what terms?
- Can the contract be assigned? BCFSA's answers to common questions explain that standard assignment terms require the seller's written consent and give the seller any profit from an assignment.
- What are the completion and possession dates, and can you stay in the house until then?
A builder's offer can be the right choice for some sellers. It works best when you understand each condition and date and have planned for the time the sale may take.