Moving Up · Homeowners
Should I sell my 1-bedroom condo to buy a bigger home? A slow market works in your favour.
One Coal Harbour condo, listed at $832,000, shows how the math works: what it sells for, how long it takes, and why the gap to the next home matters more than either price.
Should I sell my 1-bedroom condo to buy a bigger home?
For this example home, a 726 sq ft one-bedroom in Coal Harbour listed at $832,000, Bōde data puts the realistic sale range at $800,000 to $850,000. The list price sits squarely in that band, so the sale side of the move is a known quantity before any upsizing decision gets made. A slow market then works in the mover’s favour, because the same percentage discount is worth more dollars on a $1.35M purchase than it costs on an $832,000 sale.
01 The Example Home
A 726 sq ft one-bedroom in Coal Harbour.
The example is a one-bedroom, one-bathroom condo built in 1995, with one parking space. It is listed at $832,000 and has been on the market for 8 days.
Example home
Coal Harbour, Vancouver, BC · Condo
$832,000 list price
Oct 5, 2026
1 bed · 1 bath · 726 sq ft · built 1995
8 days on market · $1,146 per sq ft · 1 parking space
That list price is the starting point. The next step is to see what the building says it sells for.
02 The Sale Price
Bōde puts the sale range at $800,000 to $850,000.
Bōde tracks five sold one-bedroom, one-bathroom comparables in the same building, from 667 to 690 sq ft, and one active listing.
Size
Price
Status
667 sq ft
$818,000
Sold
667 sq ft
$840,000
Sold
679 sq ft
$840,000
Sold
687 sq ft
$905,000
Sold
690 sq ft
$810,000
Sold
667 sq ft
$768,000
Active, 43 days on market
This example home is larger than every one of them at 726 sq ft. Adjusting for that size advantage and for current market softness, Bōde estimates the sale range at $800,000 to $850,000. The $832,000 list price works out to $1,146 per sq ft.
It is an estimate, not a valuation. It gives the owner a firm baseline to plan the next move from.
03 The Timeline
Plan for 30 to 60 days.
Days on market in this building cover a wide range. Bōde data shows the full spread.
3 days
Fastest sale among the sold units
113 days
Longest sale among the sold units
43 days
The active 667 sq ft listing in the same building
8 days
This example home so far
For planning purposes, budget 30 to 60 days.
That timeline matters most when the next purchase is a specific property. It decides which route works: an offer with a subject-to-sale condition, or a sale-first plan.
04 The Slow Market Advantage
A slow market helps the move up.
The same softness that trims the sale price of this example home works harder on the buy side. A discount on a $1.35M purchase is a bigger dollar figure than the same discount on an $832,000 sale.
$41,600
What 5% softness takes off the $832,000 sale
$67,500
What the same 5% takes off a $1.35M purchase
On those numbers, the person moving up comes out $25,900 ahead. The spread, meaning what the seller nets against what the buyer pays, favours the move up.
That gap is the number to watch. It tells you more than the sale price or the purchase price does alone.
05 The Entry Cost
Know the entry cost before you list.
Upsizing starts with knowing the entry cost at each end of the move, because that is what the sale has to clear. Bōde’s financing snapshot for apartment homes in Vancouver sets the baseline.
$686,000
Typical price
$135,000
Income needed
$137,000
Equity at 20% down
$44,000
Minimum down
Figures are Bōde data for apartment homes in Vancouver. At $832,000, this example home sits above the typical Vancouver apartment price of $686,000.
The same down payment rules set the bar for the next home. On a $1.35M purchase, the federal minimum down payment is $110,000, and 20% down is $270,000.
06 Your Home
Three things shape the answer for your home.
This is one home in one building. Three details change the math for yours.
Size against the building
This example home is larger than every sold comparable in its building, and that size supports the estimate. A unit at or below the 667 to 690 sq ft band prices differently.
Timing of the listing
Eight days on market is early. The active comparable in the building is at 43 days, so the first weeks of a listing are the time to watch how buyers respond.
Your equity position
Sale price answers half the upsizing question. What you owe, and at what rate, decides whether the gap works.
Enter your own home in the free Bōde Homeowner Dashboard to see these numbers for your address. If the sale means taking less than you paid, read should you sell a Vancouver condo at a loss to move up.
About these numbers
The figures here are Bōde data for the example home, surfaced by Bōdie, Bōde’s AI decision engine built around the home, as of October 5, 2026. When an owner needs a formal valuation for refinancing or legal purposes, Bōde connects them with accredited appraisers. The 5% example in section 04 is arithmetic, not a forecast. Down payment figures for a $1.35M purchase use the federal minimum down payment rules.
Drafted with Bōdie, Bōde’s AI decision engine built around the home.
Common Questions
Should I sell my one-bedroom condo to buy a bigger home?
Start with the gap between what your condo nets and what the bigger home costs. For this example home in Coal Harbour, Bōde data puts the sale range at $800,000 to $850,000 against an $832,000 list price. The sale side is a known quantity before the search for the next home begins.
Is a slow market a good time to upsize?
A slow market favours the person moving up when both prices soften at the same rate. The same percentage discount is worth more dollars on the larger purchase. At 5%, an $832,000 sale gives up $41,600 and a $1.35M purchase saves $67,500.
How long does it take to sell a condo before upsizing?
In this example building, sold units closed in as few as 3 days and as many as 113. For planning purposes, budget 30 to 60 days.
Should I sell first or buy first when I upsize?
The sale timeline decides it. A 30 to 60 day sale window tells you which route works: an offer on the next home with a subject-to-sale condition, or a sale-first plan.
How much do I need to put down on a bigger home?
On a $1.35M purchase, the federal minimum down payment is $110,000. That is 5% on the first $500,000 and 10% on the rest. A 20% down payment is $270,000 and needs no mortgage default insurance.
This article is educational and is not legal, tax, mortgage, or financial advice. The figures describe one example home and are estimates based on available data, not an appraisal or a formal valuation. A list price is not a sold price. Sale prices, days on market, and financing terms vary by home, lender, and contract. Confirm your numbers with your lender and review your decision with a financial advisor and a real estate lawyer. Bōde does not provide legal services.
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