On Fridays, we roundup our 3 favourite Open Houses for the upcoming weekend.  We have not visited these properties, however if we were in the market, these pads would be on our list!

See them all below…

1) Saturday 6/25/11 + Sunday 6/26/11: 1450 LABURNUM STREET, APARTMENT # 209

Asking price is $ 359,900, or $570 per square foot.

This 1 bedroom, 1 bath 631 square foot apartment is in the Kits Point neighbourhood and is just steps to the beach!

The unit features a decent-sized East facing balcony and some updates, and also has 1 car parking, storage and a bike room in the building.  One of the things we like best is that the strata fees are supposedly only $1 a month!

Agent’s Listing for 209-1450 Laburnum Street

2) Saturday 6/25/11: 1512 YEW STREET, APARTMENT # 204

Asking price is $ 719,000, or $524 per square foot.

This larger 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 1373 square foot apartment is also in Kitsilano, right across the street from Kits Beach!

The unit features high (vaulted) ceilings, skylighting, a fireplace.  The price includes 2 parking spaces, and the building amenities include storage and a common roof deck. We posted a report on this unit when it was on the market last year for $799,000.  Now a listed for $80,000 less, we think this a deal worth considering! Strata/maintenance fees are $321.

Agent’s Listing for 204-1512 Yew Street

3) Saturday 6/25/11: 5912 CHANCELLOR BOULEVARD

Asking price is $ 2,468,000, or $660 per square foot.

For our more affluent readers, this large townhouse style half duplex is located on the ceremonial Chancellor Boulevard in the centre of UBC.

It has 4 bedrooms and  4 bathrooms, and contains 3741 square feet. Built about a year ago, the high end finishes in this home are complemented by high end appliances and sweet upgrades like radiant heating, wired in stereo, an intercom system…not to mention a rooftop deck with gas fireplace.

Includes a garage, and there are no management/strata fees!  However, we are not big fans of the fact that it’s on leasehold land…

MLS Listing for 5912 Chancellor Boulevard

The prices of high-end Westside homes in Vancouver steadily keep rising like the price of Apple stock, year after year.  Last week a behemoth was listed for just shy of $24 million at  1398 The Crescent in Shaughnessy (that’s a 600% increase from what that house was purchased for in 2001!).

Well now you can live it up like Scarface (a.k.a. Tony Montana) if you’ve got 8 figures to throw down on this newly listed mansion in Point Grey (near UBC).

It was built 1990 and encompasses 11,000 square feet of living space on a 28,924 square foot lot that has tranquil ocean and mountain views.

See all the details below…

We can’t help but be reminded of that infamous mansion in the movie Scarface when we see the home’s opulent entryway containing double curved staircases, a crystal chandelier and domed skylight ceiling.

This house has a whopping 9 bedrooms and 8 bathrooms (6 are ensuites), formal living and dining rooms, kitchen with top-of-the-line appliances, and an elevator that serves all 3 levels.  The property also features an outdoor heated swimming pool, putting green, and a beautiful, mature landscaped garden.

The gourmet kitchen is surprisingly modern, given the Neo-Classical aesthetic in the rest of the home.

We are all for mixing modern and traditional elements when it comes to interior design, but this room just looks boring (caveat – the photography could be better):

There’s a luxuriously large dining room, but again the decor leaves us dry:

The lush, green backyard is quite beautiful and inviting, even if the pool could use some updating:

The circular front driveway will remind you just how important you are every time you drive up it:

Terrible photo, but a great view:

So what does this bad boy cost?

We know that it sold back in 2004 for $4,250,000.

It’s now listed now for $13,880,000, or $1264 per square foot.

• MLS Listing for 4728 Drummond Drive

Photo Credits: Peter Lee of Prompton Real Estate Services

Neighbourhood Comps lets you compare how far your dollar can stretch in different Vancouver neighbourhoods.

Here, we will examine 6 rental units in different locations in Vancouver that all cost around  $1500 or so.  Because there are countless numbers of potential units depending on a renter’s preferences and needs, we chose to focus on rental units that are relatively new and have higher quality finishes.

Which one would you choose?

1)  NEAT ON MAIN STREET – $1500/month

This open Mount Pleasant 1 bedroom + den has “industrial” hardwood floors, stainless steel appliances, and neat & modern finishes.  The building has a gym and lounge for residents, the rent includes 1 car parking, and we love the super central location!

See Craigslist Listing

2)  SMART DIGS IN UBC – $1500/month

This 562 sq ft 1 bedroom + 80 sq ft patio unit is located at Chancellor Place in the heart of UBC.  The unit features high-end appliances and finishes (Sub-Zero, Miele, stainless, granite) and in-suite laundry, and rent also includes 1 car parking, gym and storage locker.

See Craigslist Listing

3)  COOL CONVERSION ON HASTINGS – $1450/month

This 715 sq ft modern, heritage conversion studio on West Hastings in “Gastown”/Crosstown features polished concrete floors, exposed brick and sexy appliances and fixtures. The rent does not include parking, and we are not aware of any building amenities, but there is a multitude of shopping and recreation within stone’s throw.

See Craiglist Listing

4)  LOFTY IN CHINATOWN – $1550/month

This “loft-style” 1 bedroom is on the border of Crosstown and Chinatown on West Pender.  It has slick and modern fixtures and finishes, as well as custom millwork and high ceilings.  The 680 sq ft unit also contains in-suite laundry and storage, and the unit’s rent includes parking.

See Craigslist Listing

5)  FRESH AT THE WOODWARD’S – $1500/month

This fresh and clean looking, 9th floor 1 bedroom at the Woodward’s building has an open plan unit and is modern and bright.  Rent for the massive 560 sq ft unit includes parking.  This renowned development that stands on the site of the former Woodward’s department store features a multitude of common amenities like rooftop deck, lounge area, BBQ areas, jacuzzi, pool tables…you get the idea.

See Craigslist Listing

6)  OLYMPIC VILLAGE LIVING – $1500

This 1 bedroom apartment in the Olympic Village encompasses all of 590 sq ft, and includes a  balcony.  High-end appliances, finishes and fixtures adorn this unit (Subzero, Miele, etc.), and the building amenities are nothing to scoff at (pool, spa, fitness centre, etc.).  The $1500 rent also includes parking and storage.  Let’s just hope you don’t spring a leak.

See Craigslist Listing

We previously reported on the upcoming 24 storey Opsal Building by Bastion Development, which is to be located at the corner of Quebec and East 1st Avenue in False Creek South.

Well, things seem to move more quickly these days in Vancouver, and accordingly City Council just gave its approval to a rezoning application for a new residential project  less than a block away at 104-150 East 1st Avenue, between Quebec and Main Street.

See description of the development below…

The property will be developed into 170 residential flats by Cressey Development Group, and will comprise a total of 126,887 square feet of residential floor area designed by Rafii Architects.

The new units will be contained within a 6 storey “wing” building mid-block between Quebec and Main Streets, as well as a 12 storey “tower” building on the Southeast corner of Quebec and East 1st Avenue.  There is also a glass enclosed “bridge” component that spans over a breezeway and serves to connect the tower and wing buildings.

The residences will include a mix of townhouse and tower units The townhouses will be directly accessible from the street (i.e. no interior hallways) and will have grade level patios and high ceilings. What makes the tower units unique are their “solar-minded” considerations; the south facing tower units are deeper and have less glazing than their north facing counterparts in order to take the best advantage of sunlight exposure.  West facing units will also feature oversized balcony railings that act as functional “Sunscreens”.

The development includes 171 new parking spaces and 212 new bike stalls, as well as on-site amenities like a lounge and gymnasium.

The massing and character of the Meccanica Building will pay homage to the “historically industrial precedence of the area”.  The architects intend to accomplish this with features like industrial style signage, metal crate floors and other “technical” details incorporated into the design.

Anything’s gotta be better than this busted Buster’s tow lot, but nonetheless we are excited to see more detailed renderings, information and plans, as well as check out initial pricing.  As things progress, we will be sure to keep you posted!

Photo Credits: City of Vancouver Rezoning Application

On Fridays, we will roundup our 3 favourite Open Houses for the upcoming weekend.  We have not visited these properties, however if we were in the market, these pads would be on our list!

See them all below…

1) SATURDAY 6/18/11: 1124 EAST 19th AVENUE

Asking price is $738,000, or $417 per square foot.

This single family home in the neighbourhood of Kensington-Cedar Cottage is more of a duplex.

It features a 2 bedroom, 1 bath “main” suite upstairs, which has just undergone what seems to be a very tastefully done renovation, with high-end finishes spread across the 917 square feet floor plan.

Downstairs there is another, fully self-contained 2 bedroom, 1 bath suite that contains 850 square feet and has its own separate workshop/garage.  It apparently rents out for $1275 currently, which should definitely help with mortgage payments.

Agent’s Listing for 1124 East 19th Avenue

2) SUNDAY 6/19/11: 2190 WEST 8th AVENUE, APARTMENT # 304

Asking price is $490,000, or $612 per square foot.

This  2 bedroom, 1.5 bath, 800 square foot apartment is in the 17 unit Westwood Villa complex located in Kitsilano.

This top floor, Southeast-facing corner unit had a complete “$40,000″ renovation this year, and features a wrap around balcony.  Also has in-suite laundry, 1 car parking, and 1 storage locker.  Strata fees are $248 monthly.

Agent’s Listing for 304-2190 W. 8th Avenue

3) SUNDAY 6/19/11: 930 Cambie Street, Apartment # 2005

Asking price is $459,000, or $559 per square foot.

This 1 bedroom + den, 2 bath 820 square foot apartment is located in the Pacific Place Landmark building in Yaletown.

It has an open plan with upgraded finishes and generous master bedroom.   The unit also has in-suite laundry, in-suite storage, and 1 car parking.

MLS Listing for 2005-930 Cambie Street

The dream of homeownership in Vancouver can seem impossible to many as real estate prices continue to spike year after year. What are the budget conscious buyers to do?

One possibility is to re-examine what homeownership actually means. These days an apartment for $169,000 in Kerrisdale may sound impossible… but it’s not.  It’s a co-op.

In a co-op you buy shares in the building, as opposed to buying or owning a unit outright, as is the case in a strata condominium.  So what’s the difference?  Simply put, co-ops have more rules; in this case: no kids, no pets, no rentals.

See more below…

The apartment in question is a 700 square foot corner unit (facing southeast) on the top (2nd) floor, with one bedroom and one bathroom. There are hardwood floors under the wall-to-wall carpeting, and the kitchen features the original metal cabinetry from 61 years ago.

Oh, La-Z-Boy. You look so wrong, but feel so right… What are we going to do with you?

Oil painting on loan from the Uffizi Gallery in Florence (we kid). Decor aside, the 18’2 x 13’6 living room is generous by modern standards.

Imagine all the re-decorating you’ll be able to do with the money you saved.

We can’t help but wonder what some new furniture would do for this place…

The kitchen is modest, clean, and functional. What more could one expect in the sub $200k range?

The common rooftop patio does look enticing, and well maintained thanks to a resident caretaker and gardener.

Asking price: $169,000 or $241 per square foot.

Just remember it’s a co-op, so we hope you get along with your new neighbours really, really well.

• Agent’s listing for #205-6040 East Boulevard

Photo Credits: Jay Peterson

There’s another happy home seller out there, and this time the lucky landowner is cashing out of the Sunset neighbourhood in South Vancouver.

This noble single family home has 4 bedrooms, an office, a family room and is situated on a plush and expansive 73′ x 122′ corner lot. “Classic” character details include leaded glass windows, french doors, inlaid hardwood floor, and coved ceilings.

Check it out below and let us know what you think sealed the deal…

The outdoor areas are open and generous; we’re sure that the new owner will be enjoying the yard come BBQ season:

The eclectic mix of fixtures and furnishings throws us off a bit, but the original wood floors and original details of the house look to be in good shape:

The kitchen could sure use some updating, but at least it’s open, unlike many homes of this vintage:

The interior decor of the home is far from exciting, yet there is something that hooked the right buyer after being listed only 12 days.

So how much did the property sell for…and how much did the seller make?

We know that the property was purchased for around $510,000 in 2002.

The recent asking price of the property was $999,900 (or $475 per square foot), and we understand it sold for well more than $300,000 over that price!

• Agent’s Listing for 511 East 52nd Street

Photo Credits:

Spice Lucks of RE/MAX Real Estate Services

In this luxurious apartment, you will experience the splendorous scenery that makes Vancouver one of the world’s most beautiful cities every time you look out your window.

The 270 degree view (north, south, and west) offered by this Coal Harbour sub-penthouse is nothing less than spectacular, and the apartment’s interior finishes are quite delectable.

Take a look for yourself below…

Located on the 35th floor, the residence is comprised of 2 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, and a den, totaling a relatively spacious 2,041 square feet. Luxury finishings abound, from the designer kitchen by Dada of Italy (featuring Gaggenau appliances), to the gorgeous marble ensuites… This is one place we would be happy to call home. Check it out for yourself.

You will be a master chef in no time thanks to professional series Gaggenau appliances in a thoroughly modern kitchen by Dada of Italy:

We love the 270 degree wrap around view, although the decor may be a tad generic:

The master ensuite feels more like a spa, appointed with gorgeous marble and its own spectacular view:

Even the second bedroom ensuite features upscale details like fine marble and a separate toilette stall, which we love:

It’s a gorgeous apartment, but of course, this is probably what we would spend most of our time looking at:

At this apartment’s price per square foot, maybe the seller will consider throwing in boat moorage, for good measure…

Asking price: $3,498,000 or $1,713 per square foot.

Agent’s listing for #3501-1499 West Pender Street.

Photo Credits: Paul Masoumi

There were a number of reasons for our M.I.A. status since March, but the exciting end result is that we will be rolling out a new and improved website in the coming weeks under a new name, City Scope!  We will recommence our postings of Vancouver real estate news this week, and we will be rolling out additional features as well as a reconfigured site and new web address shortly thereafter (www.cityscope.ca)

Stay tuned for the exciting new developments happening over the next several weeks, and be sure to tell your friends about the site, and like us on Facebook.  Then, simply enjoy exploring Vancouver’s most entertaining source for real estate news and information!

Many of the Sales Successes that we’ve seen this Spring have been of the tear-down variety. And while it’s fun to see what bidding wars will yield for lot value, we’re happy to have a shiny, livable home to feature today.

Check out pictures and pricing details, after the jump…

The home sits atop Jericho Hill, on West 11th Ave between Discovery and Trimble Streets.

It was built 2008, and has 2,400 square feet of living space with 3 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms (note to home builders – nice homes don’t need to be massive).

While we don’t love every feature in the house, we’re big fans of the open, modern feel that doesn’t end up too stark:

We have quibbles with some of the Ikea-esque furniture (and rug) choices:

And we’re bored by glass tile mosaics, as seen in the shower:

But those are all small things. We’d be very happy to work with the canvas that is this modern home.

And obviously we aren’t the only ones…

We hear it only lasted 10 days on the market, and sold for more than $500,000 (or more than 25%) over its asking price.

But on the bright side, no need for all that pesky demolition or construction…

• Agent’s (sold) listing for 4312 West 11th Avenue.

photo credits:
Julia Lau of Sutton West Coast Realty