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The Half Million Home

Katie Lister

| March 2, 2010

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An Urban Pad for Nightlife Lovers (480 Robson St.)

A 910 sq. ft. space in the apartment condos ‘R&R’ on Robson Street ($499,900) gets you two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a balcony and one parking stall. This downtown pad was built in 2005 and has granite counters, real wood cabinetry, stainless steel appliances and a gas rage; there is a gym in the building and your furry friends are also welcome.
‘R&R,’ short for Robson and Richards, puts you in the middle of the action of Vancouver’s shopping district. Everything you need is near: IGA, Costco, the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Vancouver Public Library and a variety of restaurants. Or walk a few blocks to Burrard Street and grab a Japadog (as long as you don’t mind waiting in line).
A convenient location, yes, but with the good comes the not so good. Robson and Richards is close to Seymour Street, a nightly hangout for seedier types and club-goers. Although living in central downtown has it perks, it doesn’t scream warm and welcoming neighbourhood you really have to love downtown culture.
Photo: rennie.com

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A Trendy One-bedroom in the Woodwards Building (108 W. Cordova)

For $489,900, the Woodwards building, built in 2009, offers 708 sq. ft., including one bedroom, one bathroom, a balcony and a parking stall. A southeast corner suite gives onto open city and water views. Inside, funky laminate flooring and polished concrete ceilings remind you that you are in one of Vancouver's trendiest neighbourhoods. Woodwards is home to a library, media room, hot tub, gardens and a gym.
Set in the heart of gentrifying Gastown, this building is close to the Irish Heather and Salt Tasting Room, where you can try some of the city's best wines, ports and sherries. It is also nearby Waterfront Station, hub for the Canada Line, Skytrain and Seabus, which means you are minutes away from getting almost anywhere in Vancouver. One drawback, however, is that the building's proximity to Vancouver’s infamous East Hastings Street and all the joys that come with that location.
Photo: rennie.com

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Space to Breathe in White Rock (301-1550 Martin St.)

This price point in White Rock will get you a little more house: for $459,900 Sussex House on Martin Street offers 1,279sq. ft., two bedrooms, two bathrooms, one parking stall and a balcony. This townhouse was built in 2005, has 9-foot ceilings, granite and stainless steel appliances, marble in the bathrooms, a gym, and a gas fireplace.
Martin Street is in walking distance from Semiahmoo Shopping Centre, a People’s Drug Mart, Buy-Low Foods, a doctor and a dentist’s office, CIBC and Mark Anthony Wine Shop all your needs are taken care of. It is a five-minute drive from White Rock Beach and close to transit.
It’s not quite perfect, however, if you have to commute to town. The drive to downtown Vancouver will take 45 minutes to an hour, depending on traffic, and if you are going by transit, the trip will eat up an hour and a half, one way.
Photo: rennie.com

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A Roomy Two-bedroom in North Vancouver (22-828 West 16th St.)

In North Vancouver, a townhouse for $519,880 gets you three bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, an inner courtyard with front and rear patios plus decks off of two of the bedrooms and 1,386 sq. ft. The main floor has 110-year-old Douglas fir floors throughout, a river-rock fireplace in the living room to cozy up to, a separate laundry room and a huge walk-in closet in the master bedroom.
Known as the family-friendly area of Vancouver, the North Shore houses various schools, grocery stores, a Bikram Yoga Studio and enough Starbucks to keep your caffeine cravings at bay. There is a Hurricane Grill and a Keg Steakhouse nearby as well as Rona Home Centre and Dick’s Lumber and Building Supplies for the tree house you're probably going to build in the backyard. This abode is a perfect fit for those soccer moms and dads bring on the Volvo and terriers!
Photo: suttonwestcoast.com

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A Tiny Kitsilano Pied-a-Terre (501-1808 West 1st. Av.)

A 599 sq. ft. spot in a Kitsilano apartment with one bedroom, one bathroom, a den, and a balcony will cost you $499,000. This modern six-storey building, built in 2009, contains stainless steel appliances, a fireplace and a washer and dryer.
The coveted, laid back lifestyle of Kitsilano does come for a price, but, apart for the trip downtown (only a bridge away) you never have to leave. This location is dangerously close to Kits beach, Ron Zalko gym, Booster Juice, Vera Burger, Corduroy restaurant, shopping on 4th Ave. and all the vegetarian restaurants you could ask for. Known for its carefree vibe, Kitsilano has easily the highest concentration of Lululemon and plaid in Vancouver.
Caveats: You would need to tolerate traffic noise as this building lies on a very busy street: Burrard. And you would also have to brave the fumes coming from the Molson Brewery across the street.
Photo: manyeelui.com

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A Cozy Redoubt in Primetime Victoria (1450 Beach Dr,)

For a few less pennies ($399,000) this condo on one of Victoria’s most stunning roads: Beach Drive, offers two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a 171 sq. ft. balcony and a total square footage of 1,041. The building, like many in the area, was built in the swinging seventies 1972 to be exact and has been renovated to feature a new kitchen with new appliances and marble tile flooring, new carpet, and updated bathrooms. There is also secure underground parking and storage available.
The great thing about Victoria is that you’re always ten minutes or less away from everything you need. This particular location is on the long stretch of road that follows the water all the way to Dallas Road: perfect for running, walking, biking and the like on those sunny island days.
Windsor Park is just around the corner; Willows, Monterey and Oak Bay schools are nearby and you are five minutes from the Blethering Place Tea Room, where you can get a taste of old fashioned Victoria. The only drawback is the sirens you will hear from the Oak Bay Fire Department and Police Department, both only a few blocks away. Hey, at least you‘ll know how safe you are in an emergency.
Photo: gregphillips.ca

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A Spacious Rancher in Kelowna's Wine Country (28-3512 Ridge Blv.)

This rancher is located on the west side of Okanagan Lake, listed at $499,900. It has three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a double garage and a large sundeck to soak up all those Kelowna rays. Built in 2004, this home has central air conditioning and two gas fireplaces.
Located in the Mission Hill Winery area of the city, this home is perfect for both wine aficionados and wannabe connoisseurs; in fact, the Mission Hill Family Estate is right down the road. For those with families, Chief Tomat Preschool and School District 23 are only five minutes away. Various restaurants and coffee shops are also nearby, as is the beach and about six fitness centres to choose from.
West Kelowna is a very popular vacation spot, especially for Canadians and Americans; there are various resorts and B&B’s nearby this location. Don’t be surprised if you are giving answers to direction queries and snapping photos!
Photo: janehoffman.com

THE CONTRIBUTOR

Katie Lister is a freelance journalist based in Vancouver. Her work has appeared in a variety of publications, including Granville, Canadian Traveller, and Examiner.com.

Tags
- katie lister,
- Homes and Real Estate

The reason you will hear

Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 2010-03-19 12:29.

The reason you will hear frequent sirens in Oak Bay is that the high % of seniors means that the ambulance arrives frequently. Usually, the fire dept is the first responder. The police are usually not busy with criminals, so they arrive also. Finally, the ambulance arrives. A neighbor who is waiting for his turn!

Open enough oysters & you

Submitted by Yves (not verified) on Thu, 2010-03-11 17:00.

Open enough oysters & you find pearls. Nice work, BCBusiness found *the* unique $500 K apartment in downtown Vancouver and it is probably a misprint. Post-Olympic two bedrooms in & around Yaletown are cracking $1.3 *million*, demonstrating the financial lunacy gripping the Vancouver Real Estate market, better named the "unreal estate market". When interest rates spike - and they will - the mortgage payments will be unsustainable. If you are going to show a cheap apartment ... how about one sentence in the interest of good journalism: The average price per square foot of apartment space in Vancouver for two bedrooms.