Housing in Vancouver Rant

Yesterday, Vancouverite's woke up to news that Vancouver has become the 2nd most expensive housing market in the world...this isn't surprising to anyone who has ever looked to buy or rent in Vancouver and its surrounding burbs.

Here are some pretty crazy examples for you:

This house is currently on the market for $31.9 MILLION...it has 6 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, 10,000 square feet and sits on just over an acre of land.  Okay, so it's a big house but it's not new or newly renovated, it's not a castle or old enough to have a lot of historic value, it's not waterfront property and it doesn't have a view!  Who would ever drop $31.9 million on that?

Then there's this prime example of just how ridiculous the Vancouver market is for the average joe:

This little beauty is on the market for $1,788,000...yeah...count the digits.  It's on West 12th which is a good location to the city but it's a busy road and there's no view or water near by....not to mention the fact that its tiny and old.  

Personally, if I had a lot of money I would not buy anything over a million unless it was close to the beach or had a view.    

It's the reason Vancouver is referred to as the city of glass...there are so many apartments, because who can afford a house?  and we've got no where else to build but up.  

This is not to say I'm ever going to leave Vancouver because I can't afford a house.  There's more to living happily than the size of the place you rest your head. 

Why is Vancouver so expensive?...it's the best city in Canada (and I'm allowed to say that because I've spent time in most of Canada's major cities ;).  It's not like the U.S. where there's a variety of climates and states to take your pick of.  Most Canadians live within a few hours of the U.S boarder, East to West you have very little choices.  

Vancouver is a pretty laid back city with mountains that lead right into the water.  I have literally been sailing in the morning, watched a professional soccer game in the sun in the afternoon and then gone snowshoeing in the evening.  And that's all within a maximum of 40min from my house.  

For sure the rain sucks, but the sunny days and mild temperatures really help make it for it.  

So it looks as though I'll be an apartment dweller like everyone else.  I think it's possible to be really happy in an apartment as long as it's in a good location.

I'll start a new post about how to make a studio apartment functional and you happy.