If you have not visited Vancouver BC, I highly recommend a 3 or 4 day visit- great shopping, people and nightlife! This trip, I kept an eye out for the new condominium projects scheduled for 2007 and to be quite honest, the Vancouver skyline looks pretty similar to ours. With over 17 projects scheduled for completion in the downtown core, cranes are popping up everywhere! Some of the most popular projects in the best locations include: Donovan, Mode, Pomaria, Affiniti, Elan, Cielo, The Ritz & Grace.
While doing a bit of research, I noticed that the overall square footages drop a bit when compared to our typical floor plans. An average ONE bedroom in Vancouver starts anywhere from 500+ sq. ft and TWO bedrooms start around 850 sq. ft. Prices per square foot range from about $475-$1356, but most hover around the $600 mark (Canadian Dollars).
The architecture is a bit different in that there are over 33 residential towers in the downtown area alone with 30+ floors. The average building accommodates 4-6 units per level, which in turn yields very tall and skinny buildings with spectacular views of the city, English Bay and Burrard Inlet.
If you are thinking of purchasing a vacation home just far enough with an easy 2.5 hour drive away, Vancouver BC just may be the right city to invest. Being one of the most multi-culturally diverse cities in the world and home to the largest seaport in all of North America, Vancouver has been labeled as the 3rd fastest growing metropolitan area in Canada. The real estate market picked up in the late 80s due a huge interest in foreign investment when the World Expo 86 came to town and since then, hasnt looked back. With the 2010 Winter Olympic Games coming up, local agents speculate that their market will continue to boom as more people discover Vancouvers natural beauty. Useful links: Local Agents Website
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Wikipedia- Vancouver