Hello everybody.
I had a really good feeling recently after I painted a much more positive and hopeful picture for a potential home buyer who also happens to be a recent immigrant to Vancouver.
I was at one of my Internations events in town and as I was sat there waiting for people to arrive I got talking to a very nice guy who has moved here with his family from Germany. He is in the IT industry and of course I introduced myself as a Realtor here in the city. I asked him how he was doing and his impressions of Vancouver so far. He said they love the place but were still struggling to get work and were also getting increasingly worried about finding a home.
As I probed a little deeper he informed me that everyone he spoke to about buying a house here had dropped the bombshell that the average house price here in Vancouver is about 1.5 -2 million dollars. All the colour drained from his face seemingly as he saw a bleak future with very few choices ahead. When I asked where he was currently renting and who he was talking to I immediately understood his problem. When you live in the West of Vancouver and have never had the chance to explore everywhere else and talk to "other people" it is easy to get sucked into the "hugely expensive" Vancouver theme song that too many people sing.
So when I told him all about the wonderful surrounding areas of the city and how much bang for your buck you can get his eyes lit up and a renewed sense of optimism returned. And this just about encapsulates everything I have been telling people since I got into the real estate business. Life does go on outside the "west of expensive" here and it doesn't mean shoe box living either. Like myself I have discovered a wealth of beautiful homes in beautiful locations for a fraction of the cost of city living just a reasonable commute away. Fantastic walks on your doorstep, lovely shopping and amenities, pet friendly, great architecture and quality of construction and not millionaire prices.
It's all there for the taking. All people have to do is open there minds and be more flexible about it. As you commute you can listen to the radio, music, read a book, work, study or just contemplate your mere existence here in the world and that you are blessed to be living in beautiful British Columbia!
