The Vancouver real estate market is constantly shifting. Vancouver real estate has had many years of strong, upward growth. In the Spring of 2008 this long-term trend shifted dramatically. The result is a more balanced market that is good news for both sellers and buyers. However, the fast pace and complexity of the Vancouver real estate market can be extremely intimidating to attempt to navigate. Sebastian Albrecht will help you attain your goals and reach informed decisions. Working with Sebastian, you will understand the current market shifts and trends. By sharing with you the strategies that are required to achieve your objectives, Sebastian will ensure you successfully navigate the Vancouver real estate market.
The City of Vancouver is perhaps one of the most beautifully situated cities in the world. It's surrounded by impressive natural beauty at every turn. From the majesty of the mountains that rise over Downtown Vancouver to the north, to the ever-changing ocean views and beaches of Kitsilano to the west to the west and the towering forests all around, Vancouver connects with nature. It's a city known not only for nature, but also for the active lifestyles of its inhabitants, vibrant ethnic diversity, incredible food and friendly, welcoming atmosphere. It is no wonder that the city has been ranked consistently over the last few years as one of the most livable in the world.
Protected to the north by the peaks of the Coast Mountain range, and warmed by the temperate waters of the Pacific ocean to the west, Vancouver enjoys the benefits of a mild climate. At the peak of winter, Vancouver has an average temperature of 5 degrees celsius (40 degrees fahrenheit) with less than 10 days a year of snow (although, liquid snow is no stranger). Summers are typically dry (only a couple days of rain), and temperatures rarely exceed the low 20s (or about 80 in fahrenheit).
The Coast Salish people were the original inhabitants of Vancouver, having villages at Musqueam, Kitsilano, Stanley Park and False Creek. It was the City's namesake, Captain George Vancouver (1757 - 1798) that was the first European to land at Vancouver in 1792. In 1808, Simon Fraser first reached the region by land via the river that now bears his name (the Fraser River to the south of the city). It wasn't until the 1860s that Europeans settled in the area we now consider Vancouver.
While the initial wave of settlers came to the area to the east of Vancouver because of the Fraser Gold Rush, Vancouver's settlement didn't happen until a few years later. The initial settlers were primarily involved in the lumber industry, and a community grew around a small saloon just west of the first sawmill. This area became known as 'Gastown' a term still used today, despite it being formally declared the official townsite of Granville in 1870.
Rapid growth came once the natural harbour at the new townsite was selected as the terminus for the Canadian Pacific Railway. The completion of the transcontinental railway not increased the importance of the young town, brought thousands of new migrants, but was also a condition of British Columbia joining confederation in 1871.
The City of Vancouver was incorporated on April 6th, 1886. When the first transcontinental train arrived in May 1887 the city's population was 5,000. In 1892, it was 15,000 and by 1900 it was 100,000. It's early inhabitants were primarily British with smaller groups of Americans, Europeans and Chinese. Today, Vancouver is a true multi-ethnic metropolis (the Lower Mainland is now home to 2.25 million people) with large groups of inhabitants from the First Nations, China, India, the US, Germany, France, Holland, Greece, Italy, the Phillipines, Vietnam and many other nations. By 2021 it is expected that the population of the Lower Mainland will reach 3 million.
There is incredible promise for what the future holds for the City of Vancouver. An economy that was once heavily dependent upon the forestry industry is now well diversified in such areas as tourism, technology and trade. Enormous influxes of capital have been made in the city with the announcement of the 2010 Winter Olympics being awarded to Vancouver. We've seen billions of dollars spent on infrastructure improvements, and $14 Billion CAD is planned to be spent in the region by 2020. The growth of the city triggered by the developments required for staging a world-class event, will likely continue for years after the last medal has been awarded.
If you are thinking of purchasing in Vancouver, you may want to take a look at what's out there. A great place to start is by looking at my own Vancouver real estate listings. Otherwise, you can also search all of the Vancouver MLS listings.
Staying on top of the market is also particularly critical. You may not be ready to buy right now, but you might want to stay in touch with what's happening in the Vancouver real estate market until you are ready to make a move. For that reason, I maintain a Vancouver real estate blog that is very active and well worth following (and includes the latest MLS statistics for Vancouver). You can also sign-up for more information with my VIP Buyer's program that will ensure you get the latest Vancouver real estate information.
I specialize in finding the best home at the best possible price for my clients. If you are thinking of buying or selling in Vancouver then contact (or email) me to continue our conversation. I'd like to help make your move an exceptional experience.
This is the most powerful, fastest search tool for finding homes for sale in Vancouver. Also known as the Virtual Office Website (VOW), it allows you to view listings for sale within an hour or two of them being listed. You can also search by a variety of preferences and save your searches. In addition, if you have an Iphone you can even search while you walk, drive or bicycle! Search Vancouver homes for sale here.
Vancouver Real Estate Statistics
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