Comments on: Is Vancouver ‘Severely Unaffordable’? http://vancouvercondo.info/2006/08/is-vancouver-severely-unaffordable.html Bubble? What Bubble? Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:10:43 +0000 hourly 1 By: Kris Taylor http://vancouvercondo.info/2006/08/is-vancouver-severely-unaffordable.html#comment-9708 Kris Taylor Sat, 09 Feb 2008 10:02:58 +0000 http://vancouvercondo.info/?p=52#comment-9708 Severely unaffordable? Vancouver was an expensive city when I LAST MOVED 7 YEARS AGO. Now my landlord is selling the place I live in. I'm a business owner with a fiancee to share the expenses. 1 bedroom apartements for $1000+? This is freaking insane. We're really looking for a 2bdrm so I can have my office in the second bdrm. Just last year my friend picked up a 2bdrm basement suite for $850. I cant find anything like that now, the same place would go for $1300. The problem is the dumb municipalities, theyve gone nuts. They are allowing building permits to knock down massive rental properties to build... condo towers for sale. This condo crap has to end. Apparently the vacancy rate in the GVRD is 0.3%. The population hasnt grown that much... its the fact that they're demolishing rental properties to pave the way for overpriced condo units. I've even seen California dingbats being refurbed and converted into Condos for sale at prices like $300,000, when they used to be rented for $600-$850. This market is insane. It makes me want to move out to the sticks until all these property speculators get their asses handed to them.<p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-9708">0</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> Severely unaffordable?

Vancouver was an expensive city when I LAST MOVED 7 YEARS AGO. Now my landlord is selling the place I live in.

I’m a business owner with a fiancee to share the expenses. 1 bedroom apartements for $1000+? This is freaking insane. We’re really looking for a 2bdrm so I can have my office in the second bdrm. Just last year my friend picked up a 2bdrm basement suite for $850. I cant find anything like that now, the same place would go for $1300.

The problem is the dumb municipalities, theyve gone nuts. They are allowing building permits to knock down massive rental properties to build… condo towers for sale. This condo crap has to end. Apparently the vacancy rate in the GVRD is 0.3%. The population hasnt grown that much… its the fact that they’re demolishing rental properties to pave the way for overpriced condo units.

I’ve even seen California dingbats being refurbed and converted into Condos for sale at prices like $300,000, when they used to be rented for $600-$850.

This market is insane. It makes me want to move out to the sticks until all these property speculators get their asses handed to them.

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]]> By: bc_cele http://vancouvercondo.info/2006/08/is-vancouver-severely-unaffordable.html#comment-232 bc_cele Sat, 26 Aug 2006 05:31:00 +0000 http://vancouvercondo.info/?p=52#comment-232 <b><i>Paul said... <br/>The agricultural land reserve is there for strategic reasons. As the population of any nation grows they need to maintain internal capacity to produce food. Look at Japan, they have the same thing and even less land to play with than we do. River delta is the richest soil on the planet, it's foolish to build on it. Build on land you can't grow anything on!<br/><br/>As for the north shore, the slope is unstable. That's why when it rains everyone up their pisses their pants. The city should never have allowed development to go so far up the slope. </i></b><br/><br/>Strange, that's what I was told about the soil in SW Ontario. I guess we can argue that point latter.<br/><br/>Still, the fact stands that the world is in a production glut. In addition when it comes to production and you can expand the urban centres without harming too much production. How much food production do you actually think would be lost if you allowed the sale of 100 hectares of land? In the grand scheme of things that would amount to almost nothing. It would, however, allow for thousands of new housing units to be built.<br/><br/>As for Japan, they produce actually have a lot of rurual lands, and despite the common misconception they actual export food. In reality, this nothing, but a sacred cow that needs to be examined with facts, not emotions.<p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-232">0</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> Paul said…
The agricultural land reserve is there for strategic reasons. As the population of any nation grows they need to maintain internal capacity to produce food. Look at Japan, they have the same thing and even less land to play with than we do. River delta is the richest soil on the planet, it’s foolish to build on it. Build on land you can’t grow anything on!

As for the north shore, the slope is unstable. That’s why when it rains everyone up their pisses their pants. The city should never have allowed development to go so far up the slope.

Strange, that’s what I was told about the soil in SW Ontario. I guess we can argue that point latter.

Still, the fact stands that the world is in a production glut. In addition when it comes to production and you can expand the urban centres without harming too much production. How much food production do you actually think would be lost if you allowed the sale of 100 hectares of land? In the grand scheme of things that would amount to almost nothing. It would, however, allow for thousands of new housing units to be built.

As for Japan, they produce actually have a lot of rurual lands, and despite the common misconception they actual export food. In reality, this nothing, but a sacred cow that needs to be examined with facts, not emotions.

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]]> By: Paul http://vancouvercondo.info/2006/08/is-vancouver-severely-unaffordable.html#comment-231 Paul Mon, 21 Aug 2006 17:59:00 +0000 http://vancouvercondo.info/?p=52#comment-231 The agricultural land reserve is there for strategic reasons. As the population of any nation grows they need to maintain internal capacity to produce food. Look at Japan, they have the same thing and even less land to play with than we do. River delta is the richest soil on the planet, it's foolish to build on it. Build on land you can't grow anything on!<br/><br/>As for the north shore, the slope is unstable. That's why when it rains everyone up their pisses their pants. The city should never have allowed development to go so far up the slope.<p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-231">0</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> The agricultural land reserve is there for strategic reasons. As the population of any nation grows they need to maintain internal capacity to produce food. Look at Japan, they have the same thing and even less land to play with than we do. River delta is the richest soil on the planet, it’s foolish to build on it. Build on land you can’t grow anything on!

As for the north shore, the slope is unstable. That’s why when it rains everyone up their pisses their pants. The city should never have allowed development to go so far up the slope.

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]]> By: metro http://vancouvercondo.info/2006/08/is-vancouver-severely-unaffordable.html#comment-230 metro Mon, 21 Aug 2006 16:41:00 +0000 http://vancouvercondo.info/?p=52#comment-230 Isn't part of the problem that the downtown core is bordered by water? 'vancouver' only really stretches south west and east of downtown. They should be building more bridges to the northshore.<br/><br/>The water from downtown is beautiful, but does it limit the growth potential of vancouver? <br/><br/>I wonder if surrey, richmond or burnaby will end up taking over a lot of economic power in the lower mainland as vancouver is choked off by demand.<p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-230">0</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> Isn’t part of the problem that the downtown core is bordered by water? ‘vancouver’ only really stretches south west and east of downtown. They should be building more bridges to the northshore.

The water from downtown is beautiful, but does it limit the growth potential of vancouver?

I wonder if surrey, richmond or burnaby will end up taking over a lot of economic power in the lower mainland as vancouver is choked off by demand.

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]]> By: DEFAULT NAME http://vancouvercondo.info/2006/08/is-vancouver-severely-unaffordable.html#comment-229 DEFAULT NAME Mon, 21 Aug 2006 06:28:00 +0000 http://vancouvercondo.info/?p=52#comment-229 Sorry about the anonymous post but the previous user ids I chose were taken. bc cele the Richmond/Delta/Fraser Valley area has some of the best soil in the province. Why pay large sums of money to have food shipped from outside the province when you can enjoy fresh food produced locally. Have you tasted a strawberry shipped from California? The taste doesn't even compare to that of a locally grown berry. If you live in the West End you should visit their farmers market. I think you would be amazed. http://www.eatlocal.org/<p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-229">0</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> Sorry about the anonymous post but the previous user ids I chose were taken. bc cele the Richmond/Delta/Fraser Valley area has some of the best soil in the province. Why pay large sums of money to have food shipped from outside the province when you can enjoy fresh food produced locally. Have you tasted a strawberry shipped from California? The taste doesn’t even compare to that of a locally grown berry. If you live in the West End you should visit their farmers market. I think you would be amazed. http://www.eatlocal.org/

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]]> By: DEFAULT NAME http://vancouvercondo.info/2006/08/is-vancouver-severely-unaffordable.html#comment-228 DEFAULT NAME Sat, 19 Aug 2006 21:59:00 +0000 http://vancouvercondo.info/?p=52#comment-228 I thought it was common knowledge that Vancouver was unaffordable. It has great beauty and scenery but not an affordable place to be. I have been searching for a reasonable condo for just me but cannot wrap my head around paying over $400K for something less than 800 sq ft. Even out in the burbs (New West/Burnaby) prices are insane. I am not into living like this and it's time to leave.<p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-228">0</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> I thought it was common knowledge that Vancouver was unaffordable. It has great beauty and scenery but not an affordable place to be. I have been searching for a reasonable condo for just me but cannot wrap my head around paying over $400K for something less than 800 sq ft. Even out in the burbs (New West/Burnaby) prices are insane. I am not into living like this and it’s time to leave.

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]]> By: stuckinburnaby http://vancouvercondo.info/2006/08/is-vancouver-severely-unaffordable.html#comment-227 stuckinburnaby Sat, 19 Aug 2006 20:49:00 +0000 http://vancouvercondo.info/?p=52#comment-227 Too late. The majority of produce in the world is now grown in China.<p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-227">0</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> Too late. The majority of produce in the world is now grown in China.

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]]> By: bc_cele http://vancouvercondo.info/2006/08/is-vancouver-severely-unaffordable.html#comment-226 bc_cele Sat, 19 Aug 2006 10:34:00 +0000 http://vancouvercondo.info/?p=52#comment-226 <b><i>Capnjack said... <br/>Yeah.. but I'm not so sure it would be a good idea to cut into the agricultural reserve to build more housing - I like having fresh local food available instead of trucked half way across the world.<br/><br/>Maybe the land thats set aside to not build on is made that way for a reason. </i></b><br/><br/>So what 'fresh' foods are you buying from this reserve? Apples? Maybe peaches, or cherries, or cranberries? <br/><br/>I rather doubt the land is set aside for anything woth while, but I could be wrong - and no, I don't think that wine and some grains are worth it.<p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-226">0</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> Capnjack said…
Yeah.. but I’m not so sure it would be a good idea to cut into the agricultural reserve to build more housing – I like having fresh local food available instead of trucked half way across the world.

Maybe the land thats set aside to not build on is made that way for a reason.

So what ‘fresh’ foods are you buying from this reserve? Apples? Maybe peaches, or cherries, or cranberries?

I rather doubt the land is set aside for anything woth while, but I could be wrong – and no, I don’t think that wine and some grains are worth it.

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]]> By: Capnjack http://vancouvercondo.info/2006/08/is-vancouver-severely-unaffordable.html#comment-225 Capnjack Sat, 19 Aug 2006 04:50:00 +0000 http://vancouvercondo.info/?p=52#comment-225 Yeah.. but I'm not so sure it would be a good idea to cut into the agricultural reserve to build more housing - I like having fresh local food available instead of trucked half way across the world.<br/><br/>Maybe the land thats set aside to not build on is made that way for a reason.<p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-225">0</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> Yeah.. but I’m not so sure it would be a good idea to cut into the agricultural reserve to build more housing – I like having fresh local food available instead of trucked half way across the world.

Maybe the land thats set aside to not build on is made that way for a reason.

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]]> By: bc_cele http://vancouvercondo.info/2006/08/is-vancouver-severely-unaffordable.html#comment-224 bc_cele Sat, 19 Aug 2006 04:25:00 +0000 http://vancouvercondo.info/?p=52#comment-224 I'm new to the province, but isn't it true that the only thing that stops Abbotsford from expanding is that they have an agricultre reserve surrounding the area. What the heck is this all about? Do you guys have problems with food in this province that the rest of Canada doesn't. We seemed to have a glut of fresh foods back in central Canada so why is this such a special area?<p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-224">0</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> I’m new to the province, but isn’t it true that the only thing that stops Abbotsford from expanding is that they have an agricultre reserve surrounding the area. What the heck is this all about? Do you guys have problems with food in this province that the rest of Canada doesn’t. We seemed to have a glut of fresh foods back in central Canada so why is this such a special area?

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]]> By: richard http://vancouvercondo.info/2006/08/is-vancouver-severely-unaffordable.html#comment-223 richard Sat, 19 Aug 2006 00:40:00 +0000 http://vancouvercondo.info/?p=52#comment-223 Is that a rhetorical question? I think everyone knows that Vancouver is overpriced. Thats why sales have dropped off and you're starting to see news of a peak or bubble in the mainstream media.<br/><br/>Even realtors and marketers are pushing the limits of logic. I saw an article on the cover of a local real-estate rag that looked at the rent/buy comparison. Basically they said that if you find the right place and you want to live in it for a long long time and you can afford the payments then now could still be a good time to buy. Well, duh!<p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-223">0</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> Is that a rhetorical question? I think everyone knows that Vancouver is overpriced. Thats why sales have dropped off and you’re starting to see news of a peak or bubble in the mainstream media.

Even realtors and marketers are pushing the limits of logic. I saw an article on the cover of a local real-estate rag that looked at the rent/buy comparison. Basically they said that if you find the right place and you want to live in it for a long long time and you can afford the payments then now could still be a good time to buy. Well, duh!

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]]> By: DEFAULT NAME http://vancouvercondo.info/2006/08/is-vancouver-severely-unaffordable.html#comment-222 DEFAULT NAME Sat, 19 Aug 2006 00:36:00 +0000 http://vancouvercondo.info/?p=52#comment-222 Lets pave over english bay.<br/><br/>Think of the views!<p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-222">0</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> Lets pave over english bay.

Think of the views!

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]]> By: the pope http://vancouvercondo.info/2006/08/is-vancouver-severely-unaffordable.html#comment-221 the pope Fri, 18 Aug 2006 22:41:00 +0000 http://vancouvercondo.info/?p=52#comment-221 kam:<br/><br/>didn't you know? There are latte-making robots now. No need for baristas!<br/><br/>They still need to perfect the robotic personal assistants to throw diamond-encrusted blackberries at though.<p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-221">0</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> kam:

didn’t you know? There are latte-making robots now. No need for baristas!

They still need to perfect the robotic personal assistants to throw diamond-encrusted blackberries at though.

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]]> By: kam http://vancouvercondo.info/2006/08/is-vancouver-severely-unaffordable.html#comment-220 kam Fri, 18 Aug 2006 22:24:00 +0000 http://vancouvercondo.info/?p=52#comment-220 d_oush-<br/><br/>ok, good luck selling that condo to a movie star, but who's going to make them their latte's if the barista's cant afford to live here?<p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-220">0</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> d_oush-

ok, good luck selling that condo to a movie star, but who’s going to make them their latte’s if the barista’s cant afford to live here?

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]]> By: D_Oush http://vancouvercondo.info/2006/08/is-vancouver-severely-unaffordable.html#comment-219 D_Oush Fri, 18 Aug 2006 22:22:00 +0000 http://vancouvercondo.info/?p=52#comment-219 Maybe it's severely unaffordable (or in danger of getting that way) for people that live here, but what about people who bring money in from the outside? I would think that with oil money, foreign industry wealth or movie star salaries Vancouver is still a great deal.<p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-219">0</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> Maybe it’s severely unaffordable (or in danger of getting that way) for people that live here, but what about people who bring money in from the outside? I would think that with oil money, foreign industry wealth or movie star salaries Vancouver is still a great deal.

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]]> By: kam http://vancouvercondo.info/2006/08/is-vancouver-severely-unaffordable.html#comment-218 kam Fri, 18 Aug 2006 22:16:00 +0000 http://vancouvercondo.info/?p=52#comment-218 yes, I think it's bloody absurd. I think maybe its time to check out buffalo or rochester.<p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-218">0</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> yes, I think it’s bloody absurd. I think maybe its time to check out buffalo or rochester.

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