Vancouver Sun November 12th, 2011

403 – 2475 York Ave., Vancouver

Type: 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom apartment
Size: 1,087 sq. ft.
B.C. Assessment, 2011: $768,000
Listed for: $799,900
Sold for: $950,000
Sold on: Sept. 20
Days on market: 13
Listing agent: Spice Lucks at RE/MAX Real Estate Services
Buyers agent: Jane Donnelly at Macdonald Realty Kerrisdale

The big sell: The latest report from the Greater Vancouver Real Estate Board depicts a more balanced housing market compared to October 2010: the number of properties listed has increased, but sales have declined. However, the benchmark price for the past 12 months has risen by 7.5 per cent on the back of sales such as this Kitsilano condo, which fetched $150,000 over the asking price. The reasons behind this particular price hike? A picture-perfect Kitsilano vantage point with an exposure that showcases ocean, city and mountain views from a top-floor, corner unit that has two private patios, including one that is 700 square feet. The interior has generously proportioned rooms — making it ideal for “up-sizers” or “downsizers” — as well as hardwood floors, a natural gas fireplace and in-suite laundry. The home comes with two parking spots, a storage locker and a prime location close to West Fourth Avenue and the beach.

732 Sydney Ave., Coquitlam

Type: 5-bedroom, 4-bathroom, detached
Size: 3,796 sq. ft.
B.C. Assessment, 2011: $726,000
Listed for: $1.438 million
Sold for: $1.435 million
Sold on: Sept. 15
Days on market: 32
Listing agent: Marla Murati at Sutton Group — West Coast Realty
Buyers agent: Hedy Ting at RE/MAX City Realty

The big sell: This house in the Coquitlam neighbourhood of the Vancouver Golf Course was built in 1960 on a 10,000-square-foot lot. However, a complete redesign of the property was undertaken this year: the home was taken back to the studs and foundation, rebuilt and extended. This capitalized on the solid bones of the structure, but enabled modern high-end finishing to be carried out to current building codes. In this case, that saw a new roof, insulation, drywall, plumbing, heating, electrical and air conditioning installed. The interior has clean lines and contemporary touches with hardwood flooring throughout, sliding glass doors that open to a covered patio, and a kitchen with a grand island, solid wood cabinets, CaesarStone countertops and commercial grade stainless steel Thermador appliances. The bathrooms has floor-to-ceiling Italian marble and glass tiles. The garden is well-manicured, and there is an attached double garage.

9233 Ferndale Rd., Richmond

Type: 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom apartment

Size: 1,046 sq. ft.

B.C. Assessment, 2011: $445,000

Listed for: $450,000

Sold for: $450,000

Sold on: Sept. 15

Days on market: 1

Listing agent: Harris First at Macdonald Realty Westmar

Buyers agent: Eric Kong at Royal Pacific Realty Corp.

The big sell: According to listing agent Harris First, this three-bedroom condo in Richmond’s Red 2 development sold within hours, with the buyer making an offer sight unseen. To ensure the best price for their home, the sellers had been diligent in preparing the property: The carpets had been shampooed, the bathroom vents and some of the kitchen appliances had been replaced. The interior had also been repainted and the sellers had vacated the property, thereby presenting a home in move-in condition with immediate possession. This penthouse unit has North Shore Mountain views, a south-facing master bedroom, cathedral ceilings in the living room and two parking stalls. Adding to the appeal is the fact that Red 2 allows rentals. Kwantlen Polytechnic University, shopping malls, restaurants and transit are within walking distance.

© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 15th, 2011 at 1:11 pm and is filed under Canada real estate news, Vancouver real estate. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.