Vancouver, how do you do it?

[Dgodus]

It's been raining here past 5 days, gonna keep up through this weekend. We've had a few breaks of an hour here or there, but for the most part none stop. Can't even walk the dog down to the store or play with him the yard (way too dirty). Got my clubs all cleaned as a couple driving ranges and one of the par 3 courses opened, but that idea is shot to heck now. Getting really bummed out, haven't even bothered to change out of pajamas last few days. Glad I didn't take the tent off the hot tube when it was nice last week.

HOW DO YOU COPE WITH THIS CRAP?! I need some outside!

 

[nickcan]

You are the exception as everybody loves it here.
No problem finding somebody to pay $700 sq/ft for a condo and $1.5+million for a rodent infested home on the west side.

 

[87112]

Yeah I hear you. I recently took a trip down to Albuquerque New Mexico area to see if someday I want to move there. Answer- hell flipping yes. 300 days of sun and not as hot as Texas or Arizona and more space than you can ever imagine. The whole state has only 2 million people and cost of living is dirt cheap compared to Bring cash BC. Why would anyone want to retire in BC unless you have to have 1 million Chinese restaurants to choose from. You can raise horses and a small ranch just 15-20 mins drive from the city center of Albuquerque and still have all that a city has to offer. And that ranch part is probably the cost of a crack shack in Vancouver. I sound like ITB dont I?

 

[doctorkoma]

If I owned real estate in Vancouver right now, I would get out now. I expect the crash to lop 20 percent of the prices.
Do not even consider buying. Just a warning

 

[Dgodus]

You are the exception as everybody loves it here.
No problem finding somebody to pay $700 sq/ft for a condo and $1.5+million for a rodent infested home on the west side.

I'm not in Vancouver, I'm on the east coast at the moment. I just heard it rains lots in Vancouver, so I'm asking. I'm not used to this.

 

[vancity_cowboy]

i had an ole timer of a neighbour say to me once that if you're gonna let the rain stop you from doin' things in vancouver, you should blow yer brains out right now and save yerself a life of misery!

he told me to get boots and rain gear and git out and DO IT! he fished, hunted, skied and played old timer's soccer all year long, and died a peaceful death at 90

one of my personal heroes

 

[Ray]

New Mexico would be a nice place to visit, but I can't live anyplace that gets too hot. It's funny what you get accustomed to.
On a rainy weekend, I enjoy going to the Granville Island Market food court for a nice bowl of soup at the 'Stock Market'.
Go watch a movie. Meet friends at a pub. Always lots to do.

 

[Oldfart]

Rain is just liquid sunshine.

 

[Elmore]

Vegas, Albuquerque, Phoenix...all the same thing to me. Boring desert. Don't get me wrong. I recently bought a place in Scottsdale but to live there year round, I would feel like I was in prison. 6 months in beautiful Vancouver and 6 months there and it's all good.

 

[vince_chase]

how we cope?

It's been raining here past 5 days, gonna keep up through this weekend. We've had a few breaks of an hour here or there, but for the most part none stop. Can't even walk the dog down to the store or play with him the yard (way too dirty). Got my clubs all cleaned as a couple driving ranges and one of the par 3 courses opened, but that idea is shot to heck now. Getting really bummed out, haven't even bothered to change out of pajamas last few days. Glad I didn't take the tent off the hot tube when it was nice last week.

HOW DO YOU COPE WITH THIS CRAP?! I need some outside!

i grew up in California, moved here when i was 14. it is funny, when you live in a place that is sunny most of the time, you don't think about how nice it is, you just get use to it.

if you take all things considered, Vancouver is an awsome place, yes, the rain can be annoying sometimes, however, the by product of rain gives BC one of the few places in the world with really cheap electricity, clean water and also the greenary, lots of parks with green grass.
in very few places in the world, you can go spring sking in the morning and in the afternoon go ocean sailing and then sit on the beach and read a book and sun bath(yes, i have done just that).

in a lot of southwestern US, having grass in your front lawn is a luxary, lots of parks have little or no grass. water uasge will cost you.

I love sun and desert, vacation once in a while is fine, but, to live in an always hot environment will take away the novelty.

my $0.02.

 

[Papa Chongo]

5 Days? It's only been ranging since Monday afternoon in my world and I travel between Surrey and Richmond, I love the rain at this time of year, the landscape looks amazing!

It's been raining here past 5 days, gonna keep up through this weekend. We've had a few breaks of an hour here or there, but for the most part none stop. Can't even walk the dog down to the store or play with him the yard (way too dirty). Got my clubs all cleaned as a couple driving ranges and one of the par 3 courses opened, but that idea is shot to heck now. Getting really bummed out, haven't even bothered to change out of pajamas last few days. Glad I didn't take the tent off the hot tube when it was nice last week.

HOW DO YOU COPE WITH THIS CRAP?! I need some outside!

 

[AA_Train]

It comes with living in Vancouver the way 40c days goes with being in Phoenix. this winter it bothered me because we didn't get that much sunshine. Right now the Rain is nothing because it is expected this time of year. If it did this in the summer I would go crazy. The way I see it, we get 8 months on horrible grey for 4 months of the most vibrant colours imaginable. Canadian Paradise.

 

[87112]

Screw the landscape of green Vancouver. I like to participate in life and not look at things.

Like today and right now I want to ride my motorcycle and guess whats its 53 degrees and damp and gloomy. Locked in. I actually prefer to participate in fun and not stare at how green the trees are around here.

When you are at your deathbed are you going to remember those awesome green trees in your yard or how you could play golf, ride horses, ride a 0 to 60 in 3.5 seconds motorcycle year round and not get screwed by mother nature.

 

[AngelaAurora]

Rain is just liquid sunshine.

Nice, I like how you think!

 

[luvsdaty]

It's been raining here past 5 days, gonna keep up through this weekend. We've had a few breaks of an hour here or there, but for the most part none stop. Can't even walk the dog down to the store or play with him the yard (way too dirty). Got my clubs all cleaned as a couple driving ranges and one of the par 3 courses opened, but that idea is shot to heck now. Getting really bummed out, haven't even bothered to change out of pajamas last few days. Glad I didn't take the tent off the hot tube when it was nice last week.

HOW DO YOU COPE WITH THIS CRAP?! I need some outside!

If you're born here you don't even notice it.

 

[Dgodus]

Exactly. Why move to a coastal rain forest and bitch about the rain. As people have pointed out. Plenty of choices if you like arid desert climate. Pacific North West is a green oasis on a parched weather map of North America. If you hate rain and love sunshine, move to Alberta, Arizona or pretty much anywhere east, and be happy.

As I said, I'm not in Vancouver, I'm somewhere it doesn't rain all the time, I'm going bananas being cooped up :doh:

 

[DavidMR]

If I owned real estate in Vancouver right now, I would get out now. I expect the crash to lop 20 percent of the prices.
Do not even consider buying. Just a warning

I think you're right, maybe even a little low in terms of a mere 20% drop. Prices in Vancouver have been out of line with rent to price ratios for decades, but eventually there comes a day of reckoning when portfolios have to be rationalized.

Unfortunately, there's an entire industry, including people in the media and even academia, who are involved in putting forward the theory that the Vancouver market is just so unique that nothing else really matters.

A few years ago, when materials prices were pretty much at their peak, I was told that actual construction costs for concrete apartment buildings had crept over the $200 per square foot mark. So the rest of your $600 or $700 per square foot is NOT a production cost, but a price paid for underlying property. That price is not determined by any resource scarcities, it's determined by supply and demand factors that are highly variable, zoning on the supply side and buyer psychology on the demand side.

 

[vancity_cowboy]

When you are at your deathbed are you going to remember those awesome green trees in your yard or how you could play golf, ride horses, ride a 0 to 60 in 3.5 seconds motorcycle year round and not get screwed by mother nature.

lol pardner... you ain't gonna die in bed with a 0-60 in 3.5 seconds crotch rocket in your possession - and you won't be remembering shit when it happens!

 

[vince_chase]

housing price drop

I think you're right, maybe even a little low in terms of a mere 20% drop. Prices in Vancouver have been out of line with rent to price ratios for decades, but eventually there comes a day of reckoning when portfolios have to be rationalized.

Unfortunately, there's an entire industry, including people in the media and even academia, who are involved in putting forward the theory that the Vancouver market is just so unique that nothing else really matters.

A few years ago, when materials prices were pretty much at their peak, I was told that actual construction costs for concrete apartment buildings had crept over the $200 per square foot mark. So the rest of your $600 or $700 per square foot is NOT a production cost, but a price paid for underlying property. That price is not determined by any resource scarcities, it's determined by supply and demand factors that are highly variable, zoning on the supply side and buyer psychology on the demand side.

Vancouver housing price dropping 20%? i agree that for condos and townhouses. as far as detached homes, i do not see that at all.
for people coming from Asia or other high density countries, the detached homes here are a bargain. 1-2 million CDN is nothing.
of course, i am not talking about your average person here, i am refering to the top 5-10% of people from Taiwan,China,Japan,India or Middle East.
For a lot of these people, Vancouver IS UNIQUE, believe it or not.These people will continue to dictate our house pricing.

For example, last year, because of my work, i had to spent some time with our Chinese partners/investors and show them around Vancouver. These senior level Chinese Party members were blown away with Vancouver and its fresh air,clean water and space. All i keep on hearing from these people were that they want to retire here...etc. I have also been to various parts of Asia due to work and I can tell you that other parts of the world is not in very good shape as far as living condition goes.

anyways, we have a good thing here, however, the secret is out. I can not remember now where i read this stat, but,it has been estimated that lower mainland population will double in the next 10 years - if you have a house in vancouver, watch it go up!

 

[DavidMR]

For a lot of these people, Vancouver IS UNIQUE, believe it or not.These people will continue to dictate our house pricing.

Everyone who owns or sells RE in Vancouver agrees, or wants to agree with your assessment.