Country Guides Country Guide: Canada

Date Published:

29/05/2008

A couple of hundred miles down the Trans-Canada Highway, which runs from the east to west coast, Vancouver is arguably Canada’s most progressive and ‘happening’ city. It is to host the 2010 Winter Olympics and over the past couple of decades has seen hundreds of millions of dollars of investment transform its formerly industrial port into an attractive and vibrant waterside scene.

Vancouver's Yaletown has posh condos at accessible prices

David Malkin of estate agents RE/MAX, said: 'Expo 96 introduced Vancouver to the world. Since then, areas like Coal Harbour have been completely regenerated from formerly being an industrial area. The next area to be remodelled is False Creek south riverfront, below Cambie Bridge. The Millennium Water development under construction will be the Olympic Athletes Village in 2010, and after the event it will be sold on the open market.'

The Vancouver success story of the last decade has been Yaletown, a former warehouse district just north of False Creek. The attractive red brick buildings have been converted into lofts, restaurants and boutiques, transforming and bringing vibrancy to the area. The uber-fashionable Opus Hotel lies at its heart – all Philippe Starck style furniture and attitude – and provides a focal point for the young, trendy and wealthy to see and be seen.

Property for sale in Yaletown includes a 1.5 bedroom condo (the .5 is a room big enough for a study/sofa bed) in the Tribeca building. Barely 18 months old, the stylish apartment is on the market for $429,000 (£241,000) through David Malkin RE/MAX. The current owner bought the apartment for $395,000 (£222,000) one year ago, a price increase of around eight per cent, which mirrors the citywide average property price increase year-on-year to end of May 2008, according to the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver.