1903 – 1005 Beach Avenue

AT SUNSET BEACH! Tremendous views, beautiful 2 Bdrm + Den
Monthly Rent: $2300, Bedrooms: 2, Bathrooms: 2, Sq Footage: 1003

#3505 – 1328 W Pender

Deluxe 3 Bdrm 3 Bath SUB-PENTHOUSE
Monthly Rent: $3500, Bedrooms: 3, Bathrooms: 3, Sq Footage: 1705
Superior views of the North Shore Mountains, Stanley Park, Coal Harbour.  North West Corner suite – sub-penthouse.

#3105 – 1331 Alberni St

2 Bdrm View Suite in Coal Harbour
Monthly Rent: $2995, Bedrooms: 3, Bathrooms: 2, Sq Footage: 1200

Downtown Suites manages hundreds of unfurnished suites, ranging from basic downtown studios to luxurious waterfront penthouses.

In February, 09, Listings were as follows:
Houses – 203  with 49% sales to listings; Townhomes – 113 with 33% sales to listings; Apartments – 588   with 42% sales to listings.

Compare this with January, 09:
Houses – 195   with 24% sales to listings; Townhomes – 125  with 11% sales to listings; Apartments – 600  with 20% sales to listings.

Compare with February, 08:
Houses – 241  (sales to listings 57%); Townhomes – 105  (sales to listings 50%); Apartments – 726  (sales to listings 57%)

February, 09  Statistics on Sales
Houses – 100 sales,  $1,265,000 (median selling price)
Townhomes – 37 sales,  $580,000 (median selling price)
Apartments– 245 sales, $390,000 (median selling price)

January 09 Sales Statistics
Houses – 46 sales, $1,080,000 (median selling price)
Townhomes – 14 sales,   (median selling price n/a)
Apartments – 117 sales,  $420,000 (median selling price)

Compare this with last year, February, 08
Houses – 138 sales,  $1,625,000 (median selling price)
Townhomes – 52 sales, $717,000 (median selling price)
Apartments – 413 sales, $443,500 (median selling price)

The article:

Preening for the Olympics, Vancouver Is Building Up

By DAVE CALDWELL Published: December 4, 2008

EVEN when it rains hard in Vancouver, British Columbia, the host city for the next Olympic Games, big yellow backhoes at construction sites near Coal Harbour.…(view full article here)

Those involved in local real estate estimate that about 20 percent of those second-home buyers will be Americans. “We’re really livable, which is why America likes us,” said Bob Rennie, whose company, Rennie Marketing Systems, promotes several developments in Vancouver.

Click the link to view the stunning slide show “Building Vancouver’s Olympic Future” from today’s New York Times. It shows through spectacular photography the beauties of the city of Vancouver.

At Downtown Suites, we manage the properties of many non-resident investors who own in Vancouver.

The writing has been on the wall for several years.  I was amazed at the continued growth over the last few years… way beyond what we could sustain locally.  I also agree that if you buy thinking long term and view real estate as a place to live rather than a chip on the monopoly board you are not going to lose.  Before we reach the nadir of the market is when all the prime properties will get snapped up.

Contrary to the stats of other agents,  at Downtown Suites we have sold several properties now for our clients looking to cherry pick good opportunities.

I agree the market averages will decline into the second quarter but the “dogs” will be the ones driving the average prices down further.  There is always a market for blue chip properties and they always ultimately appreciate in value as the market rebounds.

My advice would be to keep your powder dry and get in touch with a good agent who specializes in the area you are interested in purchasing and be ready to make your move when you see something you like.

Don’t run scared of the real estate market, we’re not…we’re doing more sales now than before…with over 30 years experience we’ve seen it all before! Call or email your local success story: www.downtownsuites.com.

H&H: 414 1133 Homer St 2 Bedroom, 2 Bathroom, 1000sq ft., $2400

The Pointe: 1203-1331 W Georgia 1 Bedroom, 1 Bathroom, 553sq ft., $1350

Carrall Station: 402-1 E Cordova 1 Bedroom, 1 Bathroom, 585sq ft, $1350

The Kensington: 56-1386 Nicola 2 Bedroom, 2 Bathroom, 1335 sq ft, $2750

We have new listings coming on very frequently, so please visit our website on a regular basis.

Contact Theresa Prak at Downtown Suites for more info.

At Downtown Suites we can manage your property for you prior while you reside overseas and if you  visit during the Olympics you can choose to take possession of your suite.  Many individuals are thinking about retirment in Vancouver within the next 10 years or so. It is an idea that many worldly individuals dream about and it is a great idea for many reasons. Our economy is very strong and the price points in Vancouver are still considered reasonable compared to other world-class cities.

For those who have never visited our city, Vancouver is located along the West Coast of British Columbia and many of our downtown neighbourhoods are surrounded by water located along the seawall. As well we have beautiful breathtaking mountain views from many of the downtown locations. We have so many attractive neighbourhoods which  are desirable including; Downtown, Westend, Yaletown, Kitsilano, and West Side.

At Downtown Suites we can assist you in all aspects of purchasing  the perfect investment property.  We will help you to narrow down your search parameters including price point, square footage, location, amenities, view and other factors that may be important to you. In fact we can assist you with the sales transaction remotely. If you are a qualified purchaser we assist with all of the documentation and paper work by email and fax.

Once we have found the perfect property for you we will make the purchase as simple as possible for you from beginning to end. We take a personal interest in our clients and will look out for your interests  from negotiating the right price point for you, presenting the offer, and ultimatley  closing the deal. We have a team of professionals with whom we work closely including Mortgage Specialists, Lawyers, Notaries, and Home Inspectors.

We are a fully licensed Property Management and Real Estate company that will professionally  manage your property for you in all aspects including: advertising and finding a qualified tenant, collecting rents, managing tenants, maintenance issues which may arise. Please refer to our website for additional information on our Property Management and Real Estate Services www. downtownsuites.com.

I am a  members of the Vancouver Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver and Specialize in the Downtown Vancouver Real Estate Market. Specializing in working with overseas investors and tenant occupied properties. If you have any questions in regards to the acquisition or sale of an investment property in the Vancouver area or have any questions please do not hesistate to contact me directly.

Victoria Farrell

Sales Associate

Downtown Suites Ltd
www.downtownsuites.com
victoria@downtownsuties.com

For some time now at Downtown Suites we have been pleased to be working closely with successful realtor Maggie Chandler. Maggie’s work in the Vancouver Westside market and her specialization in condominiums, (specifically Downtown, Yaletown, West End, Coal Harbour, Kitsilano, False Creek and Fairview) fits well with our property management focus at Downtown Suites. We are grateful that she refers investment clients to us for their suite management.

Maggie was born in Barbados and has lived in Vancouver since 1973, and obtained her real estate license in 1981. In her over-25 years as a top producer, ranking in the Real Estate Board’s Top 1% for 4 of those years and top 10% for 17 years, including 2006 MLS Medallion Club Member, reveals her established knowledge and success. As well, over 70% of her business originates from repeat clients and their referrals, as Maggie has dedicated many years building lifetime relationships.

We are pleased and grateful to count Maggie Chandler as one of our professional colleagues. For more on Chandler Realty please check out her website.
(originally posted July 30, 2007)