| GLOBE & MAIL Asking Price: $599,000
Selling Price: $585,000
Taxes: $3,212 (2009)
Days on Market: 263
Listing Agent: Walter Wells, Sutton Group West Coast Realty
BY THOMASINA BARNES
"Life in the suburbs has its benefits," agent Walter Wells
says. And the greatest advantages are property and price, he
adds.
For example, "the price of a home in Tsawwassen, an upscale
suburb located just 30 kilometres south of Vancouver, is perhaps
one-third to one-half of what it would be in Vancouver," he
explains.
In the case of this home, "the land alone, an 80 by 121 foot
lot, would fetch more than $1.5 million in Vancouver," he says.
For less than half of that price, the new owners were able to
purchase the land and the 2,884 square foot home. There is also
a benefit that many may not know about, Mr. Wells says.
"Residents of Tsawwassen enjoy 30 percent less rainfall than
Vancouverites."
Tsawwassen is home to a terminal for BC Ferries, which
connects Vancouver to Victoria and the Gulf Islands. Plus, with
high-speed bus service, the commute to Vancouver takes only 30
minutes during rush hour, the agent says.
This is the first time to market for this five bedroom home
since the previous owner purchased it in 1966. "It was the
second home built on this street when it was surrounded by
forest," Mr. Wells says. Although the home is four decades old,
"it has been well maintained," he says.
Updates include new windows, "a fireplace with native BC
rocks from Squamish," a hot tub and an extended deck in the
landscaped yard. The home also has skylites, a second fireplace
and a master ensuite with a walk-in shower and soaker tub.
The new owners plan to "carry on" the upkeep and renovations,
Mr. Wells says. "They will start with a major renovation of the
kitchen, taking out the wall between the kitchen and dining room
and giving the home a more open feel," he says.
The home did take "an unusually long time to sell," the agent
says. He attributes this to the fact that, "the home was first
listed during the worst of the economic downturn." However, "its
sale, at long last, at 98 percent of the asking price is another
sign that the Vancouver real estate market is strenghtening," he
says.
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