Thanks for watching! What do you think about Vancouver Specials? Call/Text Direct - 604-831-4837 email: sebastian@albrechtgroup.ca www.calendly.com/albrechtgroup
Thanks for giving us the info on the Vancouver Special. I did not know what these were named until a couple years ago. See them all over the old neighbourhoods. Excellent video as always!
Thanks for your tour of the Vancouver special. Ive seen aot of really nice renovations driving around Vamcouver. They look really cool modernized. My house is similar in the suburbs. Same globe light in my kitchen, wood wall and fireplace in the living room.
First time I went to Canada/Vancouver, we stayed at the house of friend of my wife. This was 2012 and she lived in the basement area of a Vancouver Special. The elderly Italian lady lived upstairs had (most of) the downstairs converted in a little 1 bedroom apartment, after her kids moved out. They have since moved out, first to Mission, later to Vernon (both still in BC?) as the housing prices were getting to ridiculous levels…
Would love to introduce you to a friend of mine (elder than you and me0 who went back to Vancouver in 2017. I believe he's working as a business broker. Not sure what will come out of this, but was thinking you guys can be friends. Another great content from you bro. Thank you.
@PacRic-gs4of Yeah, definitely. Corner lots (whether for a Vancouver Special or not) would always be my preference. The other benefit for Vancouver Specials in particular are that since the garage/carport faces the side the backyard is an actual garden rather than just driveway.
Do they have asbestos in them? And how much does it cost to have an asbestos assessment and to seal or remove it. I love Vancouver specials you're right about the being so nice to modernize and customize and also they just make search for use of the space. Keep up your excellent work. I think if it was oversized it used to mean that if you wanted to rebuild you could only build a smaller place. Has that changed now with the new rules?
@PacRic-gs4of Just about every house in Vancouver built before the early 90s will have asbestos in them to varying degrees. The city of Vancouver requires anything that's being demolished to get tested for asbestos. That testing isn't particularly expensive. Nor is the disposal if it's found...at least not in terms of the overall cost of renovating a house in Vancouver these days.
Hi Sebastian. I've always loved the Specials, especially the ones that have been remodeled with a fresh look. The new allowance of a 4-plex on the same piece of land is the government's acknowledgment that they had something good in the Specials. There needs to be a solution to doing this and maintaining the neighborhood's nature. The government is making the 4-plex idea enticing since the prohibition against foreign buyers would not apply. What sort of rent can one reasonably expect by renting out the bottom of the Special? I suppose it matters how many bedrooms it offers? You may recall that we live in Calif. and are interested in finding someplace to escape the political upheaval, if necessary. Having a three-bedroom rental would be ideal for us. Even if we used it for vacations and ski trips, it would be great.
Hi @marcberrenson570! The rent for the "basement" of a Vancouver Special can vary pretty widely depending on how large it is, how many bedrooms and the neighborhood. But in general, rents will be higher than a typical basement suite because of how pleasant they can be (eg above ground and higher ceiling height). These days in a good area of East Vancouver a more recently renovated suite in a Vancouver Special could be $3500+.
@marcberrenson570 I'm not aware of the new density allowances being connected with the foreign buyer ban/tax at all. Are you able to share with me where you saw this?
@@LivingInVancouver-BC My understanding is that it's one of the named exclusions to the prohibition. I guess they'd consider it a "commercial" purchase, which is also excluded from the foreign ban.
I don't believe that's the case. As far as I'm aware, foreign entities are prohibited from purchasing any residential property whether one unit or four...but I could be wrong. It would something that a lawyer would need to verify...but I don't see that specifically mentioned as an exclusion in any of the documentation.
What is the price range of these Vancouver specials? Are they available in all Vancouver communities within the city proper? I really like these units, and when renovated, they look very modern and open.
@SamAntha-uz9of Haha...well, it's bound to happen. Vancouver Special's are everywhere in Vancouver and so many of us live (or have lived) in one (like I do now). Do you feel I missed anything?
@AlexSuperTramp- Yeah. There's definitely going to be fewer of them in 5 years but if Vancouver Specials are getting torn down in the next decade or so, it's not because people don't see value in them. It'll be almost exclusively because the land can get redeveloped (eg higher density can get built on the same property). These houses are the "new" character house that's getting renovated whenever a new family buys them.
Grew up in one in East Van. If I had the choice, no. Hollow walls where rats can freely run around, ugly popcorn ceilings, cheap kitchen and bathroom counter tops and cabinets. Locked windows in the basement are very easy to lift up and open from the outside. I also hated the rough surface exterior. The garage is separate from the house, very low ceilings....
only older Vancouverite knows what you are talking about. Facts prove that those clever people building these types of cost effective and practical houses were misunderstood, blamed and disliked decades ago!
![Vancouver’s Not for Everyone. Here’s Why. - [Living in Vancouver]](/img/n.gif)
Thanks for watching! What do you think about Vancouver Specials?
Call/Text Direct - 604-831-4837
email: sebastian@albrechtgroup.ca
www.calendly.com/albrechtgroup
Thanks for giving us the info on the Vancouver Special. I did not know what these were named until a couple years ago. See them all over the old neighbourhoods.
Excellent video as always!
Thanks for your tour of the Vancouver special. Ive seen aot of really nice renovations driving around Vamcouver. They look really cool modernized. My house is similar in the suburbs. Same globe light in my kitchen, wood wall and fireplace in the living room.
First time I went to Canada/Vancouver, we stayed at the house of friend of my wife.
This was 2012 and she lived in the basement area of a Vancouver Special. The elderly Italian lady lived upstairs had (most of) the downstairs converted in a little 1 bedroom apartment, after her kids moved out.
They have since moved out, first to Mission, later to Vernon (both still in BC?) as the housing prices were getting to ridiculous levels…
@Henry0870 Yep. Many Vancouverites will have lived in a Vancouver Special at one time or another!
Would love to introduce you to a friend of mine (elder than you and me0 who went back to Vancouver in 2017. I believe he's working as a business broker. Not sure what will come out of this, but was thinking you guys can be friends.
Another great content from you bro. Thank you.
If you choose one choose one on a corner lot because there is just so much more light coming into it especially because it's so deep.
@PacRic-gs4of Yeah, definitely. Corner lots (whether for a Vancouver Special or not) would always be my preference. The other benefit for Vancouver Specials in particular are that since the garage/carport faces the side the backyard is an actual garden rather than just driveway.
Very cool video! The only thing about van specials is that the ground floor/ basements always, always creep me out.
@bizarro604 I don't know...I find a basement in a typical character house to be WAY creepier. :) But glad to hear you enjoyed the video!
Awesome Info keep it coming Thank you
@ludvik01 Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it. :)
Do they have asbestos in them? And how much does it cost to have an asbestos assessment and to seal or remove it. I love Vancouver specials you're right about the being so nice to modernize and customize and also they just make search for use of the space. Keep up your excellent work. I think if it was oversized it used to mean that if you wanted to rebuild you could only build a smaller place. Has that changed now with the new rules?
@PacRic-gs4of Just about every house in Vancouver built before the early 90s will have asbestos in them to varying degrees. The city of Vancouver requires anything that's being demolished to get tested for asbestos. That testing isn't particularly expensive. Nor is the disposal if it's found...at least not in terms of the overall cost of renovating a house in Vancouver these days.
Hi Sebastian. I've always loved the Specials, especially the ones that have been remodeled with a fresh look. The new allowance of a 4-plex on the same piece of land is the government's acknowledgment that they had something good in the Specials. There needs to be a solution to doing this and maintaining the neighborhood's nature. The government is making the 4-plex idea enticing since the prohibition against foreign buyers would not apply. What sort of rent can one reasonably expect by renting out the bottom of the Special? I suppose it matters how many bedrooms it offers? You may recall that we live in Calif. and are interested in finding someplace to escape the political upheaval, if necessary. Having a three-bedroom rental would be ideal for us. Even if we used it for vacations and ski trips, it would be great.
Hi @marcberrenson570! The rent for the "basement" of a Vancouver Special can vary pretty widely depending on how large it is, how many bedrooms and the neighborhood. But in general, rents will be higher than a typical basement suite because of how pleasant they can be (eg above ground and higher ceiling height). These days in a good area of East Vancouver a more recently renovated suite in a Vancouver Special could be $3500+.
@marcberrenson570 I'm not aware of the new density allowances being connected with the foreign buyer ban/tax at all. Are you able to share with me where you saw this?
@@LivingInVancouver-BC My understanding is that it's one of the named exclusions to the prohibition. I guess they'd consider it a "commercial" purchase, which is also excluded from the foreign ban.
I don't believe that's the case. As far as I'm aware, foreign entities are prohibited from purchasing any residential property whether one unit or four...but I could be wrong. It would something that a lawyer would need to verify...but I don't see that specifically mentioned as an exclusion in any of the documentation.
And typically this is around 2M for an older Vancouver special im east Vancouver...
What is the price range of these Vancouver specials? Are they available in all Vancouver communities within the city proper? I really like these units, and when renovated, they look very modern and open.
That's my house, like literally my house
@SamAntha-uz9of Haha...well, it's bound to happen. Vancouver Special's are everywhere in Vancouver and so many of us live (or have lived) in one (like I do now). Do you feel I missed anything?
Thats cool you live in a Vancouver Special! I wonder how many there will be in just 5 years. Probably much less :(
@AlexSuperTramp- Yeah. There's definitely going to be fewer of them in 5 years but if Vancouver Specials are getting torn down in the next decade or so, it's not because people don't see value in them. It'll be almost exclusively because the land can get redeveloped (eg higher density can get built on the same property). These houses are the "new" character house that's getting renovated whenever a new family buys them.
@@LivingInVancouver-BC Makes a lot of sense!
👍
Grew up in one in East Van. If I had the choice, no. Hollow walls where rats can freely run around, ugly popcorn ceilings, cheap kitchen and bathroom counter tops and cabinets. Locked windows in the basement are very easy to lift up and open from the outside. I also hated the rough surface exterior. The garage is separate from the house, very low ceilings....
Well,if it's not a Vancouver special;then it's a monster house.😅
only older Vancouverite knows what you are talking about. Facts prove that those clever people building these types of cost effective and practical houses were misunderstood, blamed and disliked decades ago!