Vancouver’s North Shore lacks Affordable ‘Detached Housing’
Condos, strata’s and all forms of ‘attached housing’ are being created as soon as developers can acquire and assemble suitable land. Despite this, there has been very little increase in affordable ‘detached’ housing (by affordable I mean by Vancouver standards).
The average detached house on the North Shore is well over $600,000. Without a suite or a ‘mortgage helper’ this is a hefty price tag for any first time home owner. This has been the main force stimulating demand for alternative shared housing as it is much more affordable to the average resident. In places like Central and Lower Lonsdale many single family detached lots are being divided into attached housing. Detached housing is being lost to Strata’s rather then being lost to more dense detached housing.
As detached housing brings with it a sense of pride of ownership and individualism (something no Strata can) I suggest that rather then a movement toward more ‘attached housing’ there needs to be smaller scale detached alternatives. I believe that lots that could house 2, 3 or even 4 detached houses (and they do exist on the North Shore) would make the perfect place to develop a small “detached housing community”. Rather then having shared internal walls this would allow residents to own ‘all four walls’, with a small lot, grass, and/or gardens all the way around the home. This would mean that owners do not have to pay monthly maintenance fees. A building scheme could be established to maintain the overall look, yet all owners would simply be responsible for their own home. Not only would this be a unique site, I think this could be quite esthetically pleasing and provide a sense of place for the community.
Although bound to stimulate the ‘NIMBY (not in my back yard) effect’ this development model would increase density and reduce the need for additional land expansion (which on the North Shore means going higher on the North Shore Mountains). Providing owners preserved local habitat utilizing domestic resources this would be more ecologically sensitive as it would save land. Housing 3 families in a place where normally only 1 lived would in essence save 2 parcels of real estate for other willing buyers.
My research and exposure to the real estate market has illustrated this shortage. When at Queen’s university working on my Bachelor of Arts Honors (Specializing in Urban Economic Geography) most of my research was in the area of housing and urban development. As a former builder, now working as realtor on the North Shore I have come across numerous individuals ready willing and able to purchase real estate. Most of these people, if not all, would prefer to have a detached home. The North Shore is one of the best but most expensive places in the world. As such, without increasing this type of housing first time buyers will be forced to settle for condo living.
My goal is to provide this type of housing in the years to come. Utilizing energy efficient materials I want to expand the types of real estate that I believe would make a positive impact to the North Shore community. In conjunction with excelling in marketing real estate I will continue to expand my efforts into working with architects, investors, local government, and developers to move toward more environmentally sensitive development models. Without turning to unconventional development models our impact on this desirable landscape may be irreversible.
By Joel Carcone
Re/Max Crest – North Shore
604-961-5365