Sorry, Barenaked Ladies, but you'll need to win a whole lot more than a million dollars to feel rich here. For those of you looking for a starter home in Vancouver, the prices might shock you. Even for well over a $1,000,000, the reality is, you are looking at basic houses.
When searching for options, buying somewhere to live is next to impossible on a starter salary. Even if you look outside of the bustling city centre and head into the suburbs, prices remain sky-high.
On our bargain hunt, options at the million-dollar price point were extremely limited.
Not only were they cramped, but the old spaces needed a severe makeover — that is unless you like shag carpeting everywhere. Meanwhile, another house built in 1910 had a bathroom that looks worse than ones found at some dive bars.
To help you save up to purchase your first place to live, it could be a good idea to move into a cheap apartment. Over a year, saving a few hundred dollars each month adds up quickly and can go towards your downpayment instead.
To help you see the options available, here are some of the most affordable properties for sale around town:
Makeover-Ready
Price: $1,749,000
Address: 128 E. 45th Ave., Vancouver, BC
Description: Despite the expensive price tag, it might need more than a fresh coat of paint.
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Tiny Bungalow
Price: $1,108,000
Address: 3085 E. 18 Ave, Vancouver, BC
Description: It is a two-bedroom, one-floor building, with an unfinished basement.
Burnaby Heights Home
Price: $1,198,000
Address: 3623 Pandora St., Vancouver, BC
Description: Listed as the "lowest priced detached property in all of Vancouver", it the perfect example of the shocking reality of what a million will get you.
Time Warp House
Price: $1,050,000
Address: 3814 Marine Dr., Burnaby, BC
Description: Inside it is like a time warp to the 70s with shag carpet everywhere.
1912 Home
Price: $1,088,000
Address: 323 Miller St., Vancouver, BC
Description: Even out in East Van, a million dollars will get you a house with shoebox-sized rooms.
Fixer Upper
Price: $1,498,000
Address: 3870 Quebec St., Vancouver, BC
Description: Built-in 1910, this old house is in need of updates as there are holes and scratches covering the walls and cupboards.