As I walk around this city, I am repeatedly struck by the contrasts. Cafes filling orders for double soy lattes while outside a homeless person begs for a dime, a nickel, even a penny. Skies full of condos priced over the heads of most residents. Harbours afloat with multi-thousand dollar vessels while thousands of residents are sinking below the poverty line. Roadways clogged with Lexus, BMW's, Mercedes and other high-end speed machines. Boutique shops that cater to patrons who happily gobble up sale priced garments in the $500+ price range while my kids shop at Value Village.
According to a recent survey of Vancouver neighbourhoods and average annual household incomes, there are only two areas where we could afford to live...Strathcona($25,744) and the Downtown Eastside ($15,647). Even Mount Pleasant, where I grew up, has a higher annual average($41,467) than our pension income. Apparently the average household income in Vancouver is $68,000 and the average priced home is 11.2 times higher than that! The average price of a detached bungalow rose to $1.02 million last year.
We have been considering a move to the coast, closer to family as we age. There are still affordable possibilities to explore in outlying areas like White Rock, Coquitlam and Langley. The winter months would be easier and we could spend more time with our grandson. The challenge is finding a condo without leaky roofs, noisy neighbours and discordant strata councils.
Over coffee with a friend, we learned about another potential risk of living with others. One of her many part time occupations is to inspect rental apartments, searching for illegal operations such as meth labs, grow-ops and brothels! Many of the newer condo developments offer better soundproofing but allow the owners to rent, often to nefarious characters! A recent meth lab discovery in an eighth floor apartment led to extensive replacement of plumbing on all floors below. Hmmmh!
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