If there’s one thing our city does well, it’s outdoor dining featuring scrumptious menus. With summer finally here, what better way to enjoy Pacific Northwest cuisine than by lounging on Vancouver’s best patios! From swanky chic to tucked away, the Lower Mainland offers some of the best patios with the coolest vibes. Check out our curated list to find your next favourite spot to relax, nibble and sip.

Joe Fortes

Roof top dining doesn’t get any better than Joe Fortes. This steak and seafood institution nestled just off Robson Street on Thurlow delivers consistently delicious West Coast fare, and their spacious patio overlooking the famed shopping district on Robson is outfitted with its own bar, umbrellas, and heaters.

The Roof

For late-night drinks and grilled meat-and-seafood dining, The Roof at Black + Blue Steakhouse in the heart of downtown on Alberni Street features open pit fireplace tables. Its distinctly modern vibe for a sophisticated experience is courtesy of the Glowbal Restaurant Group.

Minami

Minami’s hidden patio in Yaletown is like stepping into a private garden. Relax in a true urban oasis while dining on their signature flame-seared sushi, made to perfection by trained Japanese chefs with Ocean Wise fare.

The Galley Patio & Grill

Take in Vancouver’s breathtaking beach and mountain views from The Galley Patio & Grill at the Jericho Sailing Club. Known for their beachside vibe, Burger Bar, and locally crafted beer and BC wine list, The Galley is the perfect chill spot to while away an afternoon or take in the sunset.

The Sandbar

Cozy up in complimentary blankets under the Granville Street bridge at The Sandbar on Granville Island. Enjoy the fresh seafood-inspired menu by Chef Cooper Green on their covered, elevated patio; complete with fireplace and views of the boats passing in False Creek Harbour.

What’s your favourite summer patio in Vancouver? Share with us on Facebook!

Image credit: Glowbal Group

Known fondly around town as “Kits”, the neighbourhood has undergone several personality shifts since the early 1800s when the Squamish people moved into the area. Named for their chief August Jack Khatsahlano, the area stretches between West Point Grey, Fairview and is bordered by the south shore of English Bay. Largely residential, the remnants of a 1920s apartment boom is still apparent in the Tudor Revival along Cornwall Ave. But beyond the eclectic mix of architectural styles that make up the neighbourhood, Kits is better known for its two main retail areas along West 4th Avenue and West Broadway, restaurants, and organic specialty stores.

History

Two of Kitsilano’s best known landmarks were constructed in the 1930s: the outdoor saltwater public pool right on Kits Beach and the Burrard Bridge that irrevocably expanded downtown Vancouver to the Westside. After the Squamish people relinquished their hold on the reserve land to the federal government in 1946, Kits went through a hippy phase in the 60s as an inexpensive place to live. The Naam restaurant at 4th and Macdonald still stands as a reminder of those days, serving up vegetarian, vegan and natural foods.

Today

Kits still plays host to Greek Day and the outdoor Shakespeare festival Bard on the Beach in Vanier Park as a testament to the area’s varied cultural past. Slowly gentrified by yuppies and young families, the neighbourhood retains a relaxed atmosphere with easy access to 17 beaches, parks, and close in proximity to both downtown and Granville Island. It’s also home to current and former famous residents David Suzuki, actors Ryan Reynolds and Joshua Jackson, and hockey players Trevor Linden and Ryan Kesler. Not to mention that Kitsilano is fittingly the birthplace of famed yoga brand Lululemon Athletica.

Keep an eye out for our listings in lovely Kitsilano! Looking for something even more posh? Read our spotlight on Shaughnessy. You can always contact us for a consultation, as well.

The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver released their May numbers, which show no signs of slowing. Though they’re still being outpaced by home buyer demand, sellers are increasing their activity to the point where sales were 35.3% above the 10-year sales average for the month -- the highest sales on record for May.

There were 4,769 residential property sales listed on MLS®, a 17.6% increase from May 2015 and only a marginal 0.3% decline from April this year. REBGV president Dan Morrison attributes sales to our strong economy. “Economic and job growth in Metro Vancouver is out performing most regions in the country. This is helping to underpin today’s activity,” Morrison said. The result: more record-breaking numbers.

May 2016 By The Numbers:

New Listings (detached, attached, and apartment): 6,289

11.5% increase from May 2015

2.6% decrease from April 2016

Total Active listings on MLS®: 7,726

37.3% decline from May 2015

2.3% increase from April 2016

Sales-to-Active-Listings ratio: 61.7%

Benchmark price for all residential properties: $889,100

29.7% increase from May 2015

Benchmark price for a detached property is $1,513,800

36.9% increase from May 2015

Detached property sales totaled 1,865

8.2% increase from May 2015

Benchmark price for an apartment property is $485,000

22.3% increase from May 2015

Apartment property sales totaled 2,150

34.4% increase from May 2015

Benchmark price for an attached unit is $632,400

24.9% increase from May 2015

Attached property sales totaled 754

2.9% increase from May 2015

For a complete comparison, visit rebgv.org. Want to sell, buy, or require a consultation? Contact me today.

*REBGV Editor’s Note: Areas covered by Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver include: Whistler, Sunshine Coast, Squamish, West Vancouver, North Vancouver, Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, Richmond, Port Moody, Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam, New Westminster, Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge, and South Delta.

Current as of June 02, 2016. All data from the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver. Powered by ShowingTime 10K. Percent changes are calculated using rounded figures.

* This represents the total of the Vancouver - West area, not the sum of the areas above.

Current as of June 02, 2016. All data from the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver. Powered by ShowingTime 10K. Percent changes are calculated using rounded figures

* This represents the total of the Vancouver - West area, not the sum of the areas above.

Current as of June 02, 2016. All data from the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver. Powered by ShowingTime 10K. Percent changes are calculated using rounded figures.

* This represents the total of the Vancouver - West area, not the sum of the areas above.

Current as of June 02, 2016. All data from the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver. Powered by ShowingTime 10K. Percent changes are calculated using rounded figures

Note: $0 means that there is no sales activity, not $0 as an MLS® HPI Benchmark Price.

Note: $0 means that there is no sales activity, not $0 as an Average Price Per Square Foot.

Current as of June 02, 2016. All data from the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver. Powered by ShowingTime 10K. Percent changes are calculated using rounded figures.

In celebration of the best guy around, we’ve rounded up our favourite boys’ day out activities to make Sunday, June 19th unforgettable this year.

Our Top Five Things To Do This Father’s Day Weekend

1. Kick off the weekend with a BC Lions football game versus the Calgary Stampeders Friday, June 17th. Get your tickets here! More of a European football fan? The Vancouver Whitecaps are playing New England Revolution Saturday, June 18th, tickets available here.
 
2. More the adventurous type? Have lunch 2,000 feet above sea level. About an hour’s drive from Vancouver, the 11km adventure hike that is the renowned Stawamus Chief overlooks the town of Squamish with spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and water. Choose from old-growth forest trail or one with views of Shannon Falls. Feeling particularly daring? The front face of the Chief is popular for experienced rock climbers.
 
3. If chilling’s more the order of the day, stop by The Liberty Distillery’s Cocktail Lounge on Granville Island. Sip one of the Distillery’s artisanal premium spirits, handcrafted on site “from grain to glass” at the 110-year-old antique bar. Service starts at 11am; meaning on boys’ day, any time is a good time to try the good stuff.
 
4. Get cultural and take in a play at the annual Bard on the Beach festival. There are two preview performances of award-winning The Merry Wives of Windsor on Sunday, June 19th. This classic tale of mischief and sweet revenge is set against the beautiful back-drop of mountains and water at the Bard tents in Kitsilano’s Vanier Park. For more performances, check the official schedule here.
 
5. A short, thirty-minute drive out of the city will have you on the Redwoods Golf Course doorstep. This lush, 18 hole Ted Locke Championship course offers breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains beyond the tree-lined green. Redwoods also offers a Driving Range, the Grill, and flexible bookings from a one-time tee time to seasons’ passes.
 

No matter how you choose to spend your guys’ day, we wish you and all the dads out there a Happy Father’s Day!

Photo credit: Juan Gomez

Thank you to the Jewish Independent for featuring us in last week's paper! If the image is difficult to view, we've transcribed the exerpt below. 

"A power couple in real estate: Andrew and Jill Hasman are experts in West Side homes.

 

Handsome couple. Jill and Andrew Hasman, eh? And a handsome couple handsomely coupled in marriage as they are partners in their highly successful real estate firm, Andrew Hasman and Associates, serving this community for more than 20 years. “And we’re also married 20 years,” adds Jill.

Andrew, born in England. Jill, in Winnipeg. But this town is where they met, married and merged professionally. Inevitable, I figure, that Andrew and Jill chose professional independence. “I’m from an entrepreneurial family,” says Andrew. “My parents were always self-employed,” says Jill. Like parents, like progeny!

As real estate-nik partners, Andrew explains he’s more the business side ... “market specifics and property valuations.” Jill ... “I tune up the house for resale, provide the craftspeople and coordinate the necessary tasks to get a home ready and in order for topdollar resale.”

Metro Vancouver is the Hasman beat, so to speak, “but our expertise is in West Side home sales,” concludes the couple. And I’ll conclude as I began ... a couple, indeed, most handsome!"

Spring is out of the gate at top speeds. The March numbers are in, and they’re breaking new records. Residential property sales in the Lower Mainland totalled 5,173 this past month: a whopping 56% above the 10-year sales average for March. They were up by 24% from February alone (4,172 sales), and 27.4% up from the 4,060 sales in March 2015.

“Strong job and economic growth in our province, positive net migration and low interest rates are helping to drive this activity,” said Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver’s new president, Dan Morrison. Morrison, who started his tenure as the REBGV’s fearless leader last month, went on to explain that the demand is broad-based. Meaning sales aren’t concentrated in one particular neighbourhood, which is great news for sellers looking to get their properties on the market.

There were a total of 6,278 new listings in March, covering detached, attached, and apartment properties across Metro Vancouver. It’s a moderate 5.2% increase from the same time last year, and an 8% increase from February. What’s interesting, is that the total number of properties for sale is 7,358; a dramatic 40.5% decline from March 2015.

The Rest At a Glance:

Benchmark price for all residential properties: $815,000
23.2% increase from March 2015

Benchmark price for a detached property is $1,342,500
27.4% increase from March 2015

Detached property sales totaled 2,135
24.8% increase from March 2015

Benchmark price for an apartment property is $462,800
18.8% sales increase from March 2015

Apartment property sales totaled 2,252
38.4% increase from March 2015

Benchmark price for an attached unit is $589,100
20.1% increase from March 2015

Attached property sales totaled 786
8.9% increase from March 2015

For a complete comparison, visit rebgv.org. Want to sell, buy, or require a consultation? Contact me today.

*REBGV Editor’s Note:  Areas covered by Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver include: Whistler, Sunshine Coast, Squamish, West Vancouver, North Vancouver, Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, Richmond, Port Moody, Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam, New Westminster, Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge, and South Delta.

If it’s been a while since you listened to the radio, make the next time you turn up the dial The Early Edition with host Rick Cluff on CBC Television. His take on local news as well as the influence of international affairs on our local communities in the Lower Mainland are spot on. One particular podcast caught our attention recently, when Cluff spoke with several experts around the globe about the current state of our real estate market. The round table discussion puts an interesting perspective on our market as part of the whole. Read on, or listen to the full podcast here.

Demand keeps rising for the diminishing supply of homes on the Vancouver market. Despite being a historically slower month, November’s numbers only dipped by 3.3% since October and closed at the highest they’ve been for residential property sales in 9 years, as well as the second highest on record (46.2% above the 10-year sales average). According to MLS®, there were 3,524 sales in Metro Vancouver; a 40.1% increase compared to the 2,516 sales in November 2014.

Working with a realtor has never been so important as it is in the current state of the market. To compete with the high demand and fewer housing choices, fully understanding the options out there is where your realtor is an invaluable resource. “Demand remains strong and there are housing options at different price points throughout the region,” affirms the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver’s president Darcy McLeod.

To give you an idea of how this record-breaking month came to pass, here’s November by the numbers:

New Listings (detached, attached, and apartment) for November: 3,392
12.5% increase from November 2014

Total Active listings on MLS®: 8,096
35% decline from November 2014

Sales-to-Active-Listings ratio: 43.5%

Benchmark price for all residential properties in Metro Vancouver is $752,500
17.8% increase from November 2014

Benchmark price for a detached property is $1,226,300
22.6% increase from November 2014

Detached property sales totaled 1,335
31.9% since November 2014 and 44.2% since November 2013

Benchmark price for an apartment property is $435,000
14% increase from November 2014

Apartment property sales totaled 1,553
47.6% increase from November 2014

Benchmark price for an attached unit is $536,600
11.3% increase from November 2014

Attached property sales totaled 636
40.7% increase from November 2014

For a complete comparison, visit rebgv.org. Want to sell, buy, or require a consultation? Contact me today.

*REBGV Editor’s Note:  Areas covered by Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver include: Whistler, Sunshine Coast, Squamish, West Vancouver, North Vancouver, Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, Richmond, Port Moody, Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam, New Westminster, Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge, and South Delta.

Whether it’s catching some waves, rays, or whatever adventure is around the next bend, there’s  a beach getaway for every taste.

1. Barbados boasts 60 beaches to choose from. Surf’s up on the east coast whereas true R & R seekers will prefer calmer waters on the west coast. Besides being one of the most sophisticated tropical islands in the Caribbean--dressing up for dinner is an honoured tradition--Barbados offers spelunking and reef diving for thrill-seekers and rum plantation tours for history enthusiasts. There’s also a Food, Wine & Rum Festival mid-November for the foodies. 

2. Tried and true, Hawaii has something new to offer on Oahu’s North Shore. A Courtyard by Marriott has set up shop for easy-access to some of the best stretch of beach on the island. Historically a world-class surfing mecca, the North Shore hosts the world’s premier surfing competitions during peak, winter months. Too much sun (if there’s such a thing), surf, and sand? The Polynesian Cultural Center is close by.  

3. Avoid the bustle of more frequented European beaches for Lanzarote, easternmost of the Spanish Canary Islands, this jewel is steeped in art-based history and known as the Island of Eternal Spring. Host to Europe’s first underwater museum, a perfect homage to artist and architect Cesar Manrique’s birthplace, Lanzarote also features El Diablo; a restaurant atop an active volcano. In case the beach wasn’t hot enough.  

4. Arguably one of Canada’s most famous spots, Long Beach, Vancouver Island is host to pristine beaches, ancient rainforests, abundant wildlife, and indulgent spas. A UNESCO biosphere reserve, Long Beach is also best for storm watching during the winter months; the perfect cozy activity from inside one of the island’s premier resorts, the Wickaninnish Inn.     

5. We’re just heading into peak season at Ngapali Beach, Myanmar. Lasting through March, the “winter” here offers idyllic palm-lined white sand and clear blue water beaches. Off the Bay of Bengal, Myanmar’s premier beach getaway is the get-away-from-it-all spot. Caught between fishing village charm and world-renowned accommodations, Ngapali appeals to sunbathers, peace-seekers, and watersport aficionados alike.

Where’s your best beach getaway spot? Share with us!