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Homes by Lewis

Brent Lewis | Award-winning Vancouver REALTOR® | Medallion Club 10+ years | RE/MAX Select Properties | Your Home, My Priority! Call 778-888-9187.

09/11/2026

A small corner can change how a neighbourhood feels.

At Dunbar and 27th, the City of Vancouver has been testing a pilot neighbourhood plaza as part of its 2026 Neighbourhood Plazas Program.

The idea is simple: take a small piece of street space and see whether it can become a more useful place for people to stop, sit, meet, eat, rest, and spend time in the neighbourhood.

After its first summer as a pilot plaza, the public feedback period closed on September 1. That feedback will now help the City decide whether the space should remain, what should be improved, and whether more permanent features could be considered in the future.

For homeowners, these small local changes are worth watching.
They may not be as dramatic as a major zoning decision or a large development project, but they can still shape the way a block feels day to day.

Walkability, public space, local businesses, traffic flow, noise, safety, and the way people use a street all become part of the neighbourhood story.
And for buyers, that story often begins before they ever step inside the home.

Good real estate advice looks beyond the property line.
It understands the home, the block, and the neighbourhood around it.

Thinking about buying or selling on the West Side? I can help you understand what local details are worth paying attention to before you make your next move.

09/07/2026

For many Canadians, Labour Day feels like the unofficial end of summer.

But the story behind the day is much more interesting than a long weekend.

One of its Canadian roots goes back to 1872, when Toronto printers pushed for something that sounds modest today: a nine-hour workday. At the time, that was a serious demand - and not something workers could take for granted.
Even more surprising: organizing as workers could lead to arrest. The pressure from the 1872 printers’ strike helped lead to Canada’s Trade Union Act, which legalized and protected unions.

Labour Day also started as something very public. Before it became a quiet day off, it was marked by parades, rallies, and people gathering in the streets to celebrate workers and push for fairer conditions.

And here is a fact many people don’t know: Canada was not simply following the U.S. Labour Day tradition. Canadian Labour Day events helped shape the holiday south of the border as well.

By 1894, Labour Day became an official national holiday in Canada.

So today is not just a day to rest.
It is a reminder that time with family, safer workplaces, and fairer working conditions were built over generations - by people who believed life should include more than work.

Wishing everyone a restful and meaningful Labour Day.

09/03/2026

More Choice. Softer Prices. Less Competition.

Metro Vancouver closed the summer with another month of slower activity- and August gave buyers something they haven’t had in abundance for years: choice.

Only 1,869 homes sold in August, down 4.6% from last year and 20.7% below the 10-year seasonal average. At the same time, 15,798 properties remained on the market, putting inventory 26.2% above the 10-year average.

Prices are adjusting as well.
The Metro Vancouver benchmark price is now $1,081,900- down 5.6% year-over-year and another 0.6% from July.

One number is particularly worth watching: the sales-to-active listings ratio fell to 12.3% overall, and just 9.6% for detached homes. GVR notes that sustained ratios below 12% have historically been associated with downward pressure on prices.

So what does this mean?
For buyers, there is more selection, less competition, and more room to negotiate.
For sellers, this is no longer a market where simply listing a property and waiting is enough. Buyers have alternatives. Accurate pricing, strong presentation, and a clear strategy from day one matter increasingly.

The market may be quieter, but opportunity hasn’t disappeared- it has simply shifted.

If you’re considering buying or selling on Vancouver’s West Side, let’s look at what these conditions mean for your specific neighbourhood and property.

09/01/2026

Helping someone sell a home they’ve owned for more than 40 years is about much more than the transaction.
It requires trust, patience, experience, and an understanding of when to offer guidance and when to give clients the space they need to make the right decision for themselves.
I’m very grateful for these kind words and for the trust placed in me throughout the process.

If you’re considering a move and would like to talk through your options, I’m always happy to have a conversation.

08/27/2026

One of the biggest changes in real estate just happened.

RE/MAX and The Real Brokerage have officially come together under a new parent company, Real REMAX Group, creating one of the largest real estate organizations in the world.
It is a major corporate move, but I think the more interesting story is what it says about where our industry is heading.

Real estate is becoming larger, more connected and increasingly technology-driven. AI, better data, smarter marketing tools and faster communication are changing how we work and how clients experience the process.
But bigger companies and better technology do not replace the fundamentals.

Local knowledge. Experience. Good judgment. Strong negotiation. And having someone you trust representing your interests when the decisions become important.

The tools will keep changing. The companies may get bigger. But real estate will always remain a very personal business.
If you’re considering buying or selling on Vancouver’s West Side, I’d be happy to help you navigate your next move.

08/25/2026

5 Things You May Not Know About Kitsilano.

Kitsilano is known for its beach, West 4th and relaxed West Coast lifestyle. But behind today’s Kits is a surprisingly colourful history.

1. Kits Beach was once called Greer’s Beach, after settler Sam Greer, whose land dispute with the CPR became so heated he was jailed after shooting and wounding the sheriff sent to evict him.
2. In the 1890s, the beach became a summer “Tent Town,” where Vancouverites crossed English Bay to camp by the water. The tradition lasted more than 15 years.
3. The name Kitsilano has Squamish roots and was adapted into its present form in the early 1900s, becoming widely recognized through local streetcars.
4. Streetcars helped shape the neighbourhood. A line along West 4th to Alma opened the area to development, while the CPR began selling residential lots in 1909.
5. Around 1900, much of Kitsilano was still forested, with creeks, wildlife and significant salmon runs - a very different landscape from today’s beachside community.

Kitsilano continues to evolve, and I currently have two very different opportunities here: a fully renovated 2-bedroom home on West 5th, ready to enjoy, and a Macdonald & Broadway property offering rental income and long-term investment and redevelopment potential.

For details or a private showing, please contact me.

08/21/2026

As late August turns toward back-to-school season, West Side neighbourhoods begin to shift back into their daily rhythm.

Vancouver students return to school on Tuesday, September 8, which means families are already thinking about routines, routes, drop-offs, walking distance, and how the neighbourhood feels on a regular weekday.

For many buyers, especially families, the first impression starts before they ever walk through the front door.
They notice the street.
The sidewalks.
The crossings.
The traffic flow.
The school zones.
The way the block feels in the morning and afternoon.

The City of Vancouver has also added new school slow zones in 2026, including West Side locations near Crofton House / Kerrisdale Annex on Blenheim and Kitsilano on West 12th Ave.

For homeowners thinking about selling, this is a reminder that resale strategy is not only about the home itself.
It is also about timing, presentation, neighbourhood context, and understanding what matters to the people most likely to buy.

Good real estate advice looks beyond the property line.
It understands the daily rhythm of the neighbourhood around it.

Thinking about selling on the West Side? I can help you understand how your home, your block, and your neighbourhood should be positioned before going to market.

08/18/2026

How much of a presale purchase is actually settled when you sign the contract?

A recent Metro Vancouver case offers a useful reminder that an agreed purchase price is only one part of a presale transaction. Buyers in the Alfa development entered into contracts years before completion. Those contracts were later terminated, while the project was eventually completed as Prima and the units were sold to new purchasers at higher prices.

The original buyers challenged the termination and initially received more than $13 million in damages. That decision was later overturned by the B.C. Court of Appeal, and in July 2026 the Supreme Court of Canada declined to hear a further appeal.

For buyers, the case highlights why the details of a presale agreement matter. Completion dates, extension provisions, termination rights and other conditions can affect the transaction long before possession. Presale and resale can both make sense, but they involve different timelines, risks and considerations.

I currently have several resale opportunities across Vancouver’s West Side for buyers with different needs and priorities. If you’re comparing presale and resale, I’m always happy to help you understand the differences and decide which approach may suit you better.

08/13/2026

5 Things You May Not Know About Fairview

Fairview is one of Vancouver’s most recognizable West Side neighbourhoods, but there’s much more to it than its views and central location.

Here are five things you may not know:

1. The name “Fairview” dates back to 1886, reportedly inspired by the area’s impressive views over False Creek toward the city and mountains.

2. Fairview had streetcar service as early as 1891. The Fairview Beltline helped connect the neighbourhood to the growing city and supported its early residential development.

3. By 1912, Fairview Slopes had roughly 600 homes across just 30 city blocks. Over time, the area evolved into the distinctive mix of apartments and terraced townhomes we know today.

4. Canada’s first female Prime Minister, Kim Campbell, lived on West 8th Avenue in Fairview during her time as Prime Minister in 1993.

5. Granville Island wasn’t originally an island. It was created in 1916 from dredged material from False Creek and became an important industrial district.

Fairview continues to evolve. One of the biggest changes ahead is the Broadway Subway, with new stations at South Granville and Oak-VGH bringing rapid transit directly to the area.

And if Fairview is somewhere you’d consider calling home, I currently have three opportunities here- one condo and two townhomes- offering different ways to enjoy this unique neighbourhood.
Contact me for details or a private showing.

08/10/2026

Enjoy townhouse-style living in one of Vancouver’s most convenient West Side neighbourhoods.

This updated one-bedroom home offers 665 sq. ft. of well-planned living space, a private entrance with no shared hallways, and views of the city and North Shore Mountains.

New appliances and updated fixtures give the interior a fresh, modern feel, while in-suite laundry, secure underground parking, and a low monthly strata fee add everyday practicality. The building is fully rainscreened, and both pets and rentals are allowed.

Just a short walk from Granville Island, Cambie Village, and the shops and restaurants of South Granville.

204 - 943 W 8th Ave, Vancouver
1 bed | 1 bath| 665 sq. ft.
$629,000
MLS R3154154

OPEN HOUSE
Sunday, August 16
2:00-4:00 PM

Contact me to arrange a private showing.

Address

5487 West Boulevard
Vancouver, BC
V6M3W5

Telephone

+17788889187

Website

http://www.homesbylewis.com/, https://homesbylewis.com/blog.html

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