# Pool Homes In Vancouver BC



## x1y2z3 (Mar 17, 2011)

Are pools a standard, rare or even available features in the landscape of single family homes in or around Vancouver? I live in Tampa,florida but am thinking of moving up there since I got a job offer with a good pay(not lavish, still better than what I am making here). I always wanted to buy a home with a pool and yard, but dunno if its available in that area.

Again, are there any good sites for searching homes with images with advanced search option?

Rob


----------



## NewCanuck (May 29, 2011)

There are some homes with pools in Vancouver, but they're certainly not the norm. The weather is simply not warm enough, enough of the time, to justify the expense of a pool for most residents. And real estate is expensive enough without the added cost of a pool. 

Swimming is quite popular in Vancouver though, at public pools, indoors and out. 

Among Vancouver's many public pools is Kitsilano pool, a heated saltwater pool that is Canada’s longest. You can see a photo of the pool and other useful info about Vancouver here: http://www.livingabroadincanada.com/top-10-places-to-live/vancouver/


----------



## Auld Yin (Mar 10, 2009)

There are numerous homes with swimming pools in Vancouver. You should be aware that Vancouver is one of the most expensive cities in the world. Real estate is out of the reach of many/most. As you're probably aware it's in great surroundings and that has to be paid for.


----------



## kimo (Feb 12, 2011)

x1y2z3 said:


> Are pools a standard, rare or even available features in the landscape of single family homes in or around Vancouver? I live in Tampa,florida but am thinking of moving up there since I got a job offer with a good pay(not lavish, still better than what I am making here). I always wanted to buy a home with a pool and yard, but dunno if its available in that area.
> 
> Again, are there any good sites for searching homes with images with advanced search option?
> 
> Rob


Try MLS.ca, or realtor.ca, also, if you buy a house with a yard, and assuming local bylaws allow it, you could always put up an above ground pool, no point in putting an inground pool in as you may only get to use 3-4 months a year, if that, unless you have a wetsuit. But if you have a few million$$$, then you could probably find a house with a heated, indoor pool, Hope the pay is quite a bit more, you will need the extra $$ to cover the higher taxes, higher cost of almost everything you buy, and the overal higher cost of living, (you'll need to heat your house at least 7 months a year), gasoline prices in Vancouver are currently around $1.30 a liter, which is about $5.20 per US gallon, but one good point is you will still get the major US tv networks.


----------



## x1y2z3 (Mar 17, 2011)

thanks for the site...
hmmm....above ground pool can be used year long?
are the HOAs or communities predominant in single family homes there?

I heard Vancouver climate is pretty much like Washington USA.....its weird that gasolene costs so much, are people switching to hybrid models in there? 

taxes I need to look in wiki  thanks for giving the info



excellent post with even more info than I expected...thanks a lot sir 

Rob


----------



## kimo (Feb 12, 2011)

x1y2z3 said:


> thanks for the site...
> hmmm....above ground pool can be used year long?
> are the HOAs or communities predominant in single family homes there?
> 
> ...


Above ground pool is just that, they come in kits and are alot less expensive than inground, and can quite often be assembled by the owner, but you will still have to fence it in. but inground doesn't mean you can use it year round, unless you want to pay $$$ to heat it, so no matter if its in or above ground, you would probably want to enclose it to save on heat loss, but then you are looking at a whole different issue, building permits, bylaws that may not allow it etc, and don't forget, if local laws do allow a pool, you will need extra insurance. Vancouver weather is much the same as Seattle. I don't think there are anymore, % wise, hybrids in Vancouver than would be in Florida, remember cars cost alot more in Canada. If you only want good gas milage, and you can buy a new, 40mpg car for $13,000, with a 5yr, bumper to bumper warranty, it doesn't make sense to pay $40,000 for a hybrid just to get 50mpg, you will never see the savings.


----------



## x1y2z3 (Mar 17, 2011)

kimo said:


> Above ground pool is just that, they come in kits and are alot less expensive than inground, and can quite often be assembled by the owner, but you will still have to fence it in. but inground doesn't mean you can use it year round, unless you want to pay $$$ to heat it, so no matter if its in or above ground, you would probably want to enclose it to save on heat loss, but then you are looking at a whole different issue, building permits, bylaws that may not allow it etc, and don't forget, if local laws do allow a pool, you will need extra insurance. Vancouver weather is much the same as Seattle. I don't think there are anymore, % wise, hybrids in Vancouver than would be in Florida, remember cars cost alot more in Canada. If you only want good gas milage, and you can buy a new, 40mpg car for $13,000, with a 5yr, bumper to bumper warranty, it doesn't make sense to pay $40,000 for a hybrid just to get 50mpg, you will never see the savings.


Excellent observation about the car price , however,is the price of the vehicle itself much compared to US or the cost of maintaining it with insurance and gas prices is the deal spoiler, is it?

I have lived in seattle area for a year, and NEVER saw a house with pool......so Vancouver doesnt seem promising but will check the two websites , as the moderator said there are....

I need to research what is an above ground and inground pool as it seems to me
an above ground pool is those plastic tumblers of water which can accomodate 5-6 people , but again that might mot be the case 

Having said that, are the HOA and communities very much prevalent in Vancouver?(the bylaws term seems a bit scary )


----------



## kimo (Feb 12, 2011)

x1y2z3 said:


> Excellent observation about the car price , however,is the price of the vehicle itself much compared to US or the cost of maintaining it with insurance and gas prices is the deal spoiler, is it?
> All I say about car prices is we pay more in Canada than you would pay in US, Both our cars are 2010, and sticker price each was just over $19,000,+ tax, the same cars on Seattle TV ads at the time were in the $14,000-$15,000 range. Our insurance cost about $1200 a year per vehicle, but thats with a safe driver discount. dealer servicing is also probably abit higher here, and have already mentoned gas prices.
> I have lived in seattle area for a year, and NEVER saw a house with pool......so Vancouver doesnt seem promising but will check the two websites , as the moderator said there are....
> I need to research what is an above ground and inground pool as it seems to me
> ...


I don't live in the Vancouver area, but its probaly like every where else in Canada and the US, each city, town, district, municipality etc have local bylaws saying what things you can or can't do or have in your yard, like some newer subdivisions may have their own restrictions about pools, just like some say you can't have a fence over 6ft high, or can't have a fence in the front yard, or can't hang clothes out to dry, or leave a travel trailer parked in your driveway etc etc, there might be some that say you can't have a pool. Best thing to do before moving there is to ask the proper authoraties.


----------



## dcraig (May 14, 2011)

x1y2z3 said:


> Are pools a standard, rare or even available features in the landscape of single family homes in or around Vancouver? I live in Tampa,florida but am thinking of moving up there since I got a job offer with a good pay(not lavish, still better than what I am making here). I always wanted to buy a home with a pool and yard, but dunno if its available in that area.
> 
> Again, are there any good sites for searching homes with images with advanced search option?
> 
> Rob


We have friend in Vancouver who have a normal type, unheated, cement, inground pool, about 35"x 15', its 8' deep at one end, it came with the house, but they say they would never have paid to put it in themselves as they only get to use it maybe 3 months a year, and most of that time its cold, although the small kids don't seem to mind the cold as much as the adults. Even when the daytime temps are mid to upper 20's celcius for weeks on end, it takes for ever for the pool to even get to mid to upper teens.


----------



## x1y2z3 (Mar 17, 2011)

Excellent information Kimo 
you provided good comparison

thanks a lot, actually I enjoy a garden n pool n a drink near it to wear off my mood n tire so much that this topic is very important to me 

and craig, I see the pool isnt quite your retreat given the temperature


----------



## JohnSoCal (Sep 2, 2007)

x1y2z3 said:


> Are pools a standard, rare or even available features in the landscape of single family homes in or around Vancouver? I live in Tampa,florida but am thinking of moving up there since I got a job offer with a good pay(not lavish, still better than what I am making here). I always wanted to buy a home with a pool and yard, but dunno if its available in that area.
> 
> Again, are there any good sites for searching homes with images with advanced search option?
> 
> Rob


The cost of living in Vancouver is much much higher than Tampa, FL. I am very familiar with both areas. If you want to buy a home with a pool, why not buy one where you live now? Is your only reason for moving because of a higher job offer? Are you prepared for several months of dreary, wet, cold weather?


----------



## dcraig (May 14, 2011)

JohnSoCal said:


> The cost of living in Vancouver is much much higher than Tampa, FL. I am very familiar with both areas. If you want to buy a home with a pool, why not buy one where you live now? Is your only reason for moving because of a higher job offer? Are you prepared for several months of dreary, wet, cold weather?


Several months? try7-8, we are only now getting highs into the low 20's celcius, apparently about a month later than normal.


----------



## dcraig (May 14, 2011)

x1y2z3 said:


> Excellent information Kimo
> you provided good comparison
> 
> thanks a lot, actually I enjoy a garden n pool n a drink near it to wear off my mood n tire so much that this topic is very important to me
> ...


Just talked to my friend in Vancouver with the pool, I asked if they had used it yet, he LAUGHED like crazy, said it may be sunny and 22celcius outside, 
(about 75f) but the pool temp is only 9, BRRRRRRR! at this rate he said it would about another 2-3 weeks before its even close to being warm enough.


----------



## x1y2z3 (Mar 17, 2011)

dcraig said:


> Just talked to my friend in Vancouver with the pool, I asked if they had used it yet, he LAUGHED like crazy, said it may be sunny and 22celcius outside,
> (about 75f) but the pool temp is only 9, BRRRRRRR! at this rate he said it would about another 2-3 weeks before its even close to being warm enough.


tch tch, and it will be back to square sub zero next month


----------



## dcraig (May 14, 2011)

x1y2z3 said:


> tch tch, and it will be back to square sub zero next month


Well maybe by January, if at all, remember, its southern BC, not northern Minnesota.


----------



## x1y2z3 (Mar 17, 2011)

dcraig said:


> Well maybe by January, if at all, remember, its southern BC, not northern Minnesota.


which is worse?(stupid question but honest one  )


----------



## dcraig (May 14, 2011)

x1y2z3 said:


> which is worse?(stupid question but honest one  )


I was reffering to your "sub zero" comment, and thinking of the type of winters they have in places like northern Minnesota, and since our part of BC gets very few zub zero temps in winter, I guess Minnesota would be worse.


----------



## x1y2z3 (Mar 17, 2011)

dcraig said:


> I was reffering to your "sub zero" comment, and thinking of the type of winters they have in places like northern Minnesota, and since our part of BC gets very few zub zero temps in winter, I guess Minnesota would be worse.


u guess right, a sister of mine lives there


----------



## carlb (Feb 11, 2011)

x1y2z3 said:


> Are pools a standard, rare or even available features in the landscape of single family homes in or around Vancouver? I live in Tampa,florida but am thinking of moving up there since I got a job offer with a good pay(not lavish, still better than what I am making here). I always wanted to buy a home with a pool and yard, but dunno if its available in that area.
> 
> Again, are there any good sites for searching homes with images with advanced search option?
> 
> Rob


It's funny, on the America forum you say you live in Seattle?, but on the Canada forum you say you live in Tampa, hmmm, are you just playing games with people, did you actually think no one would notice? How can anyone take you seriously?


----------



## Spectre665 (Jun 14, 2011)

x1y2z3 said:


> Excellent information Kimo
> you provided good comparison
> 
> thanks a lot, actually I enjoy a garden n pool n a drink near it to wear off my mood n tire so much that this topic is very important to me
> ...


Being from the US South, and now in Vancouver I would advise maybe a walk along the shore? There are some REALLY awesome spots here in Vancouver.


----------



## JohnSoCal (Sep 2, 2007)

*We love our pool*

We have had a large ( 42' X 21' ) in-ground pool for 8 years. We use it every day starting in April to October. We use the spa all year. We also had a large pool when we lived in Florida. A pool is very nice if you use it. Many people use it a lot the first season and then taper off.


----------



## x1y2z3 (Mar 17, 2011)

Sorry was busy these days regarding a long term project, and then planning a vacation after 2 years wait. (I visited San Francisco for an interview in 2009 start, spent some time in wharf)

Hi Carl, (brief disclaimer)

*I live in Seattle for more than 2 years now for the project which ends this year 

But, having stayed almost 6 years in Tampa Bay; that is to me the place I belong (no green card though).*

I have been considering Canada ,Australia, and UK for move before mid 2013 and you will find me posting in those forums for research. (Australia the hot favorite but Canada is closer to US)

Thanks


----------



## x1y2z3 (Mar 17, 2011)

I expect to have permanent job offers from a company in Vancouver and a branch here in Seattle by the time my project ends this year(unoficially confirmed). Vancouver might be the vehicle for my immigration. But I wont make it unless I think I will like that for a semi permanent stay.

So far, it promises to offer

*an expensive version of rainy Seattle
*nice restaurants and activities
*expensive transportation
*a lil harsher winters
*very very priced pool homes
*a canadian green card 

Seattle I dont like much(prior to last 3 months I have been a dork here despite being single  )


----------



## JohnSoCal (Sep 2, 2007)

x1y2z3 said:


> I expect to have permanent job offers from a company in Vancouver and a branch here in Seattle by the time my project ends this year(unoficially confirmed). Vancouver might be the vehicle for my immigration. But I wont make it unless I think I will like that for a semi permanent stay.
> 
> So far, it promises to offer
> 
> ...


I am having trouble understanding why you want to move to Vancouver. What is this obsession with pool homes? A pool home in Vancouver will be pretty rare, very expensive and not much use.

Personally, I wouldn't live in Seattle because of the weather but if I had to choose between it and Vancouver, I would take Seattle hands down. I have lived in Vancouver.


----------



## x1y2z3 (Mar 17, 2011)

Hi John,

I guess the pool being cold doesn't offer you much of a relaxing experience. Or the summers are more fun for outdoor activities


----------



## x1y2z3 (Mar 17, 2011)

Hi John,

I am considering a move to Vancouver because of all Canadian cities it has got the mildest weather and it has a decent job market. (The company I work for has office in Vancouver and so has its rivals and relatives)

Obsession usually doesn't follow a well thought out reasoning but I always fancied a good lawn and pool 


Having said that, I have heard from my colleagues (transferred from Vancouver to Seattle) that they share same views with you. That is why I am still researching . 1 year is good enough to zero on something.

How long have you lived in Vancouver? Where are you now?


----------



## JohnSoCal (Sep 2, 2007)

x1y2z3 said:


> Hi John,
> 
> I am considering a move to Vancouver because of all Canadian cities it has got the mildest weather and it has a decent job market. (The company I work for has office in Vancouver and so has its rivals and relatives)
> 
> ...


I do not live in Vancouver now. I live in Southern California north of San Diego. I lived in Vancouver a few years ago but have visited there recently.

I have lived in Vancouver, Victoria ( born there ), Windermere BC, Seattle, Portland, Phoenix, Fort Lauderdale FL, San Diego, San Francisco Bay area, Mexico, and Venezuela. I have also spent a lot of time in several other cities in the US and Canada.

What kind of work do you do?


----------



## x1y2z3 (Mar 17, 2011)

JohnSoCal said:


> I do not live in Vancouver now. I live in Southern California north of San Diego. I lived in Vancouver a few years ago but have visited there recently.
> 
> I have lived in Vancouver, Victoria ( born there ), Windermere BC, Seattle, Portland, Phoenix, Fort Lauderdale FL, San Diego, San Francisco Bay area, Mexico, and Venezuela. I have also spent a lot of time in several other cities in the US and Canada.
> 
> What kind of work do you do?


Wow, I wish I could travel Latin Americas, am fascinated with Amazon basin wildlife , and some central american countries


I work as software engineer consultant, have worked in multiple disciplines (Dev and QA) in projects.


*Can you nutshell the LIKES and DISLIKES of Vancouver from your stay, your individual perspective ?*


----------



## JohnSoCal (Sep 2, 2007)

x1y2z3 said:


> Wow, I wish I could travel Latin Americas, am fascinated with Amazon basin wildlife , and some central american countries
> 
> 
> I work as software engineer consultant, have worked in multiple disciplines (Dev and QA) in projects.
> ...


I was a self employed software engineer consultant and retired in 2006. My specialty was real-time embedded systems.

I don't have any likes for Vancouver and several dislikes. It is not just Vancouver. I wouldn't want to live in Canada. You can PM me if you want details.


----------



## x1y2z3 (Mar 17, 2011)

I will. It is very kind of you. I would love to be self employed or incorporated, but
need a permanent residency somewhere.  .

Canada is closer both in work culture and location to US, besides the videos, forums and some of my colleagues who stayed there didnt have many complaints. So I am very curious.


----------



## telcoman (Feb 11, 2010)

I had a pool at my old house. I used it mid may til end of September, heating it with a combination of gas & solar panels. They are common in the southern suburbs of Tsawassen & White Rock especially. I was surprised at how many when I flew in over those suburbs once.


----------



## telcoman (Feb 11, 2010)

I find it hard to understand why anyone would prefer Seattle over Vancouver. Vancouver is considered one of the worlds most beautiful cities. Seattle isn't even on the page. They obviously have never cruised along the Spanish Bank beaches or gone to Stanley park. Traffic for one thing. I just drove through Seattle yesterday on I-5. It was horrendous. Seattle has no rapid transit other than a new light rail line to the airport. Real Estate in Seattle ain't exactly cheap either.

Vancouver is also far more multi cultural. You will blend in just fine there, In Seattle you will be more of an oddity, if you excuse me for saying so. Canadians are just as racist as Americans, but at least you won't get looked upon as something unusual.

Check out my web site linked in my signature. I have been remiss in updates, but it has a lot of info & pictures.


----------



## x1y2z3 (Mar 17, 2011)

thanks for the link. But Americans are racists is overstatement. I have been here with a brown skin and not so great english for 6 years, and have never felt any racist behavior
*not in university
*not in trips
*not in office
*not by the fellow drunks in bars


----------



## telcoman (Feb 11, 2010)

Everyone is racist to a degree. It boils down to familiarity. If you live in a city with a high multiracial content, you are less likely to be singled out as different. In Vancouver, for example, with its very high Chinese ratio, for several generations, most Caucasians don't even view them as being any different. However that is not the case with the large recent numbers of immigrants from the Punjab whose culture is distinctly different. It will take a couple of generations for racism against that group to abate.


----------



## shbldr (Nov 5, 2010)

x1y2z3 said:


> Are pools a standard, rare or even available features in the landscape of single family homes in or around Vancouver? I live in Tampa,florida but am thinking of moving up there since I got a job offer with a good pay(not lavish, still better than what I am making here). I always wanted to buy a home with a pool and yard, but dunno if its available in that area.
> 
> Again, are there any good sites for searching homes with images with advanced search option?
> 
> Rob


I took a hot air balloon ride last week in the Langley/Abbotsford area and was amazed at the number of homes with pools. Of course I am sure that is a pricey area, a near hour commute to Vancouver and the new bridge toll once the replacement for the Port Mann bridge is complete.


----------



## kimo (Feb 12, 2011)

x1y2z3 said:


> thanks for the link. But Americans are racists is overstatement. I have been here with a brown skin and not so great english for 6 years, and have never felt any racist behavior
> *not in university
> *not in trips
> *not in office
> *not by the fellow drunks in bars


I have lived my entire life in Canada, but have travelled extensively in both the US and Mexico, and I find that on a per capita basis, Canadians are far more racist than Americans, but most of them don't see it as being racist. I thinks its because alot of Canadians grew up never being around anyone other than white people, except maybe a few of asian decent or first nations, depending on what part of the country it was. I never even met a black person until i was around 16, and they were from Dominican Republic. I hear the "N" word more in one week in Canada than in one month in the states. My mom won't eat in an Native Indian restaurant because she thinks she will get sick, some people at work won't buy a car from a "black" salesman, or won't go to a non-white dentist or doctor etc. My aunt says houses owned by east Indians stink, then I remind her she has 3 cats, with a litter box, and every house smells of something. The first time I met my mother-in-law, she asked how I could go to the states with all those "N" everywhere. But to this day, like alot of Canadians, she doesn't think theres anything wrong with saying things like that and would not call herself racist.


----------



## carlb (Feb 11, 2011)

telcoman said:


> I find it hard to understand why anyone would prefer Seattle over Vancouver. Vancouver is considered one of the worlds most beautiful cities. Seattle isn't even on the page. They obviously have never cruised along the Spanish Bank beaches or gone to Stanley park. Traffic for one thing. I just drove through Seattle yesterday on I-5. It was horrendous. Seattle has no rapid transit other than a new light rail line to the airport. Real Estate in Seattle ain't exactly cheap either.
> 
> Vancouver is also far more multi cultural. You will blend in just fine there, In Seattle you will be more of an oddity, if you excuse me for saying so. Canadians are just as racist as Americans, but at least you won't get looked upon as something unusual.
> 
> Check out my web site linked in my signature. I have been remiss in updates, but it has a lot of info & pictures.


Several reasons why someone might choose Seattle over Vancouver would be lower overall cost of living and lower taxes. I have driven the I-5 numerous times and only problem was when there was an accident, where as, I find driving in Vancouver horrendous, but as in any city, alot depends on the time of day and which direction you are going, and as far as Vancouver being a beautiful city, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, Vancouver is also one of the most expensive cities to live in all of North America. In the summer I find Vancouver has way more smog, and way more visable homeless, street people.


----------



## JohnSoCal (Sep 2, 2007)

telcoman said:


> I find it hard to understand why anyone would prefer Seattle over Vancouver. Vancouver is considered one of the worlds most beautiful cities. Seattle isn't even on the page. They obviously have never cruised along the Spanish Bank beaches or gone to Stanley park. Traffic for one thing. I just drove through Seattle yesterday on I-5. It was horrendous. Seattle has no rapid transit other than a new light rail line to the airport. Real Estate in Seattle ain't exactly cheap either.
> 
> Vancouver is also far more multi cultural. You will blend in just fine there, In Seattle you will be more of an oddity, if you excuse me for saying so. Canadians are just as racist as Americans, but at least you won't get looked upon as something unusual.
> 
> Check out my web site linked in my signature. I have been remiss in updates, but it has a lot of info & pictures.


I lived in Vancouver and have visited recently. I have been to Stanley park, etc. and it is no big deal. My wife and I far prefer Seattle for many reasons. However, we far prefer living where we do in Southern California.


----------



## JohnSoCal (Sep 2, 2007)

x1y2z3 said:


> thanks for the link. But Americans are racists is overstatement. I have been here with a brown skin and not so great english for 6 years, and have never felt any racist behavior
> *not in university
> *not in trips
> *not in office
> *not by the fellow drunks in bars


I agree with you 100%. I sent you a PM a few minutes ago. There is far more discrimination in Canada against foreign professionals in the work place. The US is much more of a meritocracy.


----------



## JohnSoCal (Sep 2, 2007)

carlb said:


> In the summer I find Vancouver has way more smog, and way more visable homeless, street people.


The homeless and very aggressive beggars were one of the first things we noticed when we visited Vancouver a couple years ago. We also saw it in Calgary. Some people we met while there were from New York and said the same thing. I have been to New York City several times, just got back 2 weeks ago, and I saw far fewer homeless there in several weeks than I saw in a day in Vancouver, Calgary or Victoria. There were no aggressive beggars in NYC, nor Seattle, nor many other US cities.


----------



## carlb (Feb 11, 2011)

JohnSoCal said:


> The homeless and very aggressive beggars were one of the first things we noticed when we visited Vancouver a couple years ago. We also saw it in Calgary. Some people we met while there were from New York and said the same thing. I have been to New York City several times, just got back 2 weeks ago, and I saw far fewer homeless there in several weeks than I saw in a day in Vancouver, Calgary or Victoria. There were no aggressive beggars in NYC, nor Seattle, nor many other US cities.


I beg to differ, we were in Disneyland last month, and everywhere we went there was this giant mouse walking around with his arms out looking for who knows what?


----------



## JohnSoCal (Sep 2, 2007)

carlb said:


> I beg to differ, we were in Disneyland last month, and everywhere we went there was this giant mouse walking around with his arms out looking for who knows what?


:clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2:


----------

