Just a few months ago the Olympics and the World was here in Vancouver! During this time Canadian athletes performed better than ever and our fair country was on display for all to see. National pride was at an all time high and Canadian flags were seen in windows, balconies, buildings, flag poles, cars, and nearly everywhere else for that matter.
Fast forward a few months and all the Canadian flags have been replaced! We’ve enjoyed World Cup fever and since Canada was not a contender, we are reminded as to just how diverse our city is now that all those Canadian flags have been replaced with German flags, Dutch flags, Italian flags, Japanese flags, Korean flags, South African flags, Portuguese flags (Va Portugal Para Sempre!), Brazilian flags and more. Although we are Canadian, most of us have another rich, cultural history that we are also proud of and carry with us. Our diversity and our acceptance and celebration of that diversity is one of the best things about our country.
In the housing industry, it is interesting to see how this diversity plays out in our homes. The ethnic background of a buyer can drastically alter their priority list when they look for a home. For instance, the number 4 when spoken sounds very much like the word ‘death’ in Chinese, Korean and Japanese cultures. This is why many buildings don’t have suite numbers which end in 4 or level 14 and/or 24 are skipped. Some cultures require strong hood fans in their kitchens because of especially fragrant food. Other cultures are predisposed to owning single family houses rather than condominiums or vice versa. Architectural character like the ever popular craftsman style or more contemporary exteriors can be directed to certain backgrounds. Home layouts (floorplans) are arranged in certain ways to accommodate usage, Feng Shui, amount of sun, etc. The list goes on!
I hope you enjoyed the World Cup and appreciate just how diverse our city is and if you happen to be building, buying or selling a home you may want to take a moment and think about who will live there and ensure there are no ethnic barriers to entry.
Suzana Goncalves
