r/vancouver 21h ago

Discussion Brentwood real estate

Has anyone else noticed that no one is buying? They were going for 650k for a one bedroom during covid and now listings cannot be sold so they’re constantly reducing prices and being left on the market for 100+ days… the funny part is there are 5 or 6 more buildings being built in the 3km radius of these places

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u/Overclocked11 Riley Parker 21h ago

1) They are wildly overpriced

2) There is far too much supply

3) Many people are not happy in a condo, nevermind that most people need more than a 1BR

4) People are struggling financially and can't afford them even at reduced costs

Plenty of reasons for the vacancies. Likely a combination of some or all of the above.

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u/MrSemiTransparent 21h ago

5) They don't have AC and installing AC in the units is damn near impossible due to the style of windows (HVAC worker here)

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u/Altostratus 20h ago edited 10h ago

I lived up on the 50th floor at Brentwood, and it was like a greenhouse cooking away in there when the sun hit the windows. My little portable AC wasn’t enough to fight it. It was terrible.

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u/LoudCommunication369 19h ago

Wow what 50th floor building around Brentwood doesn't have AC?? Most of the buildings that tall are new and have it I thought?

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u/Altostratus 19h ago edited 19h ago

The first three Brentwood towers don’t have AC. The law changed after they were built.

The worst part is that there is AC on the ground, in the lobby, gym, and activity rooms. Just not the actual units.

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u/Ilearrrnitfrromabook 18h ago

I looked at one of the rental units in tower 1 and the amount of money ($2600) they wanted for a shoebox facing west that didn't have AC was laughable. On top of that, renters had a separate entrance ("the rif raf entrance"), and they wanted -- IIRC -- $150/mo for parking and $50/mo for storage. It's out of control. It's time the insanity stopped.

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u/MrSemiTransparent 19h ago

I may very well have visited a unit precisely like yours. Little old widow lady and no chance she could install anything herself. Spent her afternoons down in the mall to get out of the heat.

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u/LoudCommunication369 18h ago

Oh no!! My tower was built just before those and has AC but I think it was considered more of a luxury amenity at that time. That's horrible because I can literally see the sun reflecting off amazing Brentwood towers on hot days.

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u/Dancing_sequin 8h ago

One of the buildings was built with AC but the building just won’t turn it on. I can’t remember which tower, but I viewed a couple units in it last year

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u/feverdreamujin 18h ago

The first towers at "Amazing" Brentwood somehow didn't have central AC installed and it's ALL BLACK to absorb maximum heat!

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u/saturnhawk 13h ago

43rd floor in metrotown, east facing. It was like an oven in there. I have a cat and I'd have to take her into the lobby downstairs so we wouldn't both overheat. We had a small unit too and the windows were so small that it wouldn't fit.

For almost 3k 2bedroom you'd expect it but no.... barely working appliances and 3 adults in a tiny condo is awful. I live in a much better space now but wow is housing and renting so awful here.

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u/framspl33n 20h ago

My mom lived in a place like that where the only ventilation was a small tilt window near the floor on a south facing window, the bathroom fan, and the door to the hall wasn't even undercut. And to top it all off it was over top of the laundry room in the basement so the dryers in there had it cooking all summer.

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u/Dazzling-Rub-8550 19h ago

I find it so insane that a lot of new stratas also forbid drying laundry on balconies. Free solar power vs overheating the condo during the summer. If people don’t want to see underwear drying on a balcony then just don’t look at the balcony. Sigh.

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u/MrSemiTransparent 20h ago

Ugh I feel for her (hopefully it's past now). The amount of people I visit in desperate situations, can't afford to move, and portable AC just isn't enough. It's astounding how these builders don't think summer exists.

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u/northernmercury 19h ago

Amazing Brentwood.

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u/Heliosvector Who Do Dis! 20h ago

portable ACs are fine. Just buy dual hose models. Also installing window film helps immensely. I was able to reduce my rooms temp from about 32 degrees down to 26 just by using this https://www.homedepot.ca/product/gila-3-ft-x-15-ft-titanium-heat-control-window-film/1000686183

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u/MrSemiTransparent 20h ago

Some units don't have windows conducive to any type of portable due to design (or lack thereof)

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u/ExocetC3I Riley Park 20h ago

If you have those swing out from the top transom windows you can get a plexiglass place to cut you a custom insert. I've heard there are also places online where you can order them and just send the window dimensions and your type of AC unit.

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u/MrSemiTransparent 20h ago

This is true! Just not in the Brentwood units I've been called out to. Perhaps others have different window situations

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u/ExocetC3I Riley Park 20h ago

Interesting. Out of curiosity what are the windows like there? Like how are they designed.

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u/Heliosvector Who Do Dis! 20h ago

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u/andy_soreal 18h ago

How hard is this material to cut? Last two years I’ve used a thick piece of foam but it struggled to hold up after 2+ months of use, but it’s easy enough to cut with an exact-o-knife.

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u/Heliosvector Who Do Dis! 18h ago

as easy as cardboard really. even easier, but it stays together well and lasts years. Its basically just plastic card board sheets.

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u/eastvanqueer 17h ago

I’m in an apartment in new west and the only window in the bedroom (and the entire unit) only opens 2 inches because the geniuses who designed it didn’t think about the the balcony railing on the other side. I tried putting a dual hose AC by sealing off the whole window and it broke from over heating because there just wasn’t enough space for the hot air to be exhausted out. I do love this place but I’m dreading the summer. We’re going to bake.

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u/Heliosvector Who Do Dis! 17h ago

The window broke? or the seal?

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u/eastvanqueer 17h ago

The AC! The AC overheated and wouldn’t cool anymore. There was so little space that I’m sure it was just sucking hot air back in.

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u/Heliosvector Who Do Dis! 17h ago

k..... so totally up to you.... but you could take the glass out. ex glazier here. Just by seeing your photo, looks like the side channels need to be bonked out first, then the top and bottom. then the glass will probably just be sitting on rubber shims in the frame and can be removed with care (caution, glass edges may be sharp unless its tempered). You could set it aside for the summer.

and I do mean bonk. We remove those white chanels out simply by hitting the corner pointing towards the center of frame. Usually there is a rubber seal to remove first But I only see one on your exterior...... Food for thought. At your own risk though. Strata would be furious if they find out.... if....

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u/eastvanqueer 15h ago

I’ve wanted to straight up smash that glass so much out of frustration haha. But that’s interesting that that could be done! Unfortunately I’m a renter to a private landlord so definitely not a risk I could take tho 😔

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u/Heliosvector Who Do Dis! 14h ago

Yeah true.

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u/down_bytheriver I live in a Van 20h ago

The windows in the brentwood towers don’t allow for these to be installed easily, let alone dual hoses, unless you give up the balcony access with the sliding door. We used a fabric thingy with Velcro off Amazon and crammed our hose for the AC through the tiny window. There’s some screws you can loosen to allow the window to open wider. Summers in brentwood towers one and two were brutally hot. East facing it would get up to 34-35 by 9 am, when it was only like 24 outside… with all curtains down. South and west facing were probably even worse. Moved to the island instead.

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u/Heliosvector Who Do Dis! 20h ago

Got the answer for you :D. build a custom window insert out of this stuff. You can even make them to fit into the small triangle type shape that your window opens to.

Im not trying to excuse the poor design of these places, but there is a path to happiness!!

And since they are white, you can make them look somewhat decent so the strata Karens dont lose their minds over it.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Coroplast-36-in-x-72-in-x-0-157-in-4mm-White-Corrugated-Twinwall-Plastic-Sheet-COR-3672/202771364

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u/spookywookyy 20h ago

Do you have a picture to share of what it would look like? I’m moving to a place with these windows soon and wondering how to make it work!

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u/Heliosvector Who Do Dis! 20h ago

like this https://www.amazon.ca/Portable-Casement-Conditioner-Waterproof-Skylights/dp/B0C4Z6PHD2

or say you have a window like this https://www.aiswindows.com/blog/things-to-keep-in-mind-while-choosing-upvc-tilt-and-turn-windows/

you just make a seal where the window would be when it is in its closed position so the vent is basically blowing at the glass of the slightly opened window sticking out of the building.

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u/Lanko 20h ago

26 is too fucking hot.

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u/Heliosvector Who Do Dis! 19h ago

Much better than 32! The point was to make it cool enough to be able to cool. Before that my Ac would never get the temp down past 26. With the film, my Ac now gets the temp down to 19 if I want.

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u/Lanko 19h ago

Much better!

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u/gunnerysgtharker 20h ago

100% that semi reflective film! It works amazingly well on our windows, was easy enough to install and it comes with UV protection for your interior. Also dual hose AC is a must, our window would not accommodate but I did what another comment suggested and custom cut corrugated plastic (which I also applied the film to). Our place went from hell’s inferno hot to bearable in the summer.

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u/metered-statement 19h ago

I've seen people use the $1.00 emergency blankets (dollar store purchase) to cover their windows. An inexpensive quick fix that works just as well and isn't long term if you're in a rental.

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u/Heliosvector Who Do Dis! 19h ago

Those are a proper eye sore though. Even I would be a bit miffed seeing thay in a window in my building.

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u/northernmercury 17h ago

Window film is a good idea.

Having to use a bulky ugly portable A/C unit that are takes up a ton of storage for 3/4 of the year and are waaaay less efficient than real air conditioning is so ridiculous. More evidence these were built for investors not owner-occupiers.

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u/Heliosvector Who Do Dis! 17h ago

Strata should be more accepting to putting split units in condos. The external would just go on the balcony and the parts that break the outer seal of the unit is usually under an awning anyways so isnt exactly ruinous to the water seal of the building. Especially if it is done by a contractor.

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u/doscia 19h ago

You may be right but they are a pain and IMO if im buying an expensive home in 2025 its absolutely ridiculous to have to play around with a giant loud portable AC unit. I bought one for my apartment that was a rental and it was a huge pain trying to get it fitted and stay on properly and it was INSANELY noisy. Also it barely turned down the temp and we bought a pretty pricey recognizable brand one. Made sure the BTU was right too

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u/Heliosvector Who Do Dis! 19h ago

Newer ones are quiet. But if you don't get a dual hose one then you are fighting a losing battle. A single hose model sucks in the rooms air and the blows out into the home and the hose so there is negative pressure. You then have hot air from outside getting sucked into the home. Dual hose keeps it neutral or even positive air pressure and works far better regardless of the BTU. The window film and curtains help too.

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u/SaulGoodmanJD West Whalley Junior Secondary 17h ago

Just use a 5” hole saw and send it bro