Luxury is often measured in tangible ways: square footage, distance to the park, or an unobstructed view. However there is another variable that is intuitively understood by those buying real estate in Vancouver, but rarely articulated: Time. We only have so much time in our days, and even in our lives. It is a limited resource and those who build the most successful lives understand the equation inherently. Time is not to be wasted. It is precious. Time is money.
Work is only done on the subway when there is a seat available. And you can only focus so intently when navigating a mob of fellow commuters. Books go unread, and tempers flare in traffic. Living away from your place of business may save you some money in the short term, but it is counterproductive for those who aim to maximize every second of their day - and even their lives.
You will often hear people wax poetic about their 1.5 hour commute. “It’s my down time,” they will tell you. But realistically, that is 1.5 hours out of a day. Almost 10% of their time is spent behind the wheel of their car, in traffic, watching the licence plate of the car in front of them. If you’re on the train, there’s a lot of wasted time never factored in too – in waiting – in accidents – in the nonsense that can consume your day.
Buying real estate in Vancouver, in the heart of Vancouver, may seem expensive at first blush. But it is very important to calculate the value of your time into the equation. After all, like it or not, we all have an expiration date. There are a finite number of hours we have to enjoy our life, and our youth, on this planet.
Do you really want to waste them commuting?
To find out more about Vancouver real estate that is affordable on your budget, and closer to your goals, talk to me. I have been a Vancouver REALTOR® for years and years, when you factor in 3 generations of knowledge (my father and grandfather also had second careers in real estate) that’s a lot of years of knowing this city – and the benefits of proximity, inside out. Give me a call, and we can talk about saving you time, money and the enjoyment of life away from the bus stop (the bus is good-just don’t spend too much time there!) or out of the car!
