Is it a house? A townhouse? A duplex? Detached or semi-detached? These are the puzzling questions potential buyers ask when touring Yewbrook Place, a distinctive development overlooking the Marine Drive Golf Club in Vancouver. The answer, in essence, is that it is all of these: a house that resembles a townhouse, semi-detached, and somewhat a duplex.
A Unique Category
Crystal Hung of Icon & Co. Boutique Inc. real estate marketing and sales agency explains, “There isn’t even a category on MLS to categorize it, it’s so unique. It’s called a ‘bare land strata’, a large parcel of land shared by 13 homeowners in a subdivision. They look like townhomes but are all individual single lots, with unobstructed views of the 105-acre golf course.”
Interior Features
Hung notes that each structure is designed and built differently. This particular home includes two-and-a-half bathrooms, three bedrooms, and an open office across two levels connected by stairs and a private elevator. Four new terraces span nearly 2,000 square feet, with heaters above two of them.
Extensive Renovations
The property has been renovated twice since its construction in 1982, with the most recent renovation in 2023 costing over $1 million. The current homeowner, a construction executive, undertook a comprehensive overhaul. “Everything was taken out — roofing, decks, drainage, mechanical, pipes, plumbing, electrical wiring, a lot of insulation, all window systems, the entire flooring was re-levelled, the rooftop deck was rebuilt and waterproofed, and interior and exterior finishes were upgraded. It’s basically a brand-new build,” says Hung.
She invested $180,000 on hardwood, tiles, and carpeted flooring alone, with roughly $20,000 spent on levelling and waterproofing from the rooftop deck to downstairs. Over $100,000 was allocated for custom-made EuroLine Windows and patio doors. Kitchen appliances include a Wolf range and Sub-Zero refrigerator, and the elevator from Cambridge Cambrian Elevator cost $40,000.
Long-Term Vision
“Because she’s a construction expert, she didn’t do it just for cosmetic reasons,” Hung remarks. “It was to be her forever home, and that long-term thinking guided the renovations. She spent all the money and did the work to ensure very low maintenance. It’s like a house without the house problem. But she was being drawn too often to grandkids in Richmond…”
Additional Highlights
The home features two gas fireplaces and extensive skylights spanning the top of the main entrance, above the staircase, and into the kitchen. All three bedrooms are on the main floor; one is used as a gym (convertible to a home theatre), another includes a Murphy bed, and a third could be reconfigured for a live-in caretaker. The primary bedroom is en suite with a jetted soaker tub and walk-in shower. An open office space by the kitchen replaces a third seating room, tailored for the homeowner’s lifestyle.
