If you own real estate in Kitsilano, you probably know about Khatsahlano! Music + Arts Festival already, and if you’re new to the neighbourhood, make sure to put it on your list of things to do!

This annual Kitsilano festival brings the community together with family fun, music and food. If you want to find out more about it, the launch party is happening Wednesday May 16th at Zulu Records on West 4th:

Everyone is welcome to the launch party for the 2012 Khatsahlano! Music + Arts Festival hosted by Zulu Records and the West 4th BIA. It’s going to be an exciting evening as much of the artist lineup, and details about the the annual Kits street festival will be revealed! There will also be performances by Kathryn Calder, The High Drops, and Capitol 6.

Everyone’s invited so please spread the word, bring your friends and come down for a night filled with great music and entertainment.

When: Wednesday, May 16th
Where: Zulu Records, 1972 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver BC, V6J1M5
Timing:
6:30PM – Doors open (media welcome on the roof top)
7:00PM – Kathryn Calder performs
7:40PM – Announcement of bands performing at Khatsahlano!
7:45PM – The High Drops perform
8:30PM – Capitol 6 performs
9:00PM – Event ends

The 2012 Khatsahlano! Music + Arts Festival happens Saturday July 21st, and promises to be bigger and better than ever. See you there!

Spring in Kitsilano is one of the most gorgeous displays of renewal and beauty you’ll ever see.

It’s also when local produce comes back to the neighbourhood via the Vancouver Farmers Market.

If you own real estate in Kitsilano already, you know how great it is to take that Sunday morning stroll to the market to get a week’s worth of local organic food.

The Vancouver Farmers Market in Kitsilano starts Sunday May 20, and continues every Sunday from 10am to 2pm until October 21st!

Whether you walk, bike or run there, make sure you check out this market! It’s located at 2690 Larch Street at 10th Avenue, Parking Lot of Kitsilano Community Centre.

There's nothing better than eating local and supporting local BC farmers!

If you’d like to know more about buying or selling real estate in Kitsilano, please contact Vancouver Realtor Justin Leigh.

The City of Vancouver’s ‘Greenest City by 2020′ campaign is now offering residents the opportunity to receive a grant to help improve their neighbourhood’s ‘Green’ initiative.

If you own real estate in Kitsilano and have an idea for Green Living, here’s some information about the grants:

Greenest City Neighbourhood Small Grants

The City of Vancouver and Vancouver Foundation have teamed up to help make Vancouver the greenest city by 2020. We’ve created the Greenest City Fund – a four-year, $2 million fund that will support community-led green projects.

We want to go right into the heart of the community for ideas, and that’s why we’ve dedicated a portion of the Fund to support Neighbourhood Small Grants (NSG) that have a green focus. Our aim is to encourage local initiatives, designed and undertaken by residents, right in their community.

We’re looking for fabulous ideas from you, Vancouver residents, which will make your neighbourhood greener. Your proposal needs to meet the criteria on the left and must benefit your Vancouver neighbourhood.

Find out more about the grant application process here.

Find out more about buying and selling real estate in Kitsilano by contact Vancouver Realtor Justin Leigh.

The Boathouse is expanding its Kitsilano real estate to include a 56 seat outdoor patio!

Just in time for Summer, the patio will be open in June and remain open until September.

This addition to the Boathouse real estate is going to ensure that Kitsilano is the place to be during the Summer months.

For those that already own real estate around this Kitsilano neighbourhood, and are concerned about the noise, here is an excerpt from the Vancouver Sun addressing this:

In a unanimous decision, the Vancouver park board has agreed to allow the Boathouse Restaurant at Kitsilano Beach to add an outdoor patio.

But board chairwoman Con-stance Barnes said the patio will have to have shrubbery to act as a sound barrier, low lighting, no heaters and its hours will be shorter than most outdoor patios.

She said one of the concerns expressed by some local residents was whether the patio would contribute to noise in the surrounding neighbourhood.

“This [the noise] is something we’ll monitor. I live close to the area and eat there as well. If it gets to a point where things are happening that aren’t right, we’ll nip it in the bud,” said Barnes.

All the information about The Boathouse Kits Beach patio can be found here.

If you’re shopping for real estate around Kitsilano this spring, be sure to check out Kits Beach.

If you’d like to know more about buying or selling real estate in Kitsilano, please contact Vancouver Realtor Justin Leigh.

Have you been thinking about buying or selling real estate in Kitsilano?

Now that Spring is upon us, the warm weather and beautiful scenery make shopping for a new home – or getting one ready to sell – much easier.

There are magnolia trees, cherry blossoms, and flowers budding everywhere you look, which makes wandering around the streets of Kitsilano an amazing experience for the senses.

Cherry Blossom Trees are in bloom everywhere!

If you’re thinking about selling your real estate here, Spring is an excellent time to get your home looking its very best.

If you’d like to know more about buying or selling real estate in Kitsilano, please contact Vancouver Realtor Justin Leigh.

Bayswater by Mosaic Homes is a new real estate development coming to Kitsilano!

Located at the corner of Bayswater and West Broadway, this new condo real estate development is in the heart of Kitsilano.

Surrounded by great shopping, close to schools, the Kitsilano Community Centre, parks, and the beach, Bayswater is sure to sell out fast.

Bayswater is currently in the pre-registration phase, so if you’d like to know more, please contact Vancouver Realtor Justin Leigh today.

Do you own real estate in Kitsilano?

Are you thinking about either selling or renovating your space?

‘Love It or List It’ is a real estate reality show on The W Netowork and HGTV – and they’re looking for couples, or families to showcase their Kitsilano homes.

Participant Criteria:

*Must have a minimum design budget of $20,000.
* Must have at least 2 rooms or areas in the home that are dysfunctional and/or lack flow and require renovation.

* Participants must move out of the home for the one month during the expedited renovations.

* Participants must have a stake in the home – meaning you do not have to be a couple, you can be a single parent with grown children who live at home with a stake in what happens to the home.

* Participants must be fun, lively, outspoken and outgoing.

* Be available for 6 staggered shooting days in one month.

* One willing to be on the side to LOVE IT and one on the side to LIST it.

* Houses only. No condos because of condo boards approval…or lack thereof.

* Within a one hour radius of downtown Vancouver.

If you’d like to know more about this, please contact Vancouver Realtor Justin Leigh @ 604-780-3457.

The Kitsilano real estate at the corner of 16th Ave., and Arbutus has been home to The Ridge Theatre since 1950, but unfortunately its time will soon come to an end.

Along with the Varsity Bowling Alley next door, it will be demolished and turned into a mixed use development with ground floor retail and concrete condominiums above.

The Cressey Development Group plans to level the landmark and the vice-president, Hani Lammam, says a theatre is not in the future for the area.

From the CBC article:

“The Ridge Theatre as it stands right now is not doing well from a profitability perspective, so it’s a difficult situation, but they’re uneconomical,” he said.

Cressey Development Group plans to file an application to the City in the next few weeks and is aiming for construction within a year.

Schein says the Ridge Theatre will continue showing movies until construction begins.

The Ridge Theatre has been a part of the community for so long, it’s hard to imagine it not being there. It maintains a roster of independent films and documentaries that many of the big cinemas don’t – and its old school charm can not be found in the stadium seating venues we see today.

We are sad to see this historical piece of Kitsilano real estate go!

Photo: Via Bcliving.com

Whether you’re a new Kitsilano real estate owner, or you’ve owned a home here for decades – the ‘Kits Me… Love the Hood You’re In’ contest is looking for stories that celebrate life in this amazing Vancouver neighbourhood.

Check out this article and great photos on Inside Vancouver:

The ‘Kits Me…Love the ‘Hood You’re In!‘ contest, on now through April 5, celebrates this diversity by collecting stories from old and new Kits residents. The contest is a joint effort between the Kitsilano Neighbourhood House, Kitsilano 4th Avenue BIA, Kitsilano Chamber of Commerce and the West Broadway BIA.

They’re calling for story submissions from residents who are passionate about their neighbourhood and home. 90 story submissions will be selected for street banners along West 4th Avenue between Burrard and Balsam.

You can find out all the details on the Kitsilano Neighbourhood House website.

Kits Beach Circa 1932!

If you’d like to know more about buying or selling real estate in Kitsilano, please contact Vancouver Realtor Justin Leigh.

KitsWest is a new real estate development in located in Kitsilano at 4th and Macdonald.

This convenient location makes KitsWest very desirable and as a result their first release of homes sold out in a few hours.

This Saturday, March 17th is your last chance to own at KitsWest.

Features include:

BOLD, MODERN ARCHITECTURE
Designed by renowned GBL Architects, the strong, linear architecture at KITSWEST articulates modernity while respecting the rhythm and identity of this established, residential neighbourhood.

KITSWEST’s exterior features water-resistant cementitious panels, used predominantly in high-end architecture. Recognized for its strength and sustainability, this superior product is non-combustible, mildew and mould proof.

Bands of vertical wood sidings punctuate the linear facades of the architecture.

STYLISH INTERIORS
Choose from one of three colour palettes, presented by award-winning Creative Designworks:
- Crema
- Misto
- Verde
8′ 2″ ceilings in Garden Level homes
8′ ceilings in Second and Third Level homes
9′ ceilings in Penthouse Level homes
2″ faux wood blinds
Solid core suite entry doors
Interior French doors with frosted glass for master bedrooms
Stylish 7-1/2″ wide plank flooring in living, dining, kitchen and hallways
Tailored nylon carpets in private quarters
Blomberg, German energy-smart washer dryers
Generous patios extend the interior to the great outdoors (available in most suites)

If you’d like to know more about owning real estate at KitsWest or anywhere else in Kitsilano, please contact Vancouver Realtor Justin Leigh.