Anshu Arora LLM, MSc, PMP

Vancouver is one of the best places to be if you’ve got a sweet tooth. Our chocolatiers, pastry chefs, and patisseries are turning out incredible creations from the simple perfection of a slice of chocolate cake to the visual sensation of a mountain of mango-topped shaved ice, and much (much, much) more. Here (in no particular order) are a few must-try desserts in Vancouver.

1. Camp Fire at Mosquito

Cozy up to this spin on an outdoors classic at Mosquito, the dessert and snack bar in Gastown. Their “Camp Fire” is made with chocolate cake, bourbon marshmallow, peanut dragée, fire candy, and smoked vanilla ice cream.

Address: 32 Water Street, Vancouver
Instagram: @mosquitodessert

2. Diplomat cake from Notte Bon Ton

Open for nearly a century, Notte Bon Ton specializes in pastries and cakes, among which is their Diplomat cake, made of layers of pastry, sponge cake, and rich buttercream.

Address: 3150 West Broadway, Vancouver

3. Gelato from Bella Gelateria

Vancouver is home to a certified gelato master, and Bella Gelateria is scooping up the sweet goodness at their locations. Look for exciting seasonal offerings, or staples like Salted Caramel.

Address: 1001 West Cordova Street, Vancouver

Address: 1089 Marinaside Crescent, Vancouver
Instagram: @bellagelateria

4. Creme Brulee at Crackle Creme

This dessert cafe serves up small-batch crème brûlée in flavours like Tahitian Vanilla Bean, Salted Caramel, Earl Grey, Fererro Rocher, Black Sesame, Pandan Coconut, Honey Lavender, and Organic Matcha. For those who enjoy their dessert with a little kick, try their crème brûlées infused with Bailey’s, bourbon, or Guinness.

Address: 245 Union Street, Vancouver
Instagram: @cracklecreme

Address: 245 Union Street, Vancouver
Instagram: @cracklecreme

5. Waffles at Nero Belgian Waffle Bar

There are breakfast waffles, and there are dessert waffles, and the latter at Nero are absolutely where it’s at. Using the waffle as vehicle for whipped cream, ice cream, fruit, sauces, syrups, and more, these sweet treats are divine.

Address: 1703 Robson Street, Vancouver

Address: 1002 Seymour Street, Vancouver
Instagram: @nerowafflebar

6. Ice Cream Taco from Rain or Shine

Ice cream is good any time of year, says Rain or Shine’s owner, hence the name of this always-popular ice cream shop. Hit them up on Tuesdays for their ice cream “taco” special.

Address: 3382 Cambie Street, Vancouver

Address: 926 West 4th Avenue,  Vancouver
Instagram: @rainorshineyvr

The Fraser Valley Real Estate Board processed 1,210 sales of all property types on its Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in January, an increase of 24 per cent compared to the 976 sales in January of last year. The Board received 2,092 new listings in January, a 63.8 per cent increase from December 2017’s 1,277 new listings.

HPI® Benchmark Price Activity

• Single Family Detached: At $982,700, the Benchmark price for a single family detached home in the Valley increased 0.6 per cent compared to December 2017, and increased 15.1 per cent compared to January 2017.
• Townhomes: At $519,400 the Benchmark price for a townhome in the Fraser Valley increased 1.2 per cent compared to December 2017, and increased 23.4 per cent compared to January 2017.
• Apartments: At $404,100, the Benchmark price for apartments/condos in the Fraser Valley increased 4 per cent compared to December 2017, and increased 44.1 per cent compared to January 2017.

A surge of buying activity – and nowhere near enough supply – caused condo prices in Metro Vancouver to soar 20.2 per cent year over year in 2017’s fourth quarter.

Combined with a severe lack of available inventory, buyers’ desire to get into the market ahead of the new rules pushed the median price of a Greater Vancouver condo up to $651,885 in Q4 2017. By diluting prospective homeowner’s purchasing power, these regulations will likely place many purchasers into the entry-level market, causing the segment to overheat further.

Aggregate home price in Greater Vancouver will rise by a further 5.2 per cent by the end of 2018, as low inventory levels continue to fail to meet demand for homes in the region. I can help you monetize in this!!