Located south of Broadway and east of Mount Pleasant, the Kensington/Cedar Cottage area features a wider range of housing options than other Vancouver neighbourhoods. This is no accident; in the 1990s, neighbourhood planners broke with other residential neighbourhoods and decided to encourage greater housing density. This gradual increase in density has ensured that the neighbourhood has remained lively and family-oriented by offering a greater variety of space and pricing options for home-seekers. This policy had a direct effect on the shape of real estate in Cedar Cottage. While other non-central Vancouver neighbourhoods focused on building more low-density single-family homes, Cedar Cottage added condos and townhouses to the mix.

The sheer variety of homes for sale in Cedar Cottage has helped it continue to be one of the most culturally diverse neighbourhoods in Vancouver. Immigrant communities make up a huge percentage of Cedar Cottage residents — only one third of which indicate English as their native language. With these numbers, it’s not surprising that Cedar Cottage serves as the hub to many local immigrant communities. In the neighbourhood, you can find a rich array of organizations that cater to large Chinese, Croation, German, Filipino, Indigenous and Latino populations. Since the 1970s, the region around Kingsway has become a lively ex-pat community for South Vietnamese immigrants. In 2011, Vancouver City council voted to rename this area “Little Saigon.” Here, you’ll find some of the best pho, banh mi and other Vietnamese specialties in Vancouver. Of course, there’s significant diversity even in this area, so expect to find more than just Vietnamese retailers and restaurants.

The Kensington/Cedar Cottage area features a lot of older single-family homes and larger duplexes in the Vancouver Special or Craftsman styles. Single-family houses for sale in Cedar Cottage tend to go for $700,000 and up. If you’re willing to pay more than $1,000,000 you may be able to find a house for sale near Knight Street. Vancouver house prices considered, this isn’t too bad! You’ll find that the range is a bit wider here than in other Vancouver neighbourhoods, with larger and newer homes for sale in the Cedar Cottage area costing up to $3,000,000.

Though the more remote parts of Kensington/Cedar Cottage are dominated by single family homes, the story is different along the main roads. Here, you can find East Vancouver townhouses for sale from 300,000 to 500,000. Around the King Edward Village area, near the intersection of Knight and Kingsway, real estate listings include condos in newer high-rise buildings. Many of these include balconies with beautiful views, and are very popular with small families and professionals who don’t mind a small commute to the heart of the city.

Many families choose to live in the Cedar cottage real estate area due to its relatively central location and proximity to amenities. The neighbourhood features some of the best schools in Vancouver, a community centre, a pool and a good variety of shops and grocery stores along the main streets. Furthermore, Cedar Cottage is a highly accessible neighbourhood for transit users. It borders the major transportation hub at the Commercial/Broadway intersection, includes the Nanaimo SkyTrain station, and is well serviced by buses along Knight, Nanaimo, Victoria and Kingsway. Central locations in Burnaby, like Metrotown, are a quick drive away, along Kingsway and Broadway.

Unlike other similar Vancouver neighbourhoods, the Kingsway corridor is marked by a long string of strip malls that service Cedar Cottage residents. These feature food, goods and services with a variety that reflects the neighbourhood. From low-key bars and hip coffee spots to fancy bakeries the area has a lot to offer.

If you choose to live in the northern part of Cedar Cottage, expect to spend more than a few summer evenings in John Hendry Park. With 27 hectares of green space, a community centre, baseball diamonds, soccer fields and Trout Lake, this is one of Vancouver’s best picnic spots. It’s also the location for many community events, such as the Illuminares lantern festival and the Parade of Lost Souls near Halloween. Throughout the summer, you can pick up fresh produce, artisanal cheeses and more at the regular farmer’s market. Dog walkers should take extra note of the popular dog beach to the north of Trout Lake. The south part of Trout Lake is one of the only fresh water swimming holes in urban Vancouver. Lifeguards are on duty in the summer, so it’s well worth a visit! Professional real estate services

All things considered, Kensington/Cedar Cottage is a beautiful and diverse area neighbourhood with flavour and feel that sets it apart from other parts of Vancouver. Visit it today and see why many families choose to seek homes for sale in Cedar Cottage.