3 bedroom/3 bath fully renovated house in the heart of Commercial Drive (Vancouver's "Little Italy"). Walk to many restaurants, cafes and shops, Trout Lake (with a weekly summer Farmers Market) and the skytrain (which can take you downtown and to the airport!) Relax in our backyard or on the back deck. Short drive to hiking, skiing (in winter), beaches, lakes.

Ideal for a family of 4 or 5 but there is a pullout sofa bed on the main floor that can accommodate an extra person. Main Floor: Living room with TV (Apple TV and Netflix) and wood burning fireplace (for winter use only as per City bylaw) Kitchen/dining area: Open concept kitchen and dining area with a large bifold glass door that can be opened up to the deck. Kitchen features fridge, stove, dishwasher, microwave and wine fridge. Small appliances include toaster, VitaMix, coffee grinder, espresso maker, French press coffee maker, kettle and ice cream maker. Sitting area is part of the open concept, just off the kitchen with two chairs and a small couch (which is a pullout sofa bed that could be used to accommodate an additional person). Desk with computer and a window seat are also part of this area. Half bath located on this level along with coat closet and a closet full of board games. Office: Our home office is also on this floor but we will probably lock off this room. Upstairs: Primary Bedroom has a Queen sized bed, walk in closet, window seat and ensuite bathroom. Bathroom features double sinks, a large bathtub, walk in shower and a linen closet. Kid room #1 has a single bed, desk and bookshelf. Kid room #2 has a bunk bed and lots of toys (lego, Keva blocks, stuffies, art supplies, etc.) Kids bathroom has a tub/shower. Laundry room: full sized washer and dryer. There is in floor radiant heat throughout the house. We have full time tenants who live in our basement suite which is a completely separate space. You would see them occasionally as they enter/exit the yard but they are a lovely couple with a baby. Backyard: We have a landscaped backyard with pavers and many plants/trees with a small water feature (rock that water gurgles out from) with overhead lights on a timer. Four adirondack chairs and an outdoor dining table with a new Weber BBQ. There is also a propane fire pit which is nice to sit around in the cooler evenings. The kids like to make s'mores (roast marshmallows and then you squish it between two graham crackers with a piece of chocolate). Back deck: Outdoor patio seating on back deck. We have the indoor/outdoor vibe when you open up the glass doors.

There are stairs to both the front and back doors of our home as well as stairs between the main and upper floor. We have one cat who primarily stays outdoors. She will need to be fed once or twice a day (she will let you know) and may occasionally want to come inside for short periods of time but most likely not for strangers. Our neighbours can also feed her if you can't.

July & August 2023 Hoping for longer term or multiple exchanges in Europe. France and Italy are on our "must show the kids" list but open to other countries as well. Summer 2024 we will be doing a non-sim exchange in Oregon so open to extending that with somewhere in CA, Utah, surprise me (but decent driving distance from Oregon). My family is huge into mountain biking, hiking, SUP and surfing. Always open to more local exchanges for weekends or short stays. (Updated our calendar but open to most weekend getaways that are a short drive away)

Our house is located near Commercial Drive, which is known as "Little Italy" but features many wonderful restaurants and all types of cuisine. From vegan Mexican to Lebanese to sushi and fabulous pizza places - you really will find something for everyone within walking distance. Tons of cafes and little independent shops also line The Drive. You can walk to a large grocery store (Safeway) and a great fruit/veggie market. The Rio Theatre is an independent movie theatre a 5 minute walk away. There are plenty of craft breweries in East Van you can discover as well. We live in a residential neighbourhood (and have fabulous neighbours) that is away from traffic/city noise but so close to everything. A short walk gets you "in the action" or to nearby parks. Trout Lake is a man made lake with an off leash dog park on one side and a small beach on the other, with two children's playgrounds, baseball diamonds and a Community Centre. On Saturday's in the summer months, there is a fantastic Farmer's market. On Wednesday evenings during the summer, there is free live music. (No one swims in the lake as it often has too much goose poop) But it's a great place for a walk around the lake as well as to hang out. They also have a cool Lantern Procession around the lake with music, performance art and home made lanterns near the end of August. The Skytrain is a 5 minute walk away, which gives you easy transit access to downtown, Science World, the airport, the Seabus to get to Lonsdale Quay in North Van or out to Burnaby and New Westminster. There are tennis courts, basketball courts, many parks and children's playgrounds all within walking distance. Short drive takes you to many hikes or skiing on the North Shore. 30 minute drive to Grouse Mountain. 45 minute drive to hikes and lakes in Port Moody. Whistler is a 2.5 hour drive away. Local Mountains are Hemlock, Seymour, Grouse & Cypress. Less than 1 hour drive to the US border for Washington state.

YVR (Vancouver International Airport) is the main airport. The skytrain from the airport (Canada Line) takes you downtown where you can transfer to the Expo Line to Commercial Drive/Broadway Station and then it's a 5 minute walk. You can also take a taxi or Uber (about 30 minutes and around $50). If driving, we are about 3 hours from Seattle.

Vancouver International Airport

You really can walk and transit to everything but you may want a car to go further (like Whistler). Commercial Drive is only 1 1/2 blocks away so walking to many restaurants, cafes and grocery stores, as well as the skytrain station is very convenient. The Skytrain to downtown only takes 10 minutes to get to more restaurants, shopping, plays, concerts, bars, etc. There are several bike share options close by.

Happy to meet for a drink or offer advice on local attractions and hidden gems. We do have a pullout sofa in the living area if someone needs an emergency place.