Did you imagine a palatial estate, with sprawling, manicured grounds, a pool and guest house? Or did you think of a glamourous apartment, in the trendiest part of town, close to incredible shops and world class restaurants?
Depending where you choose to live, a million dollars could get you your dream palace, or it could you you an apartment that may... not live up to your daydreams. Realestock searched all over the world to show you what a million dollars will get you in five world class cities.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Well known for having the hottest real estate market in Canada, Vancouver defied market trends, with the average prices increasing despite the worldwide recession. Famous for incredible mountains, a strong economy and being an olympic host city.
What do you get for $1,000,000?
If you’re looking for a home to call your own in Vancouver without moving to the suburbs or the rougher east side, and all you have to spend is a million, you’ll be looking at a fairly modest house pretty far away from downtown. The better bet is on a condo - in the million dollar price range, you can get yourself a two bedroom sub-penthouse in the tony Yaletown district.
The original housing bubble economy, Tokyo real estate is expensive because the city is incredibly crowded - over 8 million people live in the city proper, but adding all the outlying suburbs and towns that are connected by the massive rail network swells that number to a mind blowing 30,000,000 people. With so many people wanting to live in a limited area, real estate is valued above all else.
What do you get for $1,000,000?
A surprisingly large apartment in Kagurazaka - a neighbourhood in the classy, ultra-modern and fashionable Shinjuku Ward of Tokyo. Kagurazaka boasts tree-lined streets, some of the best traditional Japanese restaurants in Tokyo, and lots of of history - the area was home to geisha and artists in the 18th century. Watch out for the extra fees though - parking, building management and maintenance fees are an extra $1,300 a month!
Seattle - the home of high tech companies such as Amazon and Microsoft, and the birthplace of the global obsession with good coffee. Despite its high tech industry, Seattle is delightfully down to earth, filled with funky, hole in the wall eateries and friendly people.
What do you get for $1,000,000?
A brand new apartment right the middle of downtown with a waterfront view - and only a few blocks from the internationally famous Pike Place market. The Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue condominiums have floor to ceiling windows, high end appliances and all the amenities that you’d expect to have in a million dollar apartment in one of the best and most exciting parts of Seattle.
Price: $1,000,000 USD + (or about $ 1,032,680 CAD +)
Paris, France
Ask almost anyone to name the most romantic city on earth, and they'll probably say Paris. Historic, beautiful, and cultural. Those fortunate enough to live in Paris live in one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world - Paris gets an estimated 45,000,000 annual visitors to see its sights.
What do you get for $1,000,000?
Paris is divided into 20 Arrondissements (administrative districts), and for $1,000,000 or about €785,000 Euro, you can have your pick of where to live - one of the best places would be the 1st Arrondissement, one of the oldest in Paris, home of the Louvre and the Tuileries Gardens to name just two of the famous sites. This one bedroom apartment is a little less than $1,000,000 but it's smack dab in the middle of the Arrondissement, and only blocks from some of Paris’ most famous museums.
If you’re bored in New York, you’re doing something wrong. From chic galleries to broadway plays, from the quiet of Central park to the hustle of the financial district, when most people think of a world class city, they think of New York.
What do you get for $1,000,000?
Manhattan real estate is expensive because there’s just not that much to go around, but at the 1 million price point, you can live almost anywhere in the city, including the super desirable Park Avenue in midtown. A historic pre-war building with high ceilings, art deco style and doorman make it a perfect New York apartment.
