By ThinkPol Staff

A realtor listing an East Vancouver triplex for sale is boasting that the entire property is being run as an Airbnb hotel, which is a violation of Vancouver bylaws.

An industry insider sent ThinkPol the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) listing for 976 E 14th Avenue by Michelle Comens of at RE/MAX Crest Realty Westside^[1]https://www.rew.ca/properties/R2226791/976-e-14th-avenue-vancouver-bc.

The realtor’s notes section of the listing, which is only visible to other realtors, states “Triplex fully rented on Airbnb”.

The property, with a $1,698,000 price tag, is being sold as a “a great turn key investment opportunity.”

Other realtors, however, feel that what Comens is doing might not be ethical.

“As a new licensee, one of the most basic things we learn is how unethical (and prohibited) it is to recommend to a client to ignore any law and the necessity to work within existing bylaws,” Steve Wahl, a realtor who only obtained his licence last week, told ThinkPol. “I would expect the Real Estate Boards to enforce these protocols, so, I have to assume it’s not a violation.”

“The problem is that for the most part, the City has turned a blind eye to it so in many respects it has tacitly sanctioned the activity,” Wahl added. “But I would expect it to be something most real estate agents are reticent to encourage, as professionally, they’re not in the business of promoting a disregard for the law, despite however widespread that disregard may be.”

ThinkPol found that Kirsten and Dale, the owners of the house, were offering the main unit of the triplex for $126 per night, while the top floor and the basement were being listed at nightly rates of $97 and $63 respectively^[2]https://www.airbnb.ca/users/10319459/listings.

The two “superhosts” operate two other Airbnb units in Whistler and in Port Moody.

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