property watch: duo sunshine coast homes offer double the views
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alex chuaqui and fia cooper had been popping over to their pender harbour cottage from vancouver most weekends since their son was born 12 years ago. in 2017, they decided to decamp to the sunshine coast for good. so they sold their vancouver property and bought an older home, built in 1966, on mahan road in gibsons with stunning views of the salish sea and pasley islands.
it needed “a ton of work,” says listing agent sue scott, of engel & völkers vancouver. “but they were up for it.”
they certainly were. chuaqui and cooper regularly custom design, build and revamp properties, including heritage buildings in gastown. they dug in and, over the course of three years, undertook a full renovation of the 60-year-old mahan road home.
“the exterior was also extensively renovated, including a new metal and torch-on roof, all-new cedar shake siding, refinished decking and completely redesigned landscaping,” says cooper. “a fully fenced, pet-friendly perimeter provides privacy and security, along with a newly poured concrete driveway.”
nearly 1,500 square feet of deck and patio space — a deck off every principal area, says scott — includes one that’s shaded by a huge 50-year-old maple tree that scott says is so calming to sit under and gaze at the views.
as chuaqui and cooper were gazing at those views one day, they contemplated the empty lot in front of them on gower point road and realized someone could come along and build a bigger house and block their stunning sea views. so they bought the lot and set about building another, bigger house, also minimally landscaped in favour of extensive decking to take in the views. an engineered retaining wall with a corrugated metal fence above separates the two properties. both homes are for sale together or individually.
what’s inside mahan
the post-and-beam rancher on mahan road features four bedrooms and four bathrooms over 2,421 square feet.
jonathan folk media
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tucked away at the end of a quiet road, the post-and-beam rancher on mahan road features four bedrooms and four bathrooms over 2,421 square feet.
the open concept reclaimed wood flooring connects a spacious living area with a green-wrapped dining nook and kitchen with butcher block maple countertops, whirlpool gas stove, lg fridge and washer and dryer, and a bosch dishwasher. plenty of windows and skylights catch the natural light, including in the primary bedroom. “it faces the pasley islands, so you wake up to morning light and this incredible ocean view,” says scott. “i’m not sure i’d get out of bed if i woke to that every day.”
cooper says the house originally featured a galley kitchen separated from the main living area by a brick fireplace. “the fireplace was removed, the kitchen was relocated, and a cosy dining nook was created in the original kitchen space, resulting in a bright, open-concept layout with significantly improved flow.”
spacious living area features water views and reclaimed wood flooring.
jonathan folk media
kitchen with butcher block maple countertops, whirlpool gas stove, lg fridge and washer and dryer, and a bosch dishwasher.
jonathan folk media
other major upgrades, she says, include all-new electrical, plumbing, and heating systems, gas fireplace, new windows and doors, new drywall throughout, and upgraded insulation. every finish in the home was updated, including the bathrooms, laundry area, and flooring. cabinetry is by delta’s hi-design custom cabinetry ltd. the bathroom countertops are made from reclaimed fir salvaged from vancouver’s historic pantages theatre.
“we love wood for its warmth, texture, and natural character,” says cooper. “it felt like the right material for the home and suited its character.”
a detached studio with a three-piece bathroom and roughed-in kitchenette could be used as a studio, guest suite, office or rental (on approval of applicable zoning and permitting).
what’s inside gower
980 gower point road, gibsons comprises four bedrooms and four bathrooms over 3,017 square feet.
jonathan folk media
the gower point road home which, scott says, is brand new and never been lived in, comprises four bedrooms and four bathrooms over 3,017 square feet of white oak flooring. the 13-foot ceilings and expansive windows capture the natural light and ocean views. the open-concept living area features a venetian plaster fireplace and shadow moulding throughout “which is expensive and kind of a pain to do but it’s a really gorgeous effect,” says scott.
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the kitchen features all bosch appliances, german-made faucet by grohe, workstation sink by kola, cabinets by hi-design custom cabinetry ltd., and oversized sliders that open onto a huge sundeck. the dining chandelier is by herman miller and all of the recessed lighting is by dals with adjustable colour temperature. countertops are quartz by hari stones.
the primary suite features a walk-in closet and a spa-inspired bathroom with a steam shower by relax-a-mist, marble countertops, faucets by riobel, vanity sink top by ico, wall-hung toilets by axa, chandelier by kai, and a scarlet v-groove stand-alone tub by bain signature with a little window to soak in the view while you’re soaking in the tub.
the gower point road home is brand new and never been lived in.
jonathan folk media
primary ensuite features stand-alone tub by bain signature with a little window to soak in the view while you’re soaking in the tub.
jonathan folk media
“this house was built for the view — every room has a view, every bedroom has access to the outside,” says scott.
although the home is mostly on one level, there is a self-contained garden-level suite below the main living space with a separate entrance, a three-piece bathroom, and rough-ins to add a full kitchen for guests, extended family, studio or rental, with proper permitting.
“i’ve shown it to a family whose kids say they would like that space to hang out in,” says scott. “an (interested) musician from l.a. wanted a separate studio space for instruments. it could even work as a home office. your clients could park right outside and walk in, since it’s separate from your living space.”
a two-car garage with tall ceilings, lots of room for shelving or a standup freezer and sink is, says scott, “pristine”.
in the neighbourhood
both properties are about a 12-minute drive from the langdale ferry terminal. shops, restaurants and a marina are nearby in “cute and charming” lower gibsons, says scott.
“and upper gibsons, three minutes away, has a strip mall, banking, stores and high school that kids ride their bikes to.”
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she says you can walk to secret beach in five minutes along a trail at the bottom of mahan across gower point. several other beaches are a short drive away in either direction.
and, for lunch with a taste of hollywood north history, molly’s reach restaurant in lower gibsons, inside a building celebrating a century of existence, was the backdrop for the long-running iconic canadian tv series the beachcombers.
location:
listed for: $1,668,000
year built: 1966
type: four bedrooms, four bathrooms
size: 2,421 square feet
realtor: listed by sue scott, prec, and katie burkard, prec, engel & völkers vancouver
location:
listed for: $1,798,000
year built: 2025
type: four bedrooms, four bathrooms
size: 3,017 square feet
realtor: listed by sue scott, prec, and katie burkard, prec, engel & völkers vancouver
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