As a real estate agent, Jason Binab has a first-hand seat to the culture and history of Oak Bay.
This is, perhaps, best captured in his memory of his most memorable sale: 1587/1595 York Place, a heritage home called Annandale.
"It's actually one of the most iconic pieces of history in Oak Bay and it was built in 1901. Imagine living in that."
The designated character home was designed by the late architect John G. Tiarks for the son of Sir Charles Tupper, the father of the Confederation.
"So, a lot of history," Binab said.
Oak Bay has taken centre stage in Binab's life and career; not only did he move there when he was 12, but he's worked for several real estate companies on Oak Bay Avenue since 2012. And after purchasing the Binab Group franchise of the agency in 2018 and opening a location on Yates Street, he's coming back closer to home with a new location on Oak Bay Avenue, which officially opened in September.
With The Agency having a head office in L.A. and 115 plus offices, his franchise was the first franchise of The Agency in Canada.
Binab chose Oak Bay for several reasons.
"Obviously, it is a pretty hot spot for real estate," he said. Binab, 49, has sold 227 houses in Oak Bay. But he knows the neighbourhood intimately.
"I live in the neighbourhood, Kris Ricci that's sitting here, my sister, we all live in the neighbourhood, grew up in the neighbourhood, know it, but most importantly we truly love it. I don't want to say I'm partial to Oak Bay, but if somebody's hiring you for your expertise and they ask where's the best place to live, I can't tell them it's anywhere other than Oak Bay."
An illustration of how well he knows the neighbourhood is the "crazy" fact he was actually in the Annandale home as a kid.
"That house was my friend from high school's mom's home since 1987 since I moved here. I hung out there as a kid a little bit. And then her mom called me 35 years later and said, 'Hey, I want to sell my house with you.'"
As per the real estate life, it found him, said Binab. In the early 2000s, he was a bartender trying to make it as an actor in Vancouver when a woman approached him and told him he would make a great realtor.
"I said, 'Well, I like people but I don't know anything about real estate'. And she told me, 'It's a people business, not a real estate business.'" So, he went to UBC Sauder School of Business. And apparently, her quip turned true.
"It's been a good career for me because I love people," Binab said.
Throughout that career, which has included creating a YouTube series Rides with a Realtor, and being host of the television show the Design District, Binab said that Oak Bay has maintained its charm.
There are 87 listings in Oak bay right now, Binab said, and there isn't a huge turnover.
"There's typically 200 to 300 sales in a whole year, so it just tells you most people don't leave here, and if they are buying here, they buy here because they want to raise a family here ... so, I would say there's something to be said about that. People like it here."
