# Seattle vs. Vancouver

By [Brandon Donnelly](https://paragraph.com/@brandondonnelly), 2017-08-17

apartments, cities, condos, construction, development, housing, real-estate, real-estate-development, seattle, uncategorized, urbanism, vancouver

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![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/fbdec7c05a4df58b2f82fee06e02725f.png)

A reader recently shared an article with me called: [Why Seattle builds apartments, but Vancouver, BC, builds condos](http://www.sightline.org/2017/08/14/why-seattle-builds-apartments-but-vancouver-bc-builds-condos/). Thanks for that.

It’s a good summary of the differences between these two markets and why over the last five years less than 4% of all new residential units built in Seattle have been condos. The story is obviously very different in Vancouver.

It’s also a good reminder that [incentives matter](https://cfaa-fcapi.org/pdf/RschImpact.pdf). Capital has a funny way of flowing to where the returns are greatest.

_Chart:_ [_Sightline Institute_](http://www.sightline.org/2017/08/14/why-seattle-builds-apartments-but-vancouver-bc-builds-condos/)

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*Originally published on [Brandon Donnelly](https://paragraph.com/@brandondonnelly/seattle-vs-vancouver)*