“But once I started taking photos of it and saw the incredible views, I had to have it,” she explains. “I knew it was right for me.” So she bought the brand new, 2500 square foot semi-detached two-and-a-half storey and moved in two weeks later.

Even though she made the purchasing decision quickly, Christina still did her research. Not just any home can fit the bill for her, and she had to make sure it would be a good investment and be able to accommodate everything she needed. Her home is not only where she lives, but where she works. So, the home has to house her business with four staff, plus still have lots of living space for her 13-year-old daughter, Jade (“she’s my everything”), her two dogs (“my other daughters”) and herself.

Christina has created workspaces for herself and her staff on the main level with a seating area for clients. Upstairs is her living space. “Multitasking is my life,” she says. “My home needs to work for all aspects of my life. My office is in my house, but it’s still separate from my life.” With this set-up, clients don’t have to enter her personal space. That way, work remains downstairs, and she can leave it there.

Location was also a major deciding factor. For both personal and professional reasons, Christina needed her home to be inner city. Situated in the southwest community of Marda Loop, the home has the ideal location. It’s within walking distance to “Jade’s school, the dog park, my parents, Safeway and Starbucks,” she says.

Her reputation as an inner-city realty specialist also makes the proximity to downtown very important. “I need to live in the area I represent. How can I say with any conviction what it’s like to live inner city if I don’t? You have to show that you get it; that I know of what I speak. If I can show that through my home, it makes people feel more comfortable. After all, I am helping them make the biggest investment in their lives. Plus all of my listings are seven to 10 minutes away. That’s convenient for me and my clients.”

The striking home, designed by the renowned firm McKinleyDangBurkhart, is sure to impress. Outfitted with heated slate-tile flooring throughout, and black cabinetry contrasted by curtain-wall windows and skylights, the home is filled with gobs of natural light. “I love the light,” enthuses Christina. “The views, not just of the city, but of the sky are amazing with true walls of windows. Lying in bed, watching the sunrise or the stars at night — it’s beautiful.” There is also plenty of room for outdoor enjoyment with three balconies and a light well along with Juliet balconies in each of the two bedrooms.

With the clean lines and sharp light/dark contrast, the home could have potentially become rather sterile. “At first, it almost seemed too masculine and cold for me. So it was a challenge to warm it up.” Christina has injected primary colours through décor and beautiful paintings, one of which she hand painted with Jade. She’s also incorporated rich pieces to reflect her Asian heritage next to her sleek leather couch and other contemporary furniture. The mix makes for a very stylish but liveable space that flows easily from living room to kitchen to TV room.

Christina chose the home based on location first, style next, then affordability. “The price of constructing a new house on a view lot like this is out of my range.” Having lived in several lofts before, she had no qualms about buying a semi-attached home. “With the construction today, especially with the concrete here, you don’t hear anything of your neighbour. You share a wall, but it doesn’t feel like a shared residence.”

She also shares the costs with her neighbour of hiring out their lawn and outdoor maintenance. Paying for these services is very similar to paying for condo fees making the transition from a group-managed housing arrangement to a self-managed one easier. “I don’t do the lawn or shovelling anymore. I just don’t have the time. And I’m finding that lots of urban professionals are willing to pay for those services or looking for home arrangements that include them.”

The home is a perfect fit for Christina’s busy life with its multiple demands. “For my lifestyle, it was the best fit. I come and go at least five times a day. I did fall in love with a home on the outskirts of the city, but that would have meant changing my entire lifestyle. That doesn’t work for me or my business.”

Ultimately, homebuying is an evolutionary process for everyone, realtors included. “A home reflects your stage in life. It should continue to grow and evolve with you. For me, this place is my grown-up loft. I’m evolving as a homebuyer along with my clients.”

And with this latest home purchase, Christina is quite content. “I was once asked what my dream home would be,” she recalls. “I said, ‘A glass home in Maui.’ Well, I’m halfway there.”