listed for sale at $12.8 million has sparked many racist comments, including a threatening email against the realtors who listed the property.

The house, located at 587 Vancouver Avenue, listed by Kevin Chen and Matt Zhang from Vancouver-based Oakwyn Realty, has been on the market for almost a year now.

However, it wasnsa国际传媒檛 until the home was featured by the online Vancouver news publication Daily Hive that Chen and Zhang began to draw the ire of some locals.

Since the Daily Hive story ran in December 2020, Chen and Zhang have been subject to a slew of racist and hateful comments and remarks from Penticton locals.

In one case, an email sent directly to Chen Saturday, April 24, suggested that he sa国际传媒渟hould be shot,sa国际传媒� alleged he was involved in money laundering and threatened sa国际传媒渄ire consequencessa国际传媒� should he not return to China.

Chen, who grew up in Canada and is originally from Taiwan, said he was taken aback by the email but not shocked considering the amount of anti-Asian racism seen in Canada recently.

Chen reported the email to the Penticton RCMP but so far no progress has been made on contacting the person who made the threats, according to Zhang. The Western News has reached out to the Penticton RCMP for more information but, has not yet received a response.

Zhang, who has also lived in Canada his entire life, said the email is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the racist and hateful sentiments theysa国际传媒檝e had thrown at them since the Daily Hive story ran.

The racism is particularly perplexing to Zhang considering the homesa国际传媒檚 current owner is a Caucasian, Canadian man.

sa国际传媒淲e were just selected to list the house for him and ever since we listed it, if you look at the comments on the Daily Hive story, itsa国际传媒檚 been all racist comments,sa国际传媒� Zhang said.

Zhang also noted that as realtors he and Chen are obligated to verify they are not dealing with potential money launderers through the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada.

sa国际传媒淎t the end of the day, wesa国际传媒檙e just the agents who are listing it. The owner is Canadian and we have verified the source. The client wanted to sell his dream home, and wesa国际传媒檙e here to market it to our best ability, itsa国际传媒檚 as simple as that,sa国际传媒� Zhang said.

Anti-Asian racism has been on the rise in Canada since the start of the pandemic. In Vancouver, police data shows anti-Asian hate crimes have risen by 717 per cent since the start of the pandemic.

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sa国际传媒淓ven since COVID, the surging racism in Vancouver and Canada has been insane,sa国际传媒� Zhang said. sa国际传媒淗onestly, at first, I just feel bad for those people (who make racist comments).

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 like sa国际传媒榳hat did someone from my race do to you to make you assume all these terrible things about us?sa国际传媒� Itsa国际传媒檚 just so unnecessary.sa国际传媒�

Zhang said he understands if the property isnsa国际传媒檛 for everyone.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 overkill but in the best ways possible, but if you think itsa国际传媒檚 too much just say that. Not everyone thinks the Mona Lisa is beautiful and thatsa国际传媒檚 okay.

When you start bringing race into it and all these negative stigmas toward a certain race and just assuming that this person is Chinese and has dirty, laundered money, thatsa国际传媒檚 where you cross the linesa国际传媒� yousa国际传媒檙e just assuming those things because itsa国际传媒檚 expensive.sa国际传媒�

The house is described as being sa国际传媒渕ore like a boutique hotel than a residential homesa国际传媒� and features seven patios spanning over 2,500 square feet, over $1 million worth of marble, over $1 million of custom furniture and an emerald green marble garage with a custom vehicle turntable.

sa国际传媒淲ith 587 Vancouver Avenue, yousa国际传媒檙e not only purchasing a property, yousa国际传媒檙e buying a landmark, an architectural masterpiece with a priceless view,sa国际传媒� reads the.

The home has received international recognition, including being one of the front runners for 2020sa国际传媒檚 sa国际传媒渂est luxury property internationalsa国际传媒� and sa国际传媒渂est luxury property Canadasa国际传媒� by the U.K.-based Design El Al Awards magazine.

sa国际传媒淓verything in this house is designed with a level of detail that Isa国际传媒檝e never seen in Canada,sa国际传媒� Zhang said. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 one of those houses you really have to visit and see in person in order to appreciate it.sa国际传媒�

To see more pictures and find out more about the property at 587 Vancouver Ave., visit the website for the listing at .

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jesse.day@pentictonwesternnews.com
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