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 wasn鈥檛 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 鈥渟hould be shot,鈥� alleged he was involved in money laundering and threatened of 鈥渄ire consequences鈥� 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 they鈥檝e had thrown at them since the Daily Hive story ran.

The racism is particularly perplexing to Zhang considering the home鈥檚 current owner is a Caucasian, Canadian man.

鈥淲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, it鈥檚 been all racist comments,鈥� 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.

鈥淎t the end of the day we鈥檙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 we鈥檙e here to market it to our best ability, it鈥檚 as simple as that,鈥� 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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鈥淓ven since COVID, the surging racism in Vancouver and Canada has been insane,鈥� Zhang said. 鈥淗onestly, at first, I just feel bad for those people (who make racist comments).

鈥淚t鈥檚 like 鈥榳hat did someone from my race do to you to make you assume all these terrible things about us?鈥� It鈥檚 just so unnecessary.鈥�

Zhang said he understands if the property isn鈥檛 for everyone.

鈥淚t鈥檚 overkill but in the best ways possible, but if you think its too much just say that. Not everyone thinks the Mona Lisa is beautiful and that鈥檚 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, that鈥檚 where you cross the line鈥� you鈥檙e just assuming those things because it鈥檚 expensive.鈥�

The house is described as being 鈥渕ore like a boutique hotel than a residential home鈥� 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.

鈥淲ith 587 Vancouver Avenue, you鈥檙e not only purchasing a property, you鈥檙e buying a landmark, an architectural masterpiece with a priceless view,鈥� reads the.

The home has received international recognition, including being one of the front runner鈥檚 for 2020鈥檚 鈥渂est luxury property international鈥� and 鈥渂est luxury property Canada鈥� by the U.K.-based Design El Al Awards magazine.

鈥淓verything in this house is designed with a level of detail that I鈥檝e never seen in Canada,鈥� Zhang said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 one of those houses you really have to visit and see in person in order to appreciate it.鈥�

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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