In yet another instance of property conferring identity, this week’s Georgia Straight cover story (“Real estate bounces back: Is there any connection between the 2010 Winter Games and a remarkable recovery in the Vancouver housing market?”) begins with a 24-year-old pharmicist who, after purchasing his first home (a two bedroom condo at Hornby and Smithe), is heard to say: “One of my friends who I used to live with in university, he’s like, ‘I feel since you bought your place, you’ve matured. You’ve completely changed in the way you are. Before, we used to live the student lifestyle. Now, you’re always cleaning your place. You have plants. You look after them. You’ve even got a cat now. It’s like you’re an adult.’”