Human beings consistently prefer a view over water, be it the ocean, a lake, or river. Water has a calming effect. The second most "desirable" view tends to be natural landscapes. Views of a prominent mountain or a gorgeous landscape like the Columbia River Gorge. Cityscape views come in third and have the most variability and risk.
Landscape views tend to lose in the night time and sometimes a water view does as well especially in coastal and rural areas. The one view type that tends to shine at night, literally and figuratively, is an urban landscape.
The long standing issue with urban landscapes is the near constant threat of some future urban project rising up to block that city view. Some really high end buildings hyper rich markets have literally bought airspace rights over other structures to create permanent view corridors in dense cities like Hong Kong and NYC.
Urban landscape views are often at the best at night as bright city lights dance in the windows of urban condos. They are mostly protected from the weather as well. Cloudy days and nights do not ruin the views. About the only natural event that messes with a city view is dense fog.
Vancouver has an interesting trifecta opportunity with many of its urban views. The Downtown area lies on the shores of the mighty Columbia River offering many homeowners a lovely water view that also lights up at night with reflections of the cityscape all through the night. Towering Cascade volcanoes are also visible from many locations as well. Some of Vancouver's waterfront neighborhoods both in the urban core and in the suburbs along the Columbia share this rare trifecta of views.
At the end of the proverbial day, most people will still gravitate towards a water view. This certainly helps explain why waterfront properties tend to sell for substantially more money than other view types or no views at all. City dwellers in Vancouver can enjoy all three view types from the same picture window. You just have to have really deep pockets.
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