The city of abandoned mansions: Tens of THOUSANDS of multi-million dollar homes ditched in Vancouver as Canadian housing crisis bites 

• Multi-million dollar homes in Vancouver are getting snapped up as the 'frenzied' real estate market booms
• The city has become a hotbed of foreign investment as wealthy buyers park their cash in expensive homes 
• But there are now 66,719 vacant or temporarily occupied homes in the Vancouver - double those in 2001
• Home prices are skyrocketing, and many residents fear their neighborhoods are turning into ghost towns 

Multi-million dollar homes in Vancouver are getting snapped up like hot cakes as the 'frenzied' real estate market booms.

But when residents walk their dogs or take their children trick-or-treating, empty homes line the streets.  

The flood of international investors has driven home prices out of reach for members of Vancouver's middle class, many of whom fear that their neighborhoods are slowly turning into ghost towns.

Filmmaker Corbie Fieldwalker was struck by the abandoned mansions in Point Grey and began creating eerie videos that show the peeling paint, broken windows and graffiti inside.   

An astounding $1billion CAD of global money poured into the city's properties over the course of a five-week period, Bloomberg reported.

And more than $57.1million worth of homes in the small neighborhood of Point Grey - which measures just 2.5 square miles - were purchased by students reporting no income.

At the same time, there are now 66,719 vacant or temporarily occupied homes in the Vancouver area - more than double the numbers recorded in 2001, according to Simon Fraser University's Andy Yan. 

Some buyers are simply parking their money in the homes, while others are looking to turn a quick profit amidst the high demand.

One home went for $361,000 more than the price it sold for just three months earlier, the Globe and Mail reported. 

Other investors are putting down millions of dollars only to demolish the houses in favor of new developments.

One resident Claire Cullen told the Globe and Mail in 2015: 'I see a house sold now – and you just know it’s going to get demolished. 

'If families were then moving in and engaging, that would be different. The houses they build are empty – or people are only here for a month.'  

Politicians are now playing catch up as they try to impose taxes and close loopholes to ease the flow of international cash.

Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson said: 'It’s unacceptable for so much housing to be treated as a commodity. 

'Housing is for homes first, and as investments second. Vancouver will continue to do all it can to maintain and protect affordable homes, and pursue all tools available to ensure the best use of all our housing.'

A 15 percent tax has been imposed on foreign buyers since August, and officials introduced additional tariffs on empty homes to encourage international buyers to rent out their properties.