Moving to Vancouver, BC ...?

Question

My husband and I have made the decision to move to BC in the Vancouver area to be near his parents who are getting very ill.

I've never been to BC and my husband has only been there once. Where should we look to live in the Vancouver area ? I noticed there are quite a few suburbs in the area, but have no idea where to contact a Realtor.

We currently live in the bay area of Calif. We are a younger 20something couple, both professional with plans to have a family in the next couple of years.

We want somewhere that is family safe, suburban-ish, and close to N. Vancouver - where his parents are.

Any ideas from those who have been in that area ? Thanks !

Answer 1

If you can afford the price of real estate you will be better off if you reside in the North or West Vancouver areas as the fewer bridges you have to cross the easier your life will be.  There are only two bridges leading from Vancouver to the North Shore and if there is an accident on one of them traffic  backs-up for hours.  There are also some very nice communities further up Highway 99 from West Vancouver but that could be a problem come the 2010 Olympics in Whistler.

To get an idea as to housing prices in the area you might buy in go onto MLS.ca and then click on the area you might be interested in.  That will give you a very good idea of the present market and also the names of local real estate agents.  Good luck.

Answer 2

hi okay since i know how much money you are willing to spend i will help you out alot more now. White Rock it is a very safe area located right by the ocean. You can find a beautiful view house in that price range for sure or you could look into some of these areas they are in a area called Ocean Park it is a very disierable place for young hip families to move house prices are usually around eight hundread thousand dollors to 2 million dollars and beyond. If you are wanting a realtor try remax they are nation wide and will help you with your search. if you are wanting to look at homes online try mls.ca that will help you. You can find more info on the White Rock area once you have found a realtor hope i helped.

Answer 3

Why not look for a home in North Vancouver? It's an easy trip from N. Van to downtown Vancouver, where, as young professionals, you will probably be working. Remax is a worldwide company and can help you begin your search.

Welcome to God's country.....

Answer 4

Well, why don't you choose North Vancouver? It's where his parents are so you'll be close by to look after them. North Van is a very nice community. It has a good variety of areas to choose from, from somewhat urban to 'house in the forest', from some gorgeous older houses to the very newest. You can be on the waterfront or up on a mountain and everything in between, and many properties have good views. It's upper middle class in terms of overall income and education levels so the schools and recreation facilities are good, parks are very good, there are lots of activities of all kinds and I'd think it's an excellent place to raise a family. It's close to downtown Vancouver though you must cross a bridge to get there, but that means that cultural activities are pretty close.  Shopping is excellent, you rarely need go off the North Shore to get things. Next door to North Van is West Vancouver(they are known collectively as the North Shore), which is upper middle to downright outrageously wealthy. It's very nice but maybe not so fabulous for a young family; its population is somewhat older on average, and there aren't a lot of young families because it's too expensive. It only takes 15 minutes to get from the middle of North Van to the middle of West Van, so you could enjoy both communities while taking advantage of the lower average real estate prices in North Van. Also, West Van pretty much rolls up the sidewalks after 9 pm. North Van is a little more lively in the evenings. To check prices and find real estate listings go to mls.ca, it's all there.

Answer 5

The nicest area in Vancouver is probably Shaughnessy, where pretty much all the houes average over $1 million.

Answer 6

North Vancouver is a good area. West Vancouver is better, but far more expensive. Do not go to Burnaby or Surrey. Kitsilano, Kerrisdale and other areas in Vancouver West are great. (and about 15-30 minutes away from North Van depending on traffic etc.)

Answer 7

North Vancouver would be a great choice based on your requirements.  West Van is great too, if you can find something affordable.  And you are in luck because the housing market is giving a bit of a break to buyers right now.  I would do a little more research on realtors, even if you choose to go with Remax - its not the company but the actual realtor who will work for you, and there are the good, the bad and the ugly just like in any profession.  Look for a realtor who works in that area.  Kerrisdale would be another good fit.  You most definitely do not want to go as far as White Rock because you will be cursing the drive everyday if you end up working in downtown Vancouver.  The big minus is getting from North Van to downtown - negotiating the Lions Gate Bridge everyday is a lesson in extreme patience.  Kitsilano is too expensive and way too congested.  A good rule of thumb is to try and have no more than one bridge to crross in your daily commute (and I mean that literally!)

Answer 8

Sorry if I have never been in Vancouver!!!

Sorry also because of my ignorance but: In what Bay area do you live??

It should be nice moving up there to BC from the bustling state of California (though it has its tranquil areas such as Redding, Eureka, Crescent City...)

Yeah, I like Vancouver, if you like rain it's just the place.

The only thing that I have against Vancouver is the SUPER EXPENSIVE price (while in Ottawa a house would cost        $ 200000 in Vancouver it would cost $600000!!!!)

Generally, the area near the Pacific is expensive (Both in Canada and the US).

Vancouver HAS A BEAUTIFUL WEATHER (RARE IS IF TEMPERATURE IS BELOW 32 DEGREES)

And I have no idea where could you get a Real Estate Agent in Vancouver. My suggestion: Look for one in California, he probably will give references.