Moving family to Vancouver area. Can't afford to live "in" Vancouver and are looking towards the suburbs..

Question

Which of the suburbs are best to live in for a family. Also, we would be commuting to the Vancouver airport area for work, how difficult is that from places like Maple ridge, Pitt Meadows, Langley. I don't think we could afford a decent house any closer than that. Does the skytrain run out to those communities? What about Coquitlam, and Port Coquitlam to live in? I keep hearing negative comments about Surrey, are they true? Are there any really nice areas in Surrey, it seems closer? Lots of questions, but this is a very important move, and I don't know where else to get these kinds of answers. We don't know anyone there we can ask.
Thanks.

Answer 1

My personal choice - if I had to live in a suburb would be New Westminster... IMO its the least "suburban" of the suburbs - a neat old downtown, with lots of great antique stores, a delightful riverfront public market and a wonderful stock of Victorian houses and heritage sites. Its fairly compact - not really one of those sprawling strip malls sort of suburbs. Its also convenient to the Skytrain - so the commute wouldn't be as bad as any of the other suburbs (excepting Burnaby or Richmond.

At one time New West (as the locals call it) was in fact the capital of the province. A caveat though, the downtown is not without its urban malaises like crime, homelessness and drug dealing - but, for that matter - both Surrey and Burnaby have similar problems (especially it would seem around SkyTrain stations)

Surrey, for the record - while it certainly has a bad rap - is not ALL bad, in fact some of the most affluent neighbourhoods in the region can be found here - but there are some pretty scummy neighbourhoods - most notably Whalley.

I also really like Fort Langley (for its heritage - and small town quaintness) but it's a heck of a commute to the city.

Answer 2

I would say live in Port Coquitlam or Coquitlam if you are planning on using public transit (if compared to Maple Ridge or Pitt Meadows), especially near one of the skytrain station lines - like Lougheed near the Burnaby border. I live in Coquitlam and it's a decent city to live in but not as lively and pedestrian friendly as Vancouver.

Yes, the skytrain does run from downtown Vancouver to North Surrey but, the reason Surrey has a bad reputation because there are a few undesirable areas that make it in the news often (like Newton and Whalley) and then the whole city gets blamed. The nice areas are in south surrey, closer to White Rock and Delta.

Incidently, they are building a third skytrain line, the Canada Line, from downtown Vancouver straight to the Vancouver Airport - sorry, it won't be ready until 2009.

Here is the Skytrain website:
http://www.translink.bc.ca/Transportation_Services/SkyTrain/

Good luck with your house hunting, I hope you get a great place.

Cheers,

Petra M, Vancouver

Answer 3

well I think that langley, pitt medows and maple ridge are too far away. It would take about an hour each way from langely. Have you considered Richmond? The vancouver airport is in Richmond, and there is lots of building going on there.

As for Surrey, yes there are nice areas. But as with all of the lower mainland, housing prices are sky-high right now. Coquitlam isn't too far away, and the homes are a little more reasonable.


check out www.mls.ca for homes that are currently for sale

Answer 4

Langley is great but it would be a hour commute to the airport. White Rock/South Surrey would be a much easier comute and are very desirable areas. Surrey is a huge City in size and has nice parts and a few crappy. Dont be to afraid of it. Its a lot cheaper than Vancouver or Richmond.

Answer 5

Surrey isn't as bad as it reputation makes it out to be and the city of Surrey is going out of it's way to clean up the notoriously bad parts like Whalley and Surrey does have access to Sky train where Port Coquitlam and Coquitlam don't at least not yet. Langley is nice but no Sky train. Chilliwack is nice but it is further out into the Fraser Valley. Good-luck and hope that you enjoy the city.

Answer 6

Ladner, probably the closest your gonna get to the airport besides richmond. its like a 15 min drive. However it issomewhat expensive in ladner (i saw a house down my street going for 450,000) which isnt much different from the rest of the lower mainland. but you wont find a nicer place. just look up ladner.

sadly, most of the stuff you have heard about surrey is probably true but yes, there are nice places in surrey, well not actually in surrey but theres whiterock and other places on the edges on surrey.

Answer 7

Sky train does not go out of Maple Ridge Pitt meadows or anywhere on the north side of the Fraser river.
there is a commuter rail train that does in the morning and evening to Downtown and back.
Surrey, well it has made its reputation all on its own. there are nice areas out there just do your research
I love the Fraser Valley, where I commute to Langley everyday for work.
If you need more advice, feel free to contact me.

Answer 8

Burnaby is your best bet. You have the sky train and it is close to downtown. However, like me, you should have moved before the 2010 olympics were anounced. After that announcement, real estate boomed. I was looking for a condo a couple of years ago that were reasonable, now all are more expensive.

Answer 9

Richmond is the best for you since the air port is there too.
there is nice areas in surry like south surry is very nice, but surry has lots of not very nice places too.
if you have to go to the airport everyday you do not want to go to Maple ridge
good luck

Answer 10

Ladner in Delta.
Closer to the airport than the places you mentioned and cheaper than Vancouver.