withabix

Depends on your budget.

Most of those would be covered by the Silver Valley/Rockridge area of Maple Ridge or Brookswood/Newlands in Langley (although the latter is more expensive and predominantly much older houses)

I don' think the lots of independent cafés/restaurants/arts scene... actually exists anywhere in BC, with the exception of downtown Vancouver, North/West Van and White Rock?

Eddmac

I also live in Northeast Maple Ridge and absolutely love it. It's about 20mins max to Mission, same to shops in MR. You are pretty handy to Abbotsford, which has lots of shopping too.
Major factor in our choice is access to mountains, forests, rivers and lakes.
We had a family of bears swimming in the lake that our house sits on - absolutely fabulous to watch. I work in Coquitlam and its about a 45min commute for me - perfectly doable as I had a 1hr commute in the UK. The big benefit is that I'm in a 4000sqft single storey house, 25ft from the lake on 5 acres of forested land. My neighbours are wildlife and I don't mean Chavs........
I wouldn't agree on a previous comment that there is nothing in Mission BTW. It has Walmart, Superstore, pubs and bars, Canadian Tire, a Cinema, vets, doctors, pharmacy's plenty of shops a few restaurants. I would go there before I would go to Maple Ridge to shop generally.

Stinkypup

In Maple Ridge you might want to count your fingers- don't blame the bears though!

Woman hospitalized after fingertip bitten off in altercation at Maple Ridge homeless camp

Tootlepootle

Port Moody sounds like a good fit for you, has little more character than my part of Coquitlam but you pay for it.

I think you will enjoy any of the places listed.

JuneSpring

Anmore? Port Moody? Coquitlam?

I haven't seen where the independent cafes and arts scene is.

skilovernat

Sounds like bliss. How about shopping for things like "ethnic food ingredients". I know that sounds weird - but we like to cook thai/indian etc from scratch - can you get those kind of ingredients in the regular supermarkets out there, or are there little family run stores selling the weird and wonderful (sounds like not though...)

skilovernat

Well - after writing my wish list last night - I realised what I was describing was Austria, Switzerland or France.... So I'll just have to accept that "independent cafe & arts scene" is just not going to happen so close to nature in BC. At least you can get a mansion of a house compared to my tiny flat/garden in the uK. A small price to pay. And if people work hard on the forum - maybe we can encourage a few creative types to move into our areas!

withabix

Real Canadian Superstore usually has an aisle full in most stores.

Or alternatively pop down to Abbotsford, as most of the major supermarkets sell a good range, as well as the specialist shops, due to the demographics.

Lychee

You can find what you're looking for in East Vancouver, in neighbourhoods like Commercial Drive, Hastings Sunrise, Mount Pleasant, Strathcona, Riley Park - big on indie cafes, small ethnic supermarkets, vibrant arts scene, good restaurants of all types, good bars and craft breweries, cool artsy progressive types, etc. You will have to have good money to buy the right house but green spaces, 30 minutes to mountains (hiking,skiing), dog walking, cycling culture, quick access to kayaking, nature, etc. thrives in East Van. I maybe biased, but culturally it's the most interesting place in Vancouver. And you can quickly escape it for the wilderness - that's the beauty of Vancouver.

The only other places in BC that have the culture side to what you're seeking are smaller artsy outposts in the Kootenay region, or on the Sunshine Coast.., places like Nelson, Rossland, Kaslo, Gibsons, and Powell River. Victoria too for a small city, but skiing is further away. Ditto for the Gulf Islands like Galiano or Salt Spring.

scrubbedexpat091

+1 on East Vancouver, almost like a totally different city, a city within a city almost.

vanity

Anyone know whether Coquitlam and other areas around there are increasing in value?

withabix

Yes, in all areas pretty much. Single Family Homes increasing the most, condos and apartments less so.

Coquitlam area has the SkyTrain effect.

Supply is being outstripped by demand - even in Maple Ridge where houses are being built in large numbers, there is less than 2 months' rolling market supply at the moment. Resale houses round us are selling in less than a week at the moment.


News + Statistics | Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver

vanity

Anyone know which areas of Coquitlam or Port Moody are more desirable than others?

withabix - will look at link. Ta.

vanity

Blimey it says 845 is the benchmark house price for Coquitlam.

vanity

Does Port Moody have an arts or cafe scene?