Coquitlam - your thoughts please
 

As the title suggests, we're thinking about a Vancouver suburb to move to and are wondering whether Coquitlam could fit the bill. It looks pretty enough online but the internet can only tell you so much. Hubby is going out in May for a look around. I did a BE forum search on this area...some say it's nice, others say it's a dump. I suppose until we see it for ourselves we won't know but in the meantime I'm asking those in the know - what do you think? Our budget is $500,000+-

We're looking for the usual - leafy, safe, secondary schooling. We'll be renting anyway for the first 6-12 months so will get a feel for it once we're there but if you guys say stay clear then perhaps we'd have a re-think....

Thanks :)

Re: Coquitlam - your thoughts please
 

And I say some of it is nice and some of it is a dump.

brizzle is a Coquitlam resident and I'm sure he will add his point of view when he finds the thread.

Keep away from the main highways as they are busy, there tends to be a lot of commercial development and the housing around tends to be on the dumpier end. Otherwise there are perfectly pleasant residential areas.

Re: Coquitlam - your thoughts please
 

Thanks for that....actually we also stumbled across Fort Langley. Dboy says that nice (where IS Dboy these days?!) so either of those areas for your honest opinions please?

White Rock's a bit out of our price range, non?

Re: Coquitlam - your thoughts please
 

Right, I live there:) TBH, most of the suburbs are much of muchness. Nothing stands out in Coquitlam, but it isn't a disaster area too.

Western areas (Nr the skytrain) are older (well 1970's mainly) and there are some roughish areas around North Rd/Brunette Ave. North Rd is very Korean. Areas around Cape Horn/Lougheed Hwy seem to have fair bit of grow-op/gang/dodgy activity too. Areas nearer to Coquitlam centre are newer and extend way up into the surrounding mountains. Lots of Chinese live here. It's nice enough, but some areas are a bit far out and souless IMO.

Coquitlam has some nice parks. Transport links are better nearer the skytain. Westcoast express fro coquitlam centre or express buses to the skytrain. They are supposed to be extending the skytrain out here, but it'll be donkeys before anythings done (IMO they should just blast a light rail link from Braid skytrain right up Lougheed Hwy to Coq. centre).

For $500k your choice of single family homes is limited to the bottom of the market, but if you take a look at townhomes etc as well, you'll find something you'll like I'm sure. Look at Port Moody as well. I like it.

Re: Coquitlam - your thoughts please
 

Where will you be working? That will make a huge difference to where you decide to live. White Rock to Coquitlam is a hell of a way (40-50kms)

Re: Coquitlam - your thoughts please
 

Yikes, $500k gets you the lower end of the market.....boo.....

Thanks for your info though. How did you come about deciding where to live?

Now if we could just win that blinking lottery!!!!!!!!

Re: Coquitlam - your thoughts please
 

Now there's a question. Hubby hasn't got a job yet :eek: He's going out in May to throw himself at recruiters etc. I know you'll probably say get the job then look for the house and that would be sensible advice so we'll be renting wherever in the meantime until the illusive job turns up. Just want to get a feel for areas and advice from the locals.

Re: Coquitlam - your thoughts please
 

I agree with the later part of Jonboy's first sentence. There's got to be better places to live in the world than Coquitlam? People don't live there by choice.

Re: Coquitlam - your thoughts please
 

Yes, it is a shame that dboy has decided to stop posting. I hope it is only temporary.

I like Fort Langley. It is less convenient than Coquitlam as you will have to go to Willowbrook in Langley City for anything other than basic shopping. However, it has character rather than the relentless suburban sprawl that is Coquitlam. Depending on where your OH finds work the commute over the Port Mann Bridge is going to be grim for the next year or so until the new bridge is open.

As for White Rock? There are a very limited number of single family homes at this price point. However, it is not impossible. How about this: http://www.realtor.ca/propertyDetail...Key=-815148601 ? It is not White Rock but Ocean Park - a very desirable part of South Surrey. It is on quite a busy road and has renters at the moment (so will likely need a lot of TLC to get it into the shape you want) but IMO is a bit of a bargain.

This is in a fabulous location but is a tear-down. http://www.realtor.ca/propertyDetail...Key=-520400064

Or you could kick the tenants out of this: http://www.realtor.ca/propertyDetail...ey=-1690155860 It is on a busy street.

Re: Coquitlam - your thoughts please
 

Renting at first is the best idea.

Re: Coquitlam - your thoughts please
 

I hope he comes back - but he actually went as far as getting his BE account closed rather than just stop posting.

Re: Coquitlam - your thoughts please
 

There are and I don't really live here by choice, but is it really that much worse than any of the other endless suburbs? Burnaby, Surrey, Richmond etc

I like the first one personally. What's the commute like, if you had to go downtown. Seems like a bloody long way.

Re: Coquitlam - your thoughts please
 

In that case I hope we can welcome a new poster called boyd in the near future.

Re: Coquitlam - your thoughts please
 

Thanks so much for such a comprehensive answer, that's really helpful. I guess my dream of a nice house in a couple of acres is pretty much just that, a dream. Still, on the upside we won't be rushing into anything so we'll have time to have a good look round whilst we're there. I guess for me though it's more difficult to switch as we'll have our son in Secondary school. Would we be able to keep him at the same school if we moved neighbourhood?

Re: Coquitlam - your thoughts please
 

a dboy posted an answer recently but it had no info with it....wasn't that him?