I really like the idea of renting in DT Vancouver until we've settled, like you say you can take your time to find 'the right place'. Been googling Anmore, Fort Langley, both of which look nice too but the net is a funny old thing, can make anywhere look lovely. Oh to have money though, enough to get a nice log home on acreage! Dream on eh?

el_richo's post is right. Renting near town is good to do for a year or two. It's what we did before moving out to MR. Incidentally, we looked at a couple of ranchers on small acreages in your price range last year.

There is some information in the wiki you might want to read here http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Vancouver

Langley is a big place. There is the cute Fort Langley in the north that we have already talked about. Then there are the typically modern suburban communities such as Walnut Grove, Willoughby, and Murrayville. Langley City is functional - all the stores and services you need but not too easy on the eye.

Brookswood is an older residential area to the south of Langley City. Most of the housing is 1960s and 1970s. Often the houses are build on 10,000 sf lots with trees and suchlike so everything is much more spread out and relaxing than modern subdivisions. Brookswood is also next to South Langley which is almost totally rural. You are at the edge of the metropolis here.

Downsides? Well, you are an hour and a half drive to downtown Vancouver in the rush hour until they finish the Port Mann Bridge. If you don't want to drive all the way then you could drive to the South Surrey park and ride and then get the express bus into Bridgeport station. Otherwise it is a regular bus to Langley City, regular bus to Surrey Central and then Skytrain downtown. If your OH could get work south of the Fraser river this would be much less of an issue.

The other possible downside is more difficult to put into words. You are on the border between rural and urban Canada. Rural Canada is culturally different form urban Canada. Vancouver is (relatively) sophisticated, cosmopolitan, vibrant and tolerant. Rural Canada tends to be white, christian and conservative. They are the "cradles" that some on here like to poke fun at. They are super-friendly, helpful and generally likable people with a strong sense of community, but they are what they are.

Of course, you may think this is a plus.

+1

And both those earlier listings looked bloody awful , in my opinion.

Thanks, we're definitely narrowing it down here and I'd like to thank EVERYBODY for the time they're spending helping us mere mortals out!

Just quoted your trip by bus, bus, train etc to OH and he mumbled a 'hmmm, not sure about that' mumble...would be lovely in the summer months but winter could be a reet pain! I still think we'd be wise to down the DT (or as near as) rental for a year whilst looking around. Actually, I quite like the sound of the semi rural community areas but not sure my 16 year old son would be so thrilled?

We're definitely liking the sound of Maple Ridge.....

Er excuse me, the houses round Commercial are going for excess of $1million - does that make it a shithole??

Good god, thank god you cant make the drinkies we have arranged, I may have to twat you one!

Are you on your period this weekend?

You think thats funny ?

I have found in the past from experience that putting a wink at the end of a comment makes it no less offensive.

Just sayin'.

I find it doubles its offensiveness TBH!!

Crikey!!!

I apologise for offending you by joking about Commercial Drive, insinuating your bitchiness (in a jokey way and stemming from the Vishy thread), and putting a wink at the end of each comment that obviously causes offence instead of the intended jokey / light hearted nature that the icon is designed for, and you yourself have used numerous times in this thread alone.

Thats ok - apology accepted now - I have de stressed now

pps - when I use the I fully accept my intended bitchiness

ppps - I didnt notice the at the end of the first Commercial drive bit - so I recind my recinding of the drinks!

ppppps - was having a senior moment