Finding a place in Vancouver
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 68
Finding a place in Vancouver
I am moving to Vancouver on August 3rd, and currently I am discovering how hard it can be to find a place to live. I am looking to rent a one-bedroom suite, in a decent area, for no more than $1000 per month. Does anyone know of such a place, or can anyone recommend a good source for such places? My main strategy at the moment is to obsessively scan craigslist, but very few advertiser's even bother to reply to emails.
If the worst comes to the worst and I cannot find a permanent place before August 3rd - can anyone suggest a decent, cheap hotel, in which I could base myself temporarily?
Cheers.
If the worst comes to the worst and I cannot find a permanent place before August 3rd - can anyone suggest a decent, cheap hotel, in which I could base myself temporarily?
Cheers.
#2
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Joined: Aug 2006
Location: The Vancouver Suburbs... for the next few years anyway!
Posts: 558
Re: Finding a place in Vancouver
Try craigslist!
#5
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Joined: Dec 2006
Location: Beautiful BC
Posts: 1,106
Re: Finding a place in Vancouver
I am moving to Vancouver on August 3rd, and currently I am discovering how hard it can be to find a place to live. I am looking to rent a one-bedroom suite, in a decent area, for no more than $1000 per month. Does anyone know of such a place, or can anyone recommend a good source for such places? My main strategy at the moment is to obsessively scan craigslist, but very few advertiser's even bother to reply to emails.
If the worst comes to the worst and I cannot find a permanent place before August 3rd - can anyone suggest a decent, cheap hotel, in which I could base myself temporarily?
Cheers.
If the worst comes to the worst and I cannot find a permanent place before August 3rd - can anyone suggest a decent, cheap hotel, in which I could base myself temporarily?
Cheers.
#6
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Joined: Aug 2006
Location: The Vancouver Suburbs... for the next few years anyway!
Posts: 558
#7
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Posts: 68
Re: Finding a place in Vancouver
#8
Re: Finding a place in Vancouver
When my son spent a year in Vancouver (September 2005 - August 2006), he said it was worthwhile to sign up with one of the rental websites that charged a fee to view its offerings. His hunt for an apartment gained a lot more traction as soon as he did that.
He stayed in a short-term furnished apartment while he looked for an unfurnished apartment that he could rent for a year. He said that too was worth it, even if it did feel expensive at the time. If push comes to shove, you could stay in an apartment hotel or suite hotel. If you're on a really strict budget, you could stay in a hostel, which has communal kitchen facilities.
The other thing my son was very glad about was that he inspected apartments in person before he signed a lease. A couple of places that had looked good on the Internet turned out to be bad when he viewed them in real life.
I also recommend the Brits2Vancouver forum. It contains a wealth of information on Vancouver, more than this forum does -- not surprisingly, since it specializes in Vancouver.
He stayed in a short-term furnished apartment while he looked for an unfurnished apartment that he could rent for a year. He said that too was worth it, even if it did feel expensive at the time. If push comes to shove, you could stay in an apartment hotel or suite hotel. If you're on a really strict budget, you could stay in a hostel, which has communal kitchen facilities.
The other thing my son was very glad about was that he inspected apartments in person before he signed a lease. A couple of places that had looked good on the Internet turned out to be bad when he viewed them in real life.
I also recommend the Brits2Vancouver forum. It contains a wealth of information on Vancouver, more than this forum does -- not surprisingly, since it specializes in Vancouver.
#9
Re: Finding a place in Vancouver
I am moving to Vancouver on August 3rd, and currently I am discovering how hard it can be to find a place to live. I am looking to rent a one-bedroom suite, in a decent area, for no more than $1000 per month. Does anyone know of such a place, or can anyone recommend a good source for such places? My main strategy at the moment is to obsessively scan craigslist, but very few advertiser's even bother to reply to emails.
If the worst comes to the worst and I cannot find a permanent place before August 3rd - can anyone suggest a decent, cheap hotel, in which I could base myself temporarily?
Cheers.
If the worst comes to the worst and I cannot find a permanent place before August 3rd - can anyone suggest a decent, cheap hotel, in which I could base myself temporarily?
Cheers.
Bruceward is an option to cover the 4-5 weeks as they do short term fully furnished rentals. We used them and I would recommend - however they're not cheap.
Best way to find a place is to check craigslist / Vancouver Sun / or just wander around a neighbourhood you like and look for vacancy signs. Best time to look is at the beginning of the month when tenants have just handed in their notice.
$1,000/mth for a one bed is doable, but its at the lower end of the market in the downtown core areas. By the way, most properties come unfurnished...
Last edited by Rob_999; Jul 6th 2007 at 5:04 pm.
#10
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Joined: Jan 2006
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 80
Re: Finding a place in Vancouver
Hi
Some short term cheap places for you to consider (also checkout their cancellation strategy in case you find somewhere quickly)
http://www.hihostels.ca/PM/en/vancou...x?sortcode=2.2
http://www.ubcconferences.com/accommodation
http://www.ywcahotel.com/
It's very difficult to obtain accommodation from abroad, there are so many more people here with cash in hand on the ground. I would agree with Judy that you should definately inspect somewhere you are intending to stay more than a few nights in person - some of the accommodation is awful!
Another piece of bad news is that if you are looking at student areas then there will be thousands of them here in the first week of August doing exactly the same (although they will probably want 1Sept move in date so you may have an advantage) You need to view the following websites & find the places that have been most recently posted (keep doing refresh). Our phone rang off the hook when we had an ad in. And we rarely let to people from abroad unseen (although I always replied)
http://vancouver.renting.canada.com/...searchForm.php
http://www.amsrentsline.com/
http://www.myhomevancouver.com/default.aspx
http://www.sublet.com/Index.asp
http://www.makeyourselfathome.com/available_weekly.html
There is loads of turnover in accommodation - you just need to know how to play the game!
Good Luck
Helen
Some short term cheap places for you to consider (also checkout their cancellation strategy in case you find somewhere quickly)
http://www.hihostels.ca/PM/en/vancou...x?sortcode=2.2
http://www.ubcconferences.com/accommodation
http://www.ywcahotel.com/
It's very difficult to obtain accommodation from abroad, there are so many more people here with cash in hand on the ground. I would agree with Judy that you should definately inspect somewhere you are intending to stay more than a few nights in person - some of the accommodation is awful!
Another piece of bad news is that if you are looking at student areas then there will be thousands of them here in the first week of August doing exactly the same (although they will probably want 1Sept move in date so you may have an advantage) You need to view the following websites & find the places that have been most recently posted (keep doing refresh). Our phone rang off the hook when we had an ad in. And we rarely let to people from abroad unseen (although I always replied)
http://vancouver.renting.canada.com/...searchForm.php
http://www.amsrentsline.com/
http://www.myhomevancouver.com/default.aspx
http://www.sublet.com/Index.asp
http://www.makeyourselfathome.com/available_weekly.html
There is loads of turnover in accommodation - you just need to know how to play the game!
Good Luck
Helen
#11
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Joined: Oct 2006
Location: BC
Posts: 1,361
Re: Finding a place in Vancouver
Links from the local newspaper ads. and temporary summer housing in SFU.
http://www.van.net/rew/vannet.nsf/na...60&Expand=13.3
http://www.sfu.ca/conference-accommodation/rates.html
Good luck.
Yoong
http://www.van.net/rew/vannet.nsf/na...60&Expand=13.3
http://www.sfu.ca/conference-accommodation/rates.html
Good luck.
Yoong
#12
Just Joined
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 13
Re: Finding a place in Vancouver
I am moving to Vancouver on August 3rd, and currently I am discovering how hard it can be to find a place to live. I am looking to rent a one-bedroom suite, in a decent area, for no more than $1000 per month. Does anyone know of such a place, or can anyone recommend a good source for such places? My main strategy at the moment is to obsessively scan craigslist, but very few advertiser's even bother to reply to emails.
If the worst comes to the worst and I cannot find a permanent place before August 3rd - can anyone suggest a decent, cheap hotel, in which I could base myself temporarily?
Cheers.
If the worst comes to the worst and I cannot find a permanent place before August 3rd - can anyone suggest a decent, cheap hotel, in which I could base myself temporarily?
Cheers.
#13
Re: Finding a place in Vancouver
Yes rental market is crazy in Vancouver at the moment. Most places are 12 month contracts and are unfurnished so good luck on the trip to Ikea! You can sub-let though.
Don't pay to sign up to some rental website. Just stay in one of the places that Helen gave links to. Then once here just bombard craigslist and go to all the viewings. It's too easy for landlords to rent to bother with emailing people not here. Also walk round the area you like the look of and look for 'vacency signs'. There are a few up at the moment.
We have a nice one-bed place in central downtown (Thurlow between Robson and Haro / Smithe, if you've been studying googlemaps) for which we pay $1,100 including internet, but we have to pay for electric. Our neighbour is in a studio or batchelor as they call them here and he pays $900.
Coal Harbour and False Creek generally more expensive, and the West End cheaper unless there are good views.
Don't pay to sign up to some rental website. Just stay in one of the places that Helen gave links to. Then once here just bombard craigslist and go to all the viewings. It's too easy for landlords to rent to bother with emailing people not here. Also walk round the area you like the look of and look for 'vacency signs'. There are a few up at the moment.
We have a nice one-bed place in central downtown (Thurlow between Robson and Haro / Smithe, if you've been studying googlemaps) for which we pay $1,100 including internet, but we have to pay for electric. Our neighbour is in a studio or batchelor as they call them here and he pays $900.
Coal Harbour and False Creek generally more expensive, and the West End cheaper unless there are good views.
#14
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 3,020
Re: Finding a place in Vancouver
Just to reiterate what other people have said: get something temporary (we used Bruce Ward, give them a ring if they're not responding to your e-mails - we actually found them very helpful and professional). Then once you're here it's a lot easier to set something up. Craigslist, and a few other sites will help, but you can also just walk round the likely areas as many of the buildings will have a building manager who you can ask about availability. Some of the blocks will even advertise vacancies outside. You should be able to get a 1-bed in the West End within your budget in one of the older (1950s-70s) blocks.
#15
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Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 68
Re: Finding a place in Vancouver
Thanks for all the advice. I have given up on finding somewhere in advance of my arrival, and gone down the temporary accommodation route with Bruce Ward (having called them). It is certainly not a cheap option, but it is very convenient and will only be for a month whilst I find something more permanent.