joycejimi

Hello All,

Another advice needed please. As I will be moving with my toddler daughter to Vancouver in two weeks time, I have been checking different sites for rental accommodation particularly craiglist.

I realized that one bedroom above/below-ground suites in surrey area is around $550 to $600 (inclusive utilities), which is within my budget. But in Langley, similar one bedroom costs about $700. A family friend had reserved his two bedrooms basement for me at a cost of $700 in the Langley area without utilities. As I am looking for something really affordable, I am not very keen on renting the family's friend basement. He told me crime and drug is very common in Surrey area and that is why accommodation in the surrey area is cheap. Is this true of the surrey area?

Secondly, how easy is it to get a home-stay student in Langley in case I finally decide to rent the two bedrooms basement in Langley. Does basement appeal to home-stay student even if the room is luxuriously furnished? My family friend told me his basement has windows and is not dark. I am just trying to get enough info as per renting in these two areas. As I don't have any job planned, I am trying to be extremely careful in spending the little money I have with me; hence the reason why I am looking into the home-stay student stuff. At least that could contribute immensely towards my rent. Please any thought on these two areas particularly from people who have lived in both areas will be very appreciated.

Regards
Joyce

Aviator

Basements in Canadian homes are usually quite different to the way we thought of basements in the UK. Not a dingy hole underground, quite often they are above ground (or mostly) and are the ground floor, with the main accommodation on the upper floor.

With regards to the areas, by and large Surrey is not an area I would gravitate towards. Both Langley and Surrey have their nice bit and not so nice. South Surrey has some desirable neighborhoods, but I doubt for $500 a month. You really need to find out where in Surrey or Langley for more constructive feedback. One could assume the higher rent house is in a nicer area, or it could be overpriced in a not so nice area.

macadian

Having spent a little time in both, Langley by a short head however would not CHOOSE to live in either.....

joycejimi

Hello Aviator

Thanks Aviator for your reply. The two bedrooms basement is in 201 Street Langley, while the various one bedroom suites are advertised around Newton/ Surrey. I thought basement are underground and was worried living in a suite without windows, some adverts specify that their basement are at street level or above ground, while others says theirs are underground. I want to therefore assumed that the underground ones must be without windows, cold, dark and even mouldy. Is that the case for most underground suites in canada?

thanks
Joyce

Aviator

201st is a long street, with a variety of neighborhoods, Newton is not somewhere I would go at all. Above ground basements are likley to be less claustrophobic. Even the underground ones often have small windows, but don't give much of a view.

Renting sight unseen is always a risk. I stayed in the company hotel for a few weeks and then found a rental property then purchased a property 6 months later.

JonboyE

Surrey has some grotty areas. As a general rule, anything east of about 164th street, and south of 60th avenue will be OK. North and west of these streets then you want to see it, and the neighborhood, before agreeing to anything. The very northwest of Surrey, a district called Whalley, has a drug/vagrancy problem with the associated crime.

As The Aviator has said above, South Surrey is very nice.

Most of Langley is a good place to live. Whereabouts in Langley is it?

If the basement is decent then there shouldn't be a problem getting a lodger as long as the landlord allows this.

JonboyE

We need the cross street.

Newton is within the area where you need to see it before you commit to anything.

joycejimi

Thanks all for your replies. Based on reading your replies, I will check the south surrey area and Langley. For the reserved two bedroom basement, I only know it is on 201 street and nothing more. Maybe when I landed in two weeks time, I will get to see the basement. If it is nice and the landlord agreed to me subletting to a lodger, I might just have to settle for it. I don't want to live in an area infected with drugs and crime, as the safety of my toddler is utmost important to me.

Once again, thanks all.

Regards
Joyce

Lychee

South Surrey is predominantly rural: hobby farms, wineries, horse ranches, mansions, etc. Newton is really "blah" but especially moreso is Whalley (also in Surrey) which is famous for its fair share of crack addicts and slummy residential areas. In fact, I'd argue that Newton and Whalley are the two areas that give Surrey its unfortunate "white trash ghetto" stigma among BC'ers. As mentioned, Surrey and Langley are very large suburban sprawl areas. They're physically huge (actually larger than the city in Vancouver by area), and the different parts of Surrey and Langley vary dramatically, so I would certainly look first before committing to anything.

I always say that if real estate/rent is cheap in Canada, it's cheap for a reason.

Aviator

What's the cross street? That will tell you where it is, you could look it up on Google Maps if you have the address.

Juliew

Joyce,

I currently live and teach in Surrey. There are some rough neighbourhoods in Surrey, but for the most part it is reasonably pleasant. I personally would not want to live in Langley as it is too far - especially if you don't have a car. Many people on this forum have urged you to avoid Whalley and parts of Newton. I agree with Whalley; however there are some good parts of West and East Newton. You will need to view the places before you make a decision. I will say that $700.00 including utilities in Surrey will probably not allow you to access the best areas.

Good luck

brizzle

My knowledge of Surrey isn't that great, but doesn't east of 164th and south of 60th, exclude about 99% of Surrey

Don't discount staying with the family friend in Langley, even if it's just for a few months. You'll get a chance to look around and see what you like without commitiing to something unseen. A lot of suites can actually be quite nice, but I would suggest that for $550-600, you are looking at a lower end place in the not so nice areas of Surrey. Anything half decent would be $700 minimum, I would think.

ExKiwilass

I agree with the PP. under $700 is not going to give you much bang for your buck. Basement suites vary wildly - my house has a 'basement suite' but it's really ground level and has lots of windows and full height ceilings, while others have low ceilings, tiny windows and weird layouts. I actually think $700 is pretty reasonable for a 2 bedroom basement suite.

JonboyE

The OP might want to read this wiki article ... http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Vancouver

getoutofbritainquick

The advice I would give you is check it out yourself. Where you live and what want to do is far more important than other peoples advice. I would have a different opinion of Surrey because I live there and our experiences will probably be different to people who dont. There is good and bad in every area of the LM, certain area's are expensive because there are high end, have ocean or mountain views. Downtown is expensive because like any major city its where the majority have to work to earn a living and you pay a huge premium to live there.

What you need to do is look at the neighborhood and see what the demograhics are which work for you. Different nationalities tend to congregate in the same area, large area's of Surrey are predominantly East Indian, other ares Korean, Chinese, Iranian, Italian and so on which affects peoples opinion of the area.

As far as drugs go to say Surrey is worse than any other area in the Lower Mainland is garbage. Every area has a drugs issue - especially the more wealthier areas because they can afford them. It may not be visible but I can assure you its there. Gangland slayings are not confined to Surrey they occur all over the Lower Mainland. Grow ops are not confined to Surrey they are everywhere - initial testing for the Smart Metering project being implemented by Hydro is showing grow-ops are all over the place in the LM and is very successful in closing them down. The shear scale of them has been alarming.

Langley has excellent shopping, Walnut Grove is nice has an excellent sports centre but being heavily developed with town homes like large parts of Langley. It has drug and crime issues like any other are - no more no less. It's generally cheaper than other area because it does not have Ocean views like downtown or White Rock and has limited mountain views. Transport links are not good for downtown but good for getting along the valley.

We like White Rock for the beach but the houses look old and run down and the parking is a rip off for visitors to support local taxes - it will be good when they have to re join Surrey because the cannot pay for their local services...! Oh my god we live in Surrey....! All area's have their issues.

Good to look for yourself and make your own mind up..