Hi there

I am going to be doing a recce trip to Vancouver in a few weeks and keen to get people's view on where to look in Vancouver/suburbs. We thought we were going to end up in Toronto but it looks almost certain to be Vancouver (or maybe Calgary if we want). We are going to rent at first but will almost certainly buy after 3-6 months. Our budget is going to be C$0.8-1.3M. We are going to be looking at a 4-5 bedroom house, garden and in a nice family area. Commute is less of an issue as my job will require me to fly around Western Canada a fair bit (so won't be commuting DT everyday) and my wife is a Doctor and will work close to wherever we settle. We have been to North Vancouver before and thought is seemed really nice. Also been to Deep Cove which also seemed nice.

Thanks in advance
Big Bear

Have a look at Port Moody. Eagle Ridge Hospital nearby and some lovely properties up in the north.

Is Port Moody an area with families as we have 3 young kids so important to be close to other kids for them to play and that good stuff?

Very much so, and there are some very good schools there. A lot of new housing as you go up, built as communities. Have a look at Heritage Woods and the areas around that. My kids are older, but I did notice that there were a lot of activities for the younger kids in PM.

Great, thanks. Will take a look on MLS and when I get out there for my recce. Cheers.

If you need anywhere to stay in PM (not much in way of hotels) there is a fabulous b&b right on the waterfront, you get your own floor, jetty, sauna, garden and inflatables for the kids to use. Lovely couple. Alderside Road. Let me know if you want details. Worth visiting Bunsen Lake and Rocky Point. Heritage Woods High School was used in the film John Tucker Must Die, it's fairly new and one of the most technically advanced schools in Canada (construction-wise)

If you can afford it (which by the sound of your budget you can, depending on where exactly you want to be), then I'd say Deep Cove is a nicer area than Port Moody/Coquitlam.

We moved out 6 months ago and looked around Port Moody, Coquitlam, and the North Shore.
We now live in Indian River just by Deep Cove, and it is a great place, short walk down to the sea at Deep Cove which is really nice, with a really chilled atmosphere. Loads of parks, woodland, hiking/biking trails by/in the North Shore Mountains, skiing just a few minutes away, etc, fairly decent transport links if you need them, great family neighbourhood...
There are lots of other nice places on the N. Shore and it just depends how much you want to spend. Lynn Valley is nice, as you get further over it gets a little pricier around Edgemont Village, then you cross the Capilano River to W. Van and it gets really pricey!

All the places mentioned will fit your requirements nicely. All good places to live. Just a couple of things to think about as well:

They are all close against the North Shore Mountains. Great for getting out into wilderness, but it does rain quite a lot more than elsewhere.

Port Moody to the airport is about an hour off peak. During rush hour it will be a beast of a drive.

Anywhere on the N. Shore will be similar, probably a bit less than an hour (say about 45 mins depending on the time of day) Public transport isn't too bad way to get there now there is the Canada line.
Only place I could think I'd possibly want to live that is handier for the airport is Kitsilano/Point Grey, but then it's really pricey and has a much more "in the city" feel

(Greater) Vancouver is not exactly a shining example of road planning!
It always struck me as odd that they spent so much money sorting out the sea-to-sky highway to make getting up to Whistler faster for the Olympics (which suits me just fine for my Whistler trips now), but didn't actually make getting to the sea to sky highway itself any easier?

No one wants a highway through their neighbourhood is why. van decided 30 years ago not to go that route, which is why they have the skytrain/urban density. i love it.

Hi,

This might help you (and others) who are looking at where to live. It is from the real estate board's benchmark for "typical" homes in each area. Not sure how they decide what is typical.

DETACHED BENCHMARK PRICES

Detached Greater Vancouver $866,806 (8.3%), [5yr: 42%]
Burnaby $882,731 (9.8%), [5yr: 45%]
Coquitlam $697,414 (2.1%), [5yr: 31.6%]
South Delta $705,785 (6.2%), [5yr: 27.4%]
Maple Ridge $459,554 (0.4%), [5yr: 20.2%]
New Westminster $603,801 (-0.7%), [5yr: 22%]
North Vancouver $922,764 (-0.5%), [5yr: 24.6%]
Pitt Meadows $539,858 (3.2%), [5yr: 36.2%]
Port Coquitlam $547,947 (1.8%), [5yr: 23.8%]
Port Moody $709,706 (20.5%), [5yr: 21.8%]
Richmond $1,119,441 (24.5%), [5yr: 88.6%]
Squamish $493,572 (-4.7%), [5yr: 24.2%]
Sunshine Coast $441,497 (8.3%), [5yr: 20.8%]
Vancouver East $806,231 (9.8%), [5yr: 43.3%]
Vancouver West $1,914,639 (15.5%), [5yr: 80.7%]
West Vancouver $1,526,596 (6%), [5yr: 24.9%]

And my own tuppence worth is that you are the best judge of the areas and only when you visit, and probably rent too, in the area will you know what suits. On your recce you can have a good look around of course.

Warmly,

Frank