Rooander

We currently live in Saskatoon but want to move out to BC. I fancy living near Vancouver but realise its very expensive there so looking for maybe a small town just outside which doesn't cost the earth.
I was just wandering if anyone could give us a few ideas of places and whats a good area and a bad area?
Thanks
Ema

scrubbedexpat091

Squamish, BC is probably the smallest town within a fairly easy commute to Vancouver.

It takes about 50 to 60 minutes to get from Squamish to downtown Vancouver depending on time of day. Its never taken me longer then 1 hour though, and that was at rush hour across the bridge.

About 17,000 people live here, cost of housing is lower then Vancouver to own (but oddly enough not much cheaper if renting) and we have most of the things one needs, but no movie theater, gotta to 45 minutes north to Whistler for that.

If you like the outdoors this little town offers you just about everything you could ever desire within a 1 hour drive..

If you need a job here, well that isn't going to be easy, not much employment wise, we are a true bedroom community with a large % of residents commuting either North to Whistler or South to Vancouver.

There is a commuter bus service, as well as ride sharing programs available if you commute.

Aviator

What is your idea of not costing the earth? $300k, $500k, $1m? The lower the amount the further out you'd have to go.

bcmama

We have family in Port Moody/Coquitlam, been there for 20 years and they seem to like it (as far as commutable places go). We were planning to move there or White Rock, until OH got a job in Kelowna.

Rooander

Between 350 and 450K
I quite like the idea of the island but Im not a millionaire haha

rivingtonpike

You don't have to be a millionaire to live here - but it does help!

scrubbedexpat091

You can probably get something in Squamish in the upper ends of that price range house wise.

You can get a condo or town home for sure though.

beaujolais

Consider Naniamo or the outskirts of Victoria for the Island and Port Moody for the mainland although it is getting more expensive by the day. I think you will need to find jobs first and roads are long here!

Tootlepootle

I live in Coquitlam. You could get a townhouse or nice Condo for that money. My husband commutes downtown and it takes about an hour door to door on public transport, costing round $13 a day, cheaper than parking. The commuting will improve even more when the Skytrain arrives in 2016. We like ti here, nice community, enough going on but close enough to Van if you want a night out

Siouxie

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Category:British_Columbia

januarymix

I heard that BC stands for bring cash

Good luck with le move

Rooander

A lot to think about