Molly Pitcher

Thanks for your quick response. I know I can get ownership info through a realtor but for now I would like more info as to how they work and how they affect home ownership. In the meantime I will check out BC Assessment and see what they have to say. I would really like to hear from someone who lives on leased land and what their experience has been like.

Novocastrian

Too right. The LFV is worse than Toronto for AQ.

Aviator

For 3 weeks we've had fresh clean(ish) Arctic air and Vancouver has been suffocating on its own fumes.

Novocastrian

Well at this time of the year air pollution is low pretty much everywhere (even Toronto).

London smog used to be fun in winter though.

minimeeze

Welcome to the forum I guess it depends what type of home you are looking for, whether you want to build yourself, or want an existing home with land etc. Chilliwack Mountain is worth a look - there are beautiful views of the river and mountains on the north side (alot of it may not be on Google street view though). My only advice would be to avoid downtown Chilliwack as that's where the majority of crime is.
We looked at Promontory when we moved here, but it is very 'hemmed in', and sandwiched between land owned by First Nations.
If you are looking for Farmland, take a look at Rosedale or Greendale (but Greendale does sometimes flood).

Molly Pitcher

Thank you Minimeeze for the welcome. As for type of house, we would be looking at buying one already built preferably detached (not interested in farmland). When we retire, both of us will be 55+ so a gated community would work for us. I've seen a few in the area but many of them are on leased land, hence my interest in learning about leasehold. I looked at houses on Chilliwack Mountain and a single detached would probably be out of our price range. We could afford a townhouse though. What is the attraction of the mountain? The view?

A few more questions for you or anyone else: what is the main heating fuel used in the area? Gas or Electricity? And is Chilliwack in the earthquake zone? I spent 9 years on Vancouver Island and earthquake preparedness was taken very seriously there.

Alan2005

I'm on the side of a mountain to the north of the valley and I don't notice it that much unless I go down by the fraser. Places where it's flat like abby or chilliwack get all vancouvers crap as it funnels up the valley - with each town adding it's own as it goes along.

Alan2005

Most of Chilliwack has a high risk of liquefaction according to national resources canada.

http://gsc.nrcan.gc.ca/urbgeo/geomapvan/geomap8_e.php

Novocastrian

Interesting link. Apparently that's what happened during/after the Christ Church NZ quake last year.

Aviator

As is most of the lower mainland, as well as in flood plain, which is why I am up high!

Molly Pitcher

After looking at the map from the link, I see Vancouver is just as much at risk as Chilliwack. But, also if the earthquake was powerful enough, I expect that anyone high up would come sliding down into the valley so I really don't think it would make a difference where you live. The only way to be somewhat safe would be to live in the yellow or black areas of the map.

Alan2005

Pretty much. And at least in Chilliwack you'll be safe from any tsunami's - unlike Port Alberni which will be completely destroyed and anyone that lives who doesn't get out in time will probably be killed.

Aviator

Depends where you are and what you are built on. We're not on a hillside, it would have to be a global catastrophe for us to come down into the valley. We don't overlook the Fraser Valley. Being on high ground does not necessarily mean being on the side of a mountain.

Nowhere low down is likely to escape, there may be Tsunamis and the river could well surge up as far as Hope. If you are at the foot of a mountain rock slides are a concern 'Hope Slide'. all along the valley, sunshine coast and Howe Sound area.

The black areas you refer to are mostly mountainous, near Abbotsford/Chilliwack that would be: Sumas Mountain, Chilliwack Mountain and Little Mountain. There are hillside locations at risk in Chilliwack, including Promontory and Marble Hill.

minimeeze

The attraction of the mountain for us was definitely the view. Plus the fact is it so quiet up here.
The main heating fuel is generally a gas powered furnace or gas fire.
There are a few little gated communities in Chilliwack, mainly on the eastern side, I think. There are also some really nice places in Sardis along the Keith Wilson Rd area.

ExKiwilass

I"m looking at the same map and Van is in yellow, which is low risk?