REVscene - Vancouver Automotive Forum

winson604 · 02-09-2015, 06:12 PM

Please slip to the end for questions if you don't want to read. Thanks!

So my wife and I have been house hunting for a while now and like many, we're born and raised in Vancouver and basically don't travel outside of Van/Burnaby/Richmond. Needless to say, we started our search in Vancouver but the dilemma of location vs square footage keeps coming up. We have a 7 month old and are looking at presales for condos/townhomes so by the time a place is ready, he'll be 1-3 years old. We've always been highway/bridge snobs with a passion but looking at places in Coquitlam recently was an eye opener and the drive wasn't too bad, mind you not during traffic. I think we are willing to make the sacrifice but wanted some opinions regarding the area we're looking at. Needless to say this is a very unknown place for my wife and I. I can count on my hand the amount of times I've been to COQ in the last 10 years.

We're currently looking at North Road and Foster Ave area, not far from Como Lake hood. Drove around the residential hood and it looks great, quiet, wide roads with little cars, all the houses were generally fairly new, feels safe. It's a few min drive or within a 10min walk from Lougheed Mall, the new Evergreen Line station, North Gate Village etc. It looks to be a booming area with high rises, townhomes, new super markets and things going up.

- How safe is this area of Coquitlam (Foster Ave & North Road hood)?
- How do you find living in Coquitlam, either this area specifically or in general?
- For those who work in Van, how's the drive during traffic? From this area I would take Gallardi > #1 West > 1st ave exit. On the weekend the highway portion only took 4 mins no traffic and from the place to the highway was only a few mins as well totally about 8-10 mins to get onto 1st ave. Yes, no traffic I know. Would assuming it might take 3 times that time during rush hour be reasonable?
- Anything I should keep in mind?
- Of course, just an thoughts at all are appreciated!

Gunsmokez · 02-09-2015, 07:57 PM

A family member lives about 8 mins from that area , takes them about 30 to 35 mins to get to Vancouver. Oak/Broadway in the morning peak hours. They don't seem to mind much.

Had another person who lived much further in Coquitlam near the mountains. They were about 50 mins during rush hour. (he hated it )

Security/saftey no idea.

Best way to know, if you really can handle the traffic is to just go there one day and do a trip during the morning commute and after noon rush. Just remember one thing, traffic will only get worse as the years go by.

radioman · 02-09-2015, 08:01 PM

I grew up in Coquitlam and loved it. Schools, felt safe for the most part. Night life is non existent.

Only thing I can say is later on in life when I started commuting to work (kits/downtown) it took it's toll and 1 hour to and from work everyday killed me.

Happy I live in a place now where its half the commute it was.

adambomb · 02-09-2015, 08:13 PM

Safety?

There is obviously less bums and transients going through Coquitlam at night. Doesn't mean they do not exist, just a smaller concentration than say, East van. Besides that, what do you want for safety? I think the entire lower mainland is pretty safe in general. I don't think going for a jog around como lake is any less risky than trout lake.

Living here is fine, but you drive everywhere. That's life in the 'burbs. Depnding on what time you leave in the morning, Hwy 1 bunches up through Burnaby everyday. It flows pretty good as long as no accidents. Watching the morning news with its traffic reports helps. Many people like you, born and raised in Vancouver, now raise families in Coquitlam and commute to Vancouver to work.

There used to be a lot of strip clubs from Vancouver to Burnaby to Coquitlam. Now they are all gone. Korean karaoke is the only nightlife in this hood.

flagella · 02-09-2015, 08:30 PM

Coq is a great place if you don't mind the transit.

StylinRed · 02-09-2015, 08:40 PM

....you make coquitlam sound like it's a 10hr drive away...

maksimizer · 02-09-2015, 08:52 PM

Only safety issues in coquitlam is the persian kids that think they are thugs and are in "gangs"
Primarily around glen eagle secondary.
Yes i am being serious.
Only an issue if you have a kid and he is male.
/rant

Car safety, as anywhere else. We had two work vans stolen in coquitlam. And i personally have had an old car scavanged thru twice.

I drive at 6am to downtown, no problem. You leave 1 minute past 620, game over.
Your driving rush hour, one hour each way.

Minus the negative, i would not move elsewhere

winson604 · 02-09-2015, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adambomb

Safety?

There is obviously less bums and transients going through Coquitlam at night. Doesn't mean they do not exist, just a smaller concentration than say, East van. Besides that, what do you want for safety? I think the entire lower mainland is pretty safe in general. I don't think going for a jog around como lake is any less risky than trout lake.

Living here is fine, but you drive everywhere. That's life in the 'burbs. Depnding on what time you leave in the morning, Hwy 1 bunches up through Burnaby everyday. It flows pretty good as long as no accidents. Watching the morning news with its traffic reports helps. Many people like you, born and raised in Vancouver, now raise families in Coquitlam and commute to Vancouver to work.

There used to be a lot of strip clubs from Vancouver to Burnaby to Coquitlam. Now they are all gone. Korean karaoke is the only nightlife in this hood.

More of a wife thing. I guess the appearance of it being a safe place i.e. not a sketchy neighbourhood.

StylinRed - Not sure if directed at me. If yes, yea 35-40 mins each way isn't crazy for most and perhaps I've been spoiled my entire life (longest drive for any job ever was 15mins). Everybody has their own comfort and threshold for driving duration. Some think a 30min commute each way is a breeze and some think 1hr is a breeze. To each their own.

flagella · 02-09-2015, 09:14 PM

If you have not driven ~40 min each way before, I'd say think carefully.

Personally I cannot stand driving 30+ min each way. It's just not my thing. Driving during rush hour is stressful and you cannot do anything while driving unless you have some favorite podcasts you like to listen to.

I recently moved from downtown to PoCo, although close to Coq side. I went from 5 min walk to work to 50 min of commute. So far I do not mind because 30 min of it is spent on West Coast Express, which is a pleasant ride and I can actually have some quiet time to myself and read. You do value some time spent alone once you have a kid.

winson604 · 02-09-2015, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flagella

If you have not driven ~40 min each way before, I'd say think carefully.

Personally I cannot stand driving 30+ min each way. It's just not my thing. Driving during rush hour is stressful and you cannot do anything while driving unless you have some favorite podcasts you like to listen to.

I recently moved from downtown to PoCo, although close to Coq side. I went from 5 min walk to work to 50 min of commute. So far I do not mind because 30 min of it is spent on West Coast Express, which is a pleasant ride and I can actually have some quiet time to myself and read. You do value some time spent alone once you have a kid.

I do value my time and like you and many others I don't typically deal with traffic well. An hour less commute a day is an hour more I can sleep, or play with my kid etc. With that said, I do shift work and most of the shifts are outside rush hour time anyway with the odd one here and there landing within.

Presto · 02-09-2015, 09:35 PM

Foster and North Road would be one of the lower-end areas of Coquitlam. At least, that's my memory of it from 15 years ago. Unless some rapid gentrification happened, there's clusters of lower-income apartments around there. There were a lot of property crimes.

EDIT: I'm biased, but the neighborhood around Mundy Park is the best area of Coquitlam

Lowered_Klass · 02-09-2015, 09:40 PM

North Rd and Foster? That's basically Burnaby lol.

There are quite a few lower income, housing co-op/rental complexes around that area. Doesn't mean it's a bad thing, but I know they can be a bit hit and miss when it comes to the type of people living there (not generalizing, but I had a few friends that grew up in co-ops, and man, some of the neighbours they had were doozies!)

A bit further down North Rd has become 'little Korea' over the last few years. Again, not a bad thing, but half the stores around there you have no idea what they're selling unless you're Korean lol.

A bit further east, more towards the 'Como Lake hood' as you called it (lol) is definitely quieter, not as hectic with all the Evergreen line construction on North Rd coupled with heavier traffic.

I loved growing up in Coquitlam, but a lot has changed since I graduated and moved out further east. So much new construction, it's crazy.

winson604 · 02-09-2015, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lowered_Klass

North Rd and Foster? That's basically Burnaby lol.

There are quite a few lower income, housing co-op/rental complexes around that area. Doesn't mean it's a bad thing, but I know they can be a bit hit and miss when it comes to the type of people living there (not generalizing, but I had a few friends that grew up in co-ops, and man, some of the neighbours they had were doozies!)

A bit further down North Rd has become 'little Korea' over the last few years. Again, not a bad thing, but half the stores around there you have no idea what they're selling unless you're Korean lol.

A bit further east, more towards the 'Como Lake hood' as you called it (lol) is definitely quieter, not as hectic with all the Evergreen line construction on North Rd coupled with heavier traffic.

I loved growing up in Coquitlam, but a lot has changed since I graduated and moved out further east. So much new construction, it's crazy.

Lol yea it's barely Coq I suppose but still is lol

StylinRed · 02-09-2015, 09:50 PM

if you're outside of rush hour it's probably only going to be about a 15min drive to Van from north road, it takes me about 45mins to downtown from maple ridge

rb · 02-09-2015, 10:09 PM

There are some nice homes in the area but its also mixed in with sketchy housing developments on cottonwood.

I have a feeling your wife will hate living in the area from having nothing to do to the commute and will therefore make your life miserable with her complaining.

ImportPsycho · 02-09-2015, 10:17 PM

If I can afford, I would be a house on North road area in a heart beat.
Yes, I'm Korean

Live there for most of my GVR life except past 4 years but it was quite and safe place back then
Homeless moved into every intersection, since sky train opened but still good.

I love the fact that it's right next to hwy#1, couple of min from home, you are on the hwy to go either direction.

I think some of you are thinking Coquitlam like, Coquitlam Centre, Coquitlam.
at that far out, you are better off riding West cost express to work.
North road is basically a Barnaby.

fliptuner · 02-09-2015, 10:23 PM

What's your budget? When and where in Van do you have to commute?

winson604 · 02-09-2015, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ICE BOY

What's your budget? When and where in Van do you have to commute?

Depends but roughly 550000 is where I prefer to top out at but there could be some wiggle room to go higher if the place was right. Wife works downtown and I work just outside of it in Olympic Village/False Creek. Wife and I both do shift work so that's all over the place but if we lived in Van it's just City traffic, I can deal with it.

RB - My wife laughed at your comment probably because she knows it's true lol

GS8 · 02-09-2015, 10:33 PM

North Coquitlam (Think Westwood / Pinetree area) is becoming a little Richmond.

With the evergreen line, density has increased a fuck ton in the last 7 years. It takes more time to get out of this part of the city than it does to get to Vancouver when you're out of it (usually when you hit HWY 1). Yeah it's bad.

Moving to the Coquinaby side isn't as bad but the houses are older and the people are typically tenants rather than owners.

Honestly, there's no reason to move here at all unless you worked in the immediate area. It takes me 40 min to get to work in New West during late afternoon hours vs. 15 min with very light traffic.

Drivers have gotten progressively worse.

TL;DR: I hate living in Coquitlam lol

godwin · 02-09-2015, 10:39 PM

Can you get a house (even if not new) in that area for 550k? A friend of mine just closed on a 1940 1800sqft house on the other side of #1 of North Road (technically Columbia) and Holmes.. The seller was asking 750k but there was 15 bids and they won the bid for 830k. They picked that area because they work at RCH.

I remembered a long time ago, some lady was murdered outside the housing complex on the west side of Foster and North Road, I don't think they ever solved it. That area has a lot of transient renters because it currently has the lowest price in terms of rental. I assume your definition of safety is mostly to with things like petty theft, car break ins etc.. that area won't be the best for that. Pretty much everyone buying in that area is waiting for the skytrain to run and rebuild to higher density. So don't expect people who buy and live to stick around long.

Quote:

Originally Posted by winson604

Depends but roughly 550000 is where I prefer to top out at but there could be some wiggle room to go higher if the place was right. Wife works downtown and I work just outside of it in Olympic Village/False Creek. Wife and I both do shift work so that's all over the place but if we lived in Van it's just City traffic, I can deal with it.

RB - My wife laughed at your comment probably because she knows it's true lol

fliptuner · 02-09-2015, 10:58 PM

# 19 688 EDGAR AV, Coquitlam, British Columbia $ V3K0A5 - V1103781 | Realtor.ca
# 28 688 EDGAR AV, Coquitlam, British Columbia $ V3K0A5 - V1101417 | Realtor.ca

Slightly different location but closer to the freeway, only a couple of minutes drive to the mall, superstore, koreatown and way under budget.

http://www.realtor.ca/propertyDetail...rtyId=15291173

A bit over your budget but still in Mallardville, a proper detach.

Special K · 02-09-2015, 11:50 PM

You would be looking at a townhouse in Burnaby at $550k.

My wife and I are also looking at moving to Coquitlam but in Burke Mountain. 25-30km away from DT. This neighbourhood is the only thing we can afford given our criteria.

The new sky train and west coast express shouldn't be too bad. It will be a huge change as I live and work downtown in the past 2 years.

godwin · 02-10-2015, 12:27 AM

I would stay away from Burke mountain.. Translink had to cut back a lot of transit service there, now even parking is a problem because they had originally planned to have less parking because they expected to have decent transit. If you look at the land owner records of the area, you will notice a lot of them were provincial and municipal politicians both NDP and Liberals.

You mind as well buy lower down the hill in Poco, you get a larger piece of land but an older house for the same money. Both places is a bridge away from Coquitlam station.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Special K

You would be looking at a townhouse in Burnaby at $550k.

My wife and I are also looking at moving to Coquitlam but in Burke Mountain. 25-30km away from DT. This neighbourhood is the only thing we can afford given our criteria.

The new sky train and west coast express shouldn't be too bad. It will be a huge change as I live and work downtown in the past 2 years.

StylinRed · 02-10-2015, 01:25 AM

There's 1 home a couple blocks away from Coquitlam Centre, it's close to the mall, the hospital, west coast express, evergreen line, bus loop, barnet hwy to take you straight downtown, or lougheed hwy, or connect to the #1

1139 LANSDOWNE DR, Coquitlam, British Columbia $ V3B4V1 - V1103060 | Realtor.ca

I think it's priced in hopes for bidding though as it's literally the only one MLS came up with

you're further into Coquitlam but in a more convenient location imho

MTV Cribs · 02-10-2015, 04:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Presto

Foster and North Road would be one of the lower-end areas of Coquitlam. At least, that's my memory of it from 15 years ago. Unless some rapid gentrification happened, there's clusters of lower-income apartments around there. There were a lot of property crimes.

EDIT: I'm biased, but the neighborhood around Mundy Park is the best area of Coquitlam

It is still lower end. North Road on the north side of Lougheed is a shitty area because of the skytrain. The houses around or near Mundy Park is expensive LOL