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Vancouver Off-Topic / Current EventsThe off-topic forum for Vancouver, funnies, non-auto centered discussions, WORK SAFE. While the rules are more relaxed here, there are still rules. Please refer to sticky thread in this forum.
It's interesting to see the opposing opinions on back alleys. My parents definitely perceive them negatively. They raised us in Coquitlam where most of the newer subdivisions don't have alleys, so they associated them with lower income neighbourhoods and think that they're all filled with trash and people doing drugs. There's some truth in that.
There are benefits to back lanes/alleys even in SFH neighbourhoods though. Easier to maintain city services. Garages, driveways, and garbage collection don't back onto main streets and therefore don't interfere with street car or pedestrian traffic. And in this era, it's easier to increase the density of units on a lot with laneway homes. It also provides a natural break between lots backing onto each other.
With Vancouver's 33' frontage lots I'm quite happy to have back lanes. The cityscape would look pretty awful with garages at the front of each of those lots. I can't deny the curb appeal of those wider, suburban lots with the classic front driveways and garages though.
Alleys done well can be really fantastic community spaces and it's a shame we tend to treat them as the "trash cans" of roads. They're spaces that are very light on traffic so it's where kids can come out to play and it's easier for neighbours to interact (away from the noise) - this assumes the alleys are well maintained and well lit. I've seen some where the neighbours have painted and decorated the alley - they turn them into Canadian versions of the small streets you see in Europe and Japan (and those streets are awesome).
With the upgraded laneway policy (bigger ones) I hope that we'll see more alleys become tiny streets (minus the cars). Vancouver does the "best" job of this as they put street lights in the alleys but most cities treat alley like shit (Burnaby can't bother with any lighting in back lanes for example).
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Quote:
Originally Posted by supafamous
With the upgraded laneway policy (bigger ones) I hope that we'll see more alleys become tiny streets (minus the cars). Vancouver does the "best" job of this as they put street lights in the alleys but most cities treat alley like shit (Burnaby can't bother with any lighting in back lanes for example).
Dang, didn't realize Burnaby doesn't light their laneways. Can't recall whether Coquitlam does or not.
Anyone have suggestions for moving/storage companies?
We will be storing all our stuff for 1-1.5 years while we build. Anyone have suggestions? I’ve heard of companies that just pack your stuff into a container, and it sits until it’s needed. That’s fine as long as it’s conditioned.
I’ve looked at Pods. Seems decently priced. Their largest container “may” fit all our junk. (1400sq/f place plus some garage junk).
Dang, didn't realize Burnaby doesn't light their laneways. Can't recall whether Coquitlam does or not.
Yah, Burnaby is very piss poor at lights (and sidewalks and crosswalks) - their standard distance between lights on main roads is Vancouver's minimum standard and streets only get streetlights if the homeowners on that block unanimously agree to to pay for it so there are many, many blocks with no lighting at all (like mine). None of the lanes in my area have lights either and I don't believe it's standard practice to have lights.
Here's a shot showing Vancouver vs Burnaby lighting - Burnaby has LEDs so different colour temp but lots of dark spots.
Meanwhile Burnaby has a $2+ billion reserve fund that they are sitting on....
I was using U-Haul self storage on Marine (between Knight & Fraser) when I was living in-between homes. They have huge garage door openings to make the moving of big items as easy as it can be.
I was of course moving everything on my own, but I can't see how you can't get the movers to help you move your things into a storage site there.
The best thing was -- they had 24 hour access, and that worked really well with my schedule at the time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by hud 91gt
Anyone have suggestions for moving/storage companies?
We will be storing all our stuff for 1-1.5 years while we build. Anyone have suggestions? I’ve heard of companies that just pack your stuff into a container, and it sits until it’s needed. That’s fine as long as it’s conditioned.
I’ve looked at Pods. Seems decently priced. Their largest container “may” fit all our junk. (1400sq/f place plus some garage junk).
It's interesting to see the opposing opinions on back alleys. My parents definitely perceive them negatively. They raised us in Coquitlam where most of the newer subdivisions don't have alleys, so they associated them with lower income neighbourhoods and think that they're all filled with trash and people doing drugs. There's some truth in that.
There are benefits to back lanes/alleys even in SFH neighbourhoods though. Easier to maintain city services. Garages, driveways, and garbage collection don't back onto main streets and therefore don't interfere with street car or pedestrian traffic. And in this era, it's easier to increase the density of units on a lot with laneway homes. It also provides a natural break between lots backing onto each other.
With Vancouver's 33' frontage lots I'm quite happy to have back lanes. The cityscape would look pretty awful with garages at the front of each of those lots. I can't deny the curb appeal of those wider, suburban lots with the classic front driveways and garages though.
I guess I'm biased because I grew up with a lane and even driving around Vancouver my whole life I've always hated hundred blocks that didn't have it. Things that annoy me would be having to leave your garbage/recycling pick up on the street once a week thus affecting parking. Coming in and out of your driveway especially if you prefer to back in can be pretty annoying especially if you're on an arterial road. Lanes always offered a bit of privacy for me whether you're washing your car, working on your car, doing some type of work in the driveway and sure none of this is illegal but I prefer not to be on a busy road with hundreds if not thousands of cars passing by me seeing me. As a kid we always used the bac lane as one big ass playground with other kids on the block too, it was a great use of the space. As a smoker it was also a great place to just go out for a smoke or smoke a J. Endless positives for me personally.
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With RE prices at 1/2 to 1/3 of Vancouver, it's not a huge surprise for those that don't have strong ties to BC to make the move. A lot of my friends have trended eastwards in the city as the years piled on but it gets to a point where moving to Calgary/Edmonton probably makes more sense than moving to Abbotsford from a convenience stand point.
US Fed is signaling decreasing rates starting 2024 and I'm going to assume BoC will follow soon after the US Fed ACTUALLY reduces rates. Together with gov't and tech sector ending remote work, the RE market is going to be insane again.
So my relatively new boss made a trip over to visit the other day. We were chatting, and he wants to get me to look after more work on the mainland. They're finding the people there are just too junior and need someone more senior like me looking after the bigger jobs there.
He eventually slipped out "maybe you could eventually even move to Vancouver".
I just about laughed in his face. I said "Im sorry, I moved to the island to escape Vancouver".
But seriously, a move back would be a downgrade to life. I mean right now I live in a house with a decent yard, detached garage, in the most centrally geographic location in greater Victoria. My office is 1.5km to work, and my wife has two direct bus routes to her office downtown which gets her there in 20 minutes. My son's school is 2 blocks from my house, and my mother in law who provides the before/after care lives halfway between us and the school. The word "commute" and "rush hour traffic" hasn't registered in my brain for a long long time now.
I can't fathom where I'd get anything in the lower mainland even 10% as good and convienent to my life as what I have now, and not to mention probably needing to pay a hefty, hefty premium on top of that.
He doubled back and was like "yeah I guess, there's really no reason you couldn't do all this remotely"
My gf and I made a massive Pros and Cons list for moving to Calgary... I know my situation is unique to others as it's not purely financial (ie: my best friend has lived in Calgary for the last 10+ years) but no amount of fact-twisting and weather related elements could swing that list in British Columbia's favour let alone Vancouver proper.
For those interested in some of the deets I don't mind sharing:
Spoiler!
We're both being very quiet the last few days about the subject because I think we're both trying to ignore the reality of how much better off we'd be there. It's a tough thing to admit.
Brief overview of just the FINANCES only:
I'm the only one with eligible work that can qualify for a mortgage, the most I can get on a mortgage probably is the $400-500k range, with houses in Delta (for example) starting at $1.3M I need at least a $900,000-$1,000,000 downpayment. I actually have it if I sell my condo, between her and me, we've got the cash and my condo is worth about $600,000... so we could do it... but it would be literally everything we have. Every dime. And even with that small a mortgage, I'd still be paying $4,000 a month for the place. $4k a month even with a mill down!
If we go to Calgary, I can swap my condo for a house and keep all my cash and have no mortgage. I could probably even keep my condo in Richmond and just rent it out.
I mean... it's unreal. I wouldn't even need to work to be honest, working would become shits and giggles type stuff.
The beauty of lower expenses is that you'll have so much extra disposable income living in Alberta. Higher income, No 7% PST, Cheaper gas + insurances, Housing costs cut into 40-65% cheaper. You can fly into Vancouver every summer during the good months, leave to somewhere tropical every winter to avoid the cold in Alberta and still come out decently ahead financially.
In my scenario, I was toying with the idea that if I sold my $600ishk Condo and rebought a house/duplex in Calgary for $650-900K, I could could easily rent out the other side or basement to cover a lot of the housing costs. Then live my dream of buying every used car @ 0% GST. Swap 2-4 cars a year lol. Vacation to tropical every winter.
A friend of mine sold his Surrey condo, he owns 2 Units + 1 Airbnb @ $170-230K cost per condo in Calgary. Their rents are insane $2,000 - 2,300 downtown for a 1BR
He's a scumlord in Alberta but manages it in BC. Has no issues since his tenants are all young professional who are able to coordinate repairs when needed.
My gf and I made a massive Pros and Cons list for moving to Calgary... I know my situation is unique to others as it's not purely financial (ie: my best friend has lived in Calgary for the last 10+ years) but no amount of fact-twisting and weather related elements could swing that list in British Columbia's favour let alone Vancouver proper.
For those interested in some of the deets I don't mind sharing:
Spoiler!
We're both being very quiet the last few days about the subject because I think we're both trying to ignore the reality of how much better off we'd be there. It's a tough thing to admit.
Brief overview of just the FINANCES only:
I'm the only one with eligible work that can qualify for a mortgage, the most I can get on a mortgage probably is the $400-500k range, with houses in Delta (for example) starting at $1.3M I need at least a $900,000-$1,000,000 downpayment. I actually have it if I sell my condo, between her and me, we've got the cash and my condo is worth about $600,000... so we could do it... but it would be literally everything we have. Every dime. And even with that small a mortgage, I'd still be paying $4,000 a month for the place. $4k a month even with a mill down!
If we go to Calgary, I can swap my condo for a house and keep all my cash and have no mortgage. I could probably even keep my condo in Richmond and just rent it out.
I mean... it's unreal. I wouldn't even need to work to be honest, working would become shits and giggles type stuff.
My GF lives in Red Deer and we've been exploring options too. I don't own anything here because why bother now but the idea of owning a 5 Bed 3 bath detached with double garage, upper and lower balconies, gazebo, firepit and sprawling yardage, front and back for $479,000 is extremely tempting, especially since I have the money ready to go. I can fly in on a Friday, buy on Saturday, fly back on Sunday in time for work on Monday
But we're also looking at Calgary as well. The exodus from BC is real. These people cash out, ex-pat out, buy their perfect home and all the toys. They adjust to the outdoor life and never look back.
Red Deer is now passed 100k population and rises 1.1% year over year. From what I read, their property values rise 2-3% a year whereas Calgary was closer to 8% last I checked.
We first landed in Edmonton after Shanghai as my dad’s genius idea of going to a place where there was little to no Chinese people would somehow make him special. Edmonton for fuck sakes !
I caught pneumonia the first year and developed asthma from all the coughing. All because we couldn’t afford a thick enough jacket and it was -40 and we had no car.
I went back to Edmonton a few years ago and I still have fond memories of that place. It was wholesome and I honestly still love it. Did I ever tell you guys I went o elementary school with JR La Rose ? Yeah small world.
Alberta rocks. Fuck this province (still better than Quebec those. I hate those separatist clowns)
This talk about moving to Alberta and having all this “extra money” etc. makes me think of people who say their crappy job is so great because they have all these benefits but then they never use any of those benefits lol.
Sure, if you actually move there and do take tropical vacations, buy toys, realize your gains here and live it up, more power to ya.
But how many people do exactly what’s being talked about here, move to Alberta, and just do the exact same shit they do here but now you live in Alberta? Lol
The lower mainland is falling off pretty hard, but it’s still no Calgary/Edmonton lol. I guess I speak from a position of privilege where I don’t have to watch my spendings etc. so closely, but for me it would be a place like Penticton, or leaving Canada completely. I would -never- find happiness in Alberta even if I owned a bunch of properties and had “spare” money to burn
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Is Calgary the better option than moving to Chilliwack?
I've never really been to Chilliwack, but people seem to like it out there, they say the lake is right there and it's quite beautiful and you get good bang for your buck out there. The major benefit is that it's less than two hours away from Van, so if you need to be in the city, it's relatively easy.
Apparently Calgary isn't that cheap anymore. it would be roughly the same price of Chilliwack?
Anyone I’ve ever known from chilliwack is totally fucked up lol
It would have to be acerage for me to move to Chilliwack, and at that point you’re looking at prices comparable to detached In Burnaby and Vancouver for anything decent
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Dank memes cant melt steel beams
I dunno man I was looking at some pretty big lots right out of Calgary, like an acre or more for around $1.5m and it's literally enough for anything, giant garage shop, touge driveway, rally track around the yard meanwhile we're taking about $1.3 1000 sq 6 Plex here + have to fight for Street parking.
But how many people do exactly what’s being talked about here, move to Alberta, and just do the exact same shit they do here but now you live in Alberta? Lol
What do you do in Van, that you can't do in Alberta? I actually get exited to fly to AB so I can get some golfing done. Cheaper green fees for better greens!
Friend of mine from Calgary who recently moved to Vancouver used to live in one of those homes in Rocky View. Her families home was a 2-3 minute drive until the next house. It's insane the amount of space, the drive from the front gate to their house is big enough for 1-2 go-kart tracks. You could sauce a 0-100KM and brake before hitting the front door. 8 car garages. It's 40 - 60 minutes from downtown though. It's equivalent to living at British properties or Anmore. Kinda far.
What do you do in Van, that you can't do in Alberta? I actually get exited to fly to AB so I can get some golfing done. Cheaper green fees for better greens!
Walk 5 minutes and swim in the ocean?
I’m even a big outdoors person, fishing and hunting my whole life. But I’ve also become a soft city boy who needs the comfort of restaurants and concert venues within a stones throw.
Also being an hour + away from an international airport would be a no go for me at this point
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Dank memes cant melt steel beams
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today!
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meanwhile we're taking about $1.3 1000 sq 6 Plex here + have to fight for Street parking. 
