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Friends, I'm considering a move from Montreal to south Surrey area. I am giving myself a year for relocation so that I can plan it well and execute it with the least logistic nightmare. I plan on visiting Southern BC couple of times (fall break and spring break) to be absolutely sure about zeroing on my new residence.
I am not sure which neighborhoods to consider so any help will be appreciated. Here are some details about my family
- Family of 4, 2 little kids (7 yr and 3.5 yr)
- Wife's work is fully remote
- I will very likely be commuting to northern seattle area twice a week (Everett / Marysville / Arlington )
- currently own a semi detached (1800 sq ft) in Montreal and have some equity
Ideally I want a neighborhood that is not too far from US border since I will have to commute twice a week. Other major considerations are good public school, hopefully an area with lower crime rate. I'm looking at semi detached or townhouses around the same size...I'm willing to go down to 1500 sq ft if need be.
Budget for house - 700-900 k I can stretch to a mil if need be but I prefer not to.
Some neighborhoods I have looked at - Cloverdale, Langley, Grandview Heights and Morgan creek.
Which ones out of the above would you consider and why? Any other neighborhoods you can recommend?
I thought Langley was great until i read a lot about drugs, homelessness and petty crime. Can someone confirm if it is really that bad?
I'd choose the Langley region over Surrey any day. Langley doesn't have any more petty theft, drug abuse and homelessness than any other average run of the mill town in the lower mainland. But Surrey, being bigger than Vancouver and nearly 5 times more the size and population of Langley, and being rather overwhelming for traffic, is well known to have worse problems with those things including a lot of ethnic gang activity and gang related gun violence in various neighbourhoods of that community.
Langley is a more attractive and greener looking community and although it's busy like any other still growing town it's not as busy, hectic and congested as are many parts of the Surrey area.
I think your very best bet, as you mentioned above, is to visit the BC lower mainland and check out all the communities you think you may be interested in as suitable for a growing young family. But if you want to stay close to the border for commuting then I think the Langleys (as well as Fort Langley and Walnut Grove), Aldergrove and Cloverdale, and even White Rock and Abbotsford would be good choices to check out first before considering Surrey.
- I will very likely be commuting to northern seattle area twice a week (Everett / Marysville / Arlington )
- currently own a semi detached (1800 sq ft) in Montreal and have some equity
Wow to the bolded. This is like commuting from Montreal to Mont Tremblant twice a week. Sure you want to do this?
But if you want to stay close to the border for commuting then I think the Langleys (as well as Fort Langley and Walnut Grove), Aldergrove and Cloverdale, and even White Rock and Abbotsford would be good choices to check out first before considering Surrey.
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I did consider White rock but noticed that properties were a tad expensive and the property tax was higher as well. I'll check it out nevertheless.
Wow to the bolded. This is like commuting from Montreal to Mont Tremblant twice a week. Sure you want to do this?
I have given this a lot of thought. The reason why I did not move earlier was because I did not want to do it 5 days a week. It would drain me out. With the new way of working i.e. Hybrid/remote, I think this is doable.
Here are my reasons:
1. I'm tired of shoveling snow...lol BC weather will be a welcome change. I used to live and work in Seattle so
I am confident I will be happy with BC weather over Montreal winters.
2. I will ensure my kids are bilingual irrespective of where I reside in Canada however I am unhappy about
Bill 96.
3.I would like to help out my kids with their school studies and home work which is my biggest concern right
now since my French is at elementary level and they are obligated to attend French school. At the KG level
we are able to manage with google translate but I am not sure how I will be able to help out when they are
in middle school or high school.
4. Quebec taxes are insanely high for the value they provide to the tax payers.
5. US salaries are much higher than Canadian salaries
6. When I convert USD to CAD i'll probably make an additional $$ (an added plus as long as USD>CAD)
I plugged in the numbers. If I manage to buy a home around 800k i'll still save more after paying IRS/CRA/BC taxes.
Even though I have an option of moving to US I have several reasons why I don't want to. I will happily commute and pay taxes to CRA and BC and have best of both worlds !
Agree with you on all points regarding Bill 96, and the financials.
But the distance... Have you ever driven 150 kms one way, 300 kms in one day? It's 3 or 4 hours on the road a day. It's like Montreal - Trois-Rivières and back, or Montreal - Sherbrooke and back... The border crossing may also cause some delays, at times.
Agree with you on all points regarding Bill 96, and the financials.
But the distance... Have you ever driven 150 kms one way, 300 kms in one day? It's 3 or 4 hours on the road a day. It's like Montreal - Trois-Rivières and back, or Montreal - Sherbrooke and back... The border crossing may also cause some delays, at times.
I get your point. I have not done that for work but I do have a back up plan. If the driving across border is too hectic twice a week then I'll simply stay in a Motel one night so I have to do only one to and fro journey.
Yes, a comfort inn or quality inn will set me back by 300-350$ per month but I'll likely save atleast 100$ on gas by reducing 4 trips.
Can't get everything in life but commute for a better quality of life + weather + hopefully more savings ...i'll take it
BTW, is there any neighborhoods that I should absolutely avoid while house hunting?
With that commute I'd really consider White Rock and just take some concessions on the property in terms of size, age or condition. I think you will find your life more enjoyable on the balance. White Rock is quite lovely and you're minutes from the border, which should be a relative breeze with Nexus.
I'd avoid Cloverdale for sure. Morgan Creek or Grandview Heights is OK and also relatively close.
With that commute I'd really consider White Rock and just take some concessions on the property in terms of size, age or condition. I think you will find your life more enjoyable on the balance. White Rock is quite lovely and you're minutes from the border, which should be a relative breeze with Nexus.
I'd avoid Cloverdale for sure. Morgan Creek or Grandview Heights is OK and also relatively close.
Thank you ! Will consider white rock. I have only heard good things about white rock except for the noise from the railroad. Can any resident of white rock confirm how bad the railroad noise is at night?
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