Uncategorized

Moving to the country..

56
56 Comments

Like any decent size city, Vancouver has it’s share of problems.  Drug addiction, crime and homelessness to name a few.  Have any of you ever contemplated giving up the city and moving away to a smaller town?  And if you’ve actually gone ahead and done it, what has your experience been?

A lot of people on this site complain about Vancouver and it’s myriad of problems, so the obvious question is what keeps you here?  What are the things you can only find here?

And if you’ve moved away and are reading this blog from another city, town or country, what do you miss (and not miss) about Vancouver?

56 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
jesse

petrovsky: An interesting story. I think pockets of Vancouver are as friendly as anywhere on the planet, other areas are a bit insular. Having come from Toronto, I found Vancouver to be more cliquish but nothing like you describe.

Your is case in point why it's best to rent in an area before you buy, unless you don't mind the costs of buying and selling quickly if the neighbourhood is a dud. These days, with property prices so volatile, that's quite a gamble.

0
0
Marendra

#51 – Anon:

Funny – Low wages, lots of crime and no healthcare… Sounds like USA! That is where I went first, but was then transferred to Indonesia.

The end destination, in my case, isn't really relevant – The point is that I left because I could. I manage major capital expenditure projects (new power plants, new oil fields, new marine terminals – that kind of thing).

When costs outstrip wages (even in the 'best' place in the world), the people that have options sometimes decide to leave.

0
0
petrovsky

I sold my condo in Surrey about 3 years ago, after prices started to go crazy, and after realizing nature of the RE bubble by reading sites like this one. Then I did a really dumb thing… I bought a house (sight unseen) in a small town in Kempt, Nova Scotia for a laughable sum of 25k… about the price of a new car. I figured, well, people are the same everywhere… and NS folks are reputed to be friendly. Also, I had lived in a small Van Island town (Sooke, about 40 minutes from Victoria) and enjoyed it… so I said to myself, how can my experience be any different? Wrongo. I tell ya… I was LONELY. People are definitely NOT the same everywhere. I found the people to be cold, cliquish and clannish, and I didn't speak to… Read more »

0
0
mino3

realpaul, I doubt it's intentional. I posted a simple comment on the election topic and apparently it's been in moderation for 4 days. No other posts have been made. I'd guess it's a bug in the software or some kind of oversight, because what's the point of a blog like this without comments?

0
0
realpaul

Has this site gone over to the darkside? Over the past few days I have noticed that 99% of all comments are being censored and removed permanently from view?

it looks like 'negative and/or opposing views' aren't welcome to somebodies sensitive POV.

0
0
Anonymous

#30 Marendra: Where ion SE Asia did you go? Most countries there have low wages , no healthcare and a lot of crime. Except maybe Singapore, but not sure if I wanted to live on an island that small. Unless you work for a western company chances are slim that you'll have a better life over there than anywhere in the western world. Just wondering, are you doing the real thing living there or are you just on a temp assignment in SE Asia from you western employer with western salary? If it is the latter then you can't compare. It'd be the same as a German coming here working for a German company in Vancouver on German wages, which are way higher then you average Canadian wage. This German would find it rreally cheap to live here in the… Read more »

0
0
VanBanker

"Anonymous Says: May 12th, 2009 at 9:22 am “How could adding more supply be a bad thing? Increased supply = reduced rents and/or prices.” You mean the increased supply, falling rents and prices that an efficient market is taking care of on its own? Why would you want to subsidize that? The city and developers are fighting the last war. My prediction is in 3 years all this increased density garbage will look silly when rental vacancy rates approach 10% (right now they’re apparently around 5-6%)" This crash is going to take several years at the current painfully slow rate it's going, and I would prefer not to wait so long, so every time a developer starts a new project now (purpose built rental or not) I'm cheering the additional gasoline on the fire 🙂 We're already seeing this with… Read more »

0
0
Anonymous

"How could adding more supply be a bad thing? Increased supply = reduced rents and/or prices."

You mean the increased supply, falling rents and prices that an efficient market is taking care of on its own? Why would you want to subsidize that? The city and developers are fighting the last war. My prediction is in 3 years all this increased density garbage will look silly when rental vacancy rates approach 10% (right now they're apparently around 5-6%)

0
0
VanBanker

"patriotz Says: May 11th, 2009 at 7:59 pm VanBanker: It’s not good news at all. The reason no purpose built rentals are constructed is that condo buyers are paying too much, i.e. subsidizing the construction business. The City plan would add all City taxpayers as involuntary fools to the voluntary fools who buy condos. This is just a scheme to keep the construction business going during the upcoming bust. Well if the construction business wants to keep going during the bust they can simply sell for lower prices – downward sloping demand curve you know. There is no shortage of market rental housing in Vancouver and nothing needs to be done by government about it." How could adding more supply be a bad thing? Increased supply = reduced rents and/or prices. Also, reading the presentation, the city will not be… Read more »

0
0
Ted

Are there any sites out there providing figures like Paul B was? What criteria was he using? I can run the numbers with the right parameters.

0
0
Informer where are y

Is it true even Krish thinks buying real estate is dumb? Where are all the bulls? Vancouver! No More Land! The Olympics! Rich Asians!

0
0
patriotz

VanBanker:

It's not good news at all. The reason no purpose built rentals are constructed is that condo buyers are paying too much, i.e. subsidizing the construction business. The City plan would add all City taxpayers as involuntary fools to the voluntary fools who buy condos.

This is just a scheme to keep the construction business going during the upcoming bust. Well if the construction business wants to keep going during the bust they can simply sell for lower prices – downward sloping demand curve you know.

There is no shortage of market rental housing in Vancouver and nothing needs to be done by government about it.

0
0
VanBanker

Good news for Vancouver affordability, the City of Vancouver is finally looking at providing financial incentives to developers to buildng more rental housing.

Check out the PDF here:
http://vancouver.ca/PDF/STIR_presentationApr25200…

0
0
Ultraman

dboy, I'm with you on that one. I find that the typical things, weather, traffic, etc. that people are complaining about are worst most everywhere else. Yes RE is expensive, so what, buy a smaller place, live without a car. Yes RE will crash big time but it still will be too expensive.

0
0
deathspiral

New information suggest that as many as 25 million are now living without full employment in the US. Recovery what recovery?

http://www.mybudget360.com/24700000-unemployed-or…

0
0
deathspiral

As in recessions before, another layer of permanently underemployed persons will become a fixture. Jobs growth is not expected to pick up even after the official end to the recession is called

"Hundreds of thousands of jobs have vanished forever in industries such as auto manufacturing and financial services. Millions of people who were fired or laid off will find it harder to get hired again and for years may have to accept lower earnings than they enjoyed before the slump.

This restructuring — in what former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker calls "the Great Recession" — is causing some economists to reconsider what might be the "natural" rate of unemployment: a level that neither accelerates nor decelerates inflation. This state of equilibrium is often described as "full" employment"

0
0
realpaul

Prices fall again for the sixth straight month. Weren't the realwhores trying to convince us that this wasn't so just a few days ago. Everytime the facts come the real whores dive back under the rocks and wait for an all clear from the CREA ,RE Board, and the tout-tard saleman. "VANCOUVER — The average selling price of new homes in Metro Vancouver is down 7.8% from a year ago due to competition and slow market conditions. Meanwhile, across Canada, prices for new homes fell for the sixth straight month in March, led by declines in Western Canada, as the country's real estate market continued to weaken amid the economic downturn." http://www.vancouversun.com/Business/Vancouver+ho… I had a meeting with a guy who has had his house in Richmond for sale for several months. He says the only offers that come in are… Read more »

0
0
dboy

While I'm not one to look at the world through rose tinted lenses, I can only speak from my own perspective. Sorry if it goes against what I dare say are minority opinions on here, I love living in Vancouver. Its easy to find fault, complain about the real esate (no arguments there), the rain, the homeless, but what about the good? There is a lot good about vancouver and its natural surroundings, i feel very grateful to have been given the chance to move here. Quite frankly I can't see the problems are any worse than anywhere else and not to the point that I would flee back to the UK? I have commented on here about 3 or 4 times – i always see the same people moaning and complaining, happen you should spend more time in the… Read more »

0
0
patriotz

goldie: You’re a piece of work, Comrade Patriotz. Did it ever occur to you that a lawyer represents his client’s best interests. And that one day that client might be you v an insurance company and/or another driver? You are of course aware that Worker's Compensation is a no-fault scheme that works exactly the same way as Quebec auto insurance – if you are injured at work you cannot sue your employer for damages but have to accept the compensation set by the WCB? You are of course aware that this was brought in by ye olde BC Conservative government to protect employers from the cost of lawsuits? You are of course out on the streets during the election campaign trying to convince Comrade Gordo to bring back your right to sue your employer? What do you mean you aren't?… Read more »

0
0
Limey

I moved to New Zealand 5 years ago, after living in Vancouver for 5 years. I moved from London to Van, so for the first year it was great, skiing, mountain biking, diving. But when the novelty wore off, I found Vancouver a very cold city (metaphorically, and sometimes literally). I found that the cliquish nature of the average Vancouverite the most fustrating thing to deal with. I'm a very social guy and have always had good friends and a great social life. This seemed to come to a grinding halt about 18 months into living there, as I suddenly realised that there was a lot of people I knew well, and very few real friends. You know, people you really share things with, trust and generally make life worth living. I met my wife there, and eventually I convinced… Read more »

0
0
lifeontheedge

Strataman: #35 SM, exactly right, if there was a slush fund to instantly alleviate every issue for the homeless without qualification there would be an endless flood of 'victims' from TROC into Vancouver. We are special here so we should have special laws enforcing our specialnesses. Vancouver is a playground for the rich and it is insulting to our way of life to have to look at the bums and rats who plague our fair city. First step is provincial habitation status, anyone with a foriegn accent ( I mean one of those nasty Quebeckers and Southern Ontarians) should be given a one way bus ticket to Alta. Vancouver should be given special 'sooper reserve' status especially for uber-cool nuveaux-greenies-20 somethings with trust funds and the very hip bicycle fanatics. All city appropriate bicycles must be at least worth $2000… Read more »

0
0
Strataman

Anon; "As to the poverty: Vancouver has so many homeless simply because they migrate here from all across Canada to avoid freezing in the winter." You have exactly identified the problem. Homelessness is ONLY a Federal problem unless we are going to put up municipal borders (complete with armed border guards).No municipality anywhere should be responsible for subsidizing homelessness only the Federal Government.On the other hand the Federal Government should tax each and every municipality, city whatever a percentage of the cost of subsidizing housing. Shelters and low or no income housing should be provided only on the basis of population NOT the number of homeless in any given city. This also helps the homeless establish themselves in any city where they might have family or friends. Under no circumstances should Vancouver be responsible for supplying even one more unit… Read more »

0
0
goldie

patriotz Says: "Quebec in fact has a MONOPOLY government no-fault insurance system for personal injury, which amounts for the majority of claims paid out. That’s why it’s cheaper than BC, where personal injuries go through the courts. In Quebec you don’t pay premiums to put money in ambulance chasers’ pockets."

You're a piece of work, Comrade Patriotz. Did it ever occur to you that a lawyer represents his client's best interests. And that one day that client might be you v an insurance company and/or another driver?

If you think a government monopoly on anything is a solution to high costs, you need to get some fresh air.

Good luck with the ballot stuffing this week. The party of Bowling Ball Head and Pron Moustache needs all the help it can get.

0
0
Anonymous

Oh my gawd.. Says:

May 9th, 2009 at 9:12 am

HIDING IT?!?!???(poverty) It that how you deal with issues,hiding it?? I would say, one should DEAL with it. And there are some very simple solutions if we had a democracy. I am sorry, but we are dealing with HUMAN LIVES here.

————————-

"Oh my gawd", you are destined to be a populist politician. I've never seen so much self-righteous bullshit in one post.

As to the poverty: Vancouver has so many homeless simply because they migrate here from all across Canada to avoid freezing in the winter.

0
0
Anonymous

patriotz Says:

May 8th, 2009 at 9:48 pm

Quebec in fact has a MONOPOLY government no-fault insurance system for personal injury, which amounts for the majority of claims paid out. That’s why it’s cheaper than BC, where personal injuries go through the courts. In Quebec you don’t pay premiums to put money in ambulance chasers’ pockets.

————–

Quebec got a lot of things right compared to the rest of Canada. If only the climate was better in Montreal…

0
0