Are you stuck in Vancouver or love it here?

[Equity Market investor]

I'm stuck here. In a nutshell, I love the city of Vancouver itself. I hate however, the cost of of living.

Ones like myself who are in the middle class wage earners.....it's killing us. I will end up having to leave this city eventually. Retirement wise.

 

[hankmoody]

The OP mentioned it that due to $$$$ problems can't move, which I don't get since this is one of the most expensive city to live in.
If I can't effort it, I move my body to South America where I could retire right now and be a beach bum.

OP does not live in Van. Seattle i think.

 

[bcneil]

I enjoy Vancouver and my type of work is basically either Vancouver Toronto or Montreal.
It does make me think anytime I go on vacations or travel. When I see what kind of home I could afford for the same price as my condo.
When I am done work I imagine I will leave the city

 

[odonnell]

I've lived in Vancouver all my life and have no desire to move in spite of the rotten traffic problems made worse by all the unused or rarely used bike lanes, too much rain, wind and colder winters every year. The great restaurants, a 24 hour casino nearby for fun and jackpots, enough sunny days to keep me pretty content and it's just easier to stay than move are what keep me here.

 

[westwoody]

When I am done work I imagine I will leave the city

My brother sold his house and moved to the Gulf Islands. He built his dream house, and had over a million left over.

 

[sdw]

My brother sold his house and moved to the Gulf Islands. He built his dream house, and had over a million left over.

On the weekend I took a look at Duncan and Nanaimo. Both have a regional hospital, both have houses in the $300,000 range. Nanaimo is perhaps a little more convenient to the Lower Mainland.

 

[westwoody]

A transplanted Torontonian living in Vancouver got in my face about how much better Toronto was than Vancouver.

Don't worry BBB, Torontonians seem to have that programmed into their DNA.

I have a friend in Oakville, just a few miles west of Toronto. He gets it from Torontonians too.

 

[westwoody]

On the weekend I took a look at Duncan and Nanaimo. Both have a regional hospital, both have houses in the $300,000 range. Nanaimo is perhaps a little more convenient to the Lower Mainland.

His house was in that range, look out the living room windows down a hillside and onto the straits.
Cost isn't a problem, but getting anything built takes longer due to travel by the tradesmen.

Pouring the pad for his foundation was an ordeal. Instead of having a mixer drive over like in Van he had to schedule weeks ahead. Ferries can only take big loads like that at certain times. Electricians don't want to waste a whole day coming over for a small job. Plumber are the same.
Now that it is finished, OMG, it was worth it.

 

[luvthecurve]

One thing stands out to me is when having conversations, people tend to say how they love the nature, transit, clean air and water, etc, rarely mention their relationships with others in the community. Is it just me, or some feel the same?

 

[badbadboy]

My brother sold his house and moved to the Gulf Islands. He built his dream house, and had over a million left over.

Absolute paradise BUT unless you are on Salt Spring Island, there is only Lady Minto Regional Hospital serving all the Islands. If they are on the Pender Is, Galiano and Maine Is; they are gambling IMHO.

There are a ton of great properties available for sale from the money sucked back to Alberta and California. If I wasn't so far under with investments in Okanagan and Victoria; I'd buy a place there too. Waterfront for $500K is possible.

 

[HunkyBill]

in summary, we have it good here, folks. just depends how one looks at it as it's not all doom and gloom. chin up, it could b worse.

The fact is, it always could be worse. . When anyone says this, it invalidates ones feelings. It even trivializes people's thinking. That's one phrase that needs to be removed from the english language as it helps nobody.

 

[MichaelP]

Have lived in HK, LAC, US and Canada (Prairies, Vancouver, East). Now, lived as in months at a time, no touristy thing. After asking "local" people about why they love X or Y city, I realize what people like about a city are not necessarily the same thing I like and vice-versa. For the record, I currently do not live in Vancouver; however, when I was, I was flying out constantly. In the last couple of years, I was 1/3 of the time out of town.

Here are some of the things I like about Vancouver:

1. Not having a car is not necessarily an issue, provided you live near Skytrain or main bus line.
2. Decent weather.
3. Somewhat relaxed attitude. Not necessarily all business (looking at you NY and Toronto...).
4. Good food, as long as you like Asian food.
5. Easy access to the US, if that is your thing.
6. Not feeling crowded. Packed English Bay due to fireworks is a sometimes thing.

Some things I do not like about Vancouver.

1. Not necessarily the most expensive place I have lived (NY, looking at you...) but, based on the median person's income (I believe my annual income was on those lines, I would like to believe), it is really difficult to have a place of your own, without having to have a car and/or live relatively "far". At that point, it made a bit more difficult to take advantage of some things in Vancouver.
2. I like winter. As in actual snow and < -10C. That cold made me feel alive. There is no such thing as a winter in Vancouver. On that note, !%!@#$#@$ rain...
3. At the same time, there is some snobbishness among Vancouverites, which makes some people difficult to approach/get engaged.
4. If you go outside of Asian food and some "original" local cuisine, you don't have much. Latin food? It sucks.

Unfortunately for me, the cons outweighed the pros. Once again, my "cons" could not be yours and vice-versa. "Fortunately", being a consultant allows me to be mobile. As long as I have a good Internet connection and work at the same schedule as my customer, I can go by. On that note, if my client was on Eastern time, it was a bitch sometimes when they wanted meetings at 9:00 a.m. their time zone. That gave me an incentive to move.

That said, where I am currently, I sort of miss the rapport I established with some masseuse. Next time I am in town, I will try to connect with them but, given some of them might have chosen another line of work, I am hoping for the best.

 

[hornygandalf]

I am kinda stuck here for family reasons (though another part of the family would prefer me to move), but also love some aspects of the place. In many ways, this is one of the best places in the world that I've lived, though there is the problem of the ratio of income v. housing costs. That might ultimately lead to a move elsewhere. But, Vancouver does have a lot going for it (climate, aside from the rain, good transit if you live in the right place). There are things it is lacking or could be improved upon (culture and arts scene), but the big issue are the housing prices.

There are much worse places one could live than Vancouver. I guess I do love living here... in a muted and hopeful way.

 

[CanineCowboy]

A few clarifications: actually our cuisine in Vancouver is ranked quite high globally and is noted for its affordability; it's a myth that our bike routes aren't used (there are actual statistics available - check it out for yourself); and, our winters are getting warmer.

 

[Caramel]

Vancouver is my home. I travel a lot, so I know what it's like in other cities and countries, it's always nice to be back home.
The housing market is getting out of reach for first-time buyers, but we're just getting caught up to the rest of the major pacific-rim cities.

There's a certain comfort and security with being 'home'.

thats how I feel about it...I don't really care much for it or whatever is going on here, it might suck but its still "home"...Whenever I come back on a plane and see Vancouver from the window I feel so nice and fuzzy inside, its like a relief. I like familiarity. Its probably how a lot of refugees feel when they don't want to leave their homeland even if its being bombed.

 

[apl16]

One thing stands out to me is when having conversations, people tend to say how they love the nature, transit, clean air and water, etc, rarely mention their relationships with others in the community. Is it just me, or some feel the same?

Really? Somebody likes our transit?

 

[Lo-ki]

Really? Somebody likes our transit?

Of course they do...it's almost free...still

 

[CrazedandAbused]

I'm lucky to have the opportunity to frequently visit this beautiful city. Few like it in the world. You're all lucky to live here.

High living costs to be sure, but so do a lot of places (London, New York, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Melbourne, Vienna, Paris, etc....). Shit, even that horrible piece of trash, Toronto, is getting real expensive.

Cost of being a world class city. rest of the world is just catching on. Only gonna get worse.

 

[manni]

The fact is, it always could be worse. . When anyone says this, it invalidates ones feelings. It even trivializes people's thinking. That's one phrase that needs to be removed from the english language as it helps nobody.

not sure how that phrase invalidates one's feelings or trivializes a way of thinking, HB?

I'm just looking at it from my point of view–
how others feel and think isn't in my control nor my concern.

everyone with a functioning mind should be able to think and speak freely
for themselves and by themselves, unless of course, one lives in say North Korea,
Syria, China and the like.

'it could be worse' is a powerful statement.

 

[nickcan]

Cost of being a world class city. rest of the world is just catching on. Only gonna get worse.

Not a world class city that compares with London, New York, Paris and Rome.
Downtown is mostly condo towers and not a business city, one professional sports team, no history like the other cities etc.