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I also think the city's really progressed a lot in the last ten years or so in becoming a lot more metropolitan than it used to be. I remember a time when even Robson street would be dead at 9 pm; however, last time we wandered out there on a saturday night, I was pleasantly surprised by how many people were out just walking around, Robson and Granville shut off to be pedestrian-only, cafes and restaurants open, just a very pleasant, almost European atmosphere.
Love, love, love it.
It's our dream to be able to go back to Vancouver eventually, after maybe saving up for a bit in the States. In fact, we're thinking of relocating to Seattle just so we're closer to Vancouver and our families and can drive over whenever we want.[/quote]
I have a lot of the same feelings you do but with me I have put a lot of money into the US medicare system and so I was thinking of living close to the border so I can drive across occasionally. I just don't know the Canadian medical system yet, still learning, to see which is better.
I was brought up there in Burnaby and use to go to Vancouver with my mom on my weekends. Vancouver seemed to be so much bigger when your just a kid and travel by bus.
Best park in the world.
To me, Vancouver was Toronto- only taken to the extreme. Yah sure, everyone was outwardly polite, but let's not confuse polite with friendly. After a year I was still only hanging out my workmates who weren't from there: Aussies, Newfoundlanders etc. and despite my best efforts, I couldn't break into the local 'scene'. If you didn't go to a local high school with someone or have some sort of history there - fuggegaboutit, you weren't allowed entry into their sacred space. Honestly, I didn't really give a **** and just left. It was the complete opposite of 'big city' indifference, it was small-town clique behaviour.
Toronto is much the same: outwardly polite but very hard to crack and not intrinsically 'friendly', but Vancouver takes the cake as far as cold cities go - in my experience.
And the nightlife is almost non-existant. 'No Fun City' moniker didn't just happen out of the blue.
I also think the city's really progressed a lot in the last ten years or so in becoming a lot more metropolitan than it used to be. I remember a time when even Robson street would be dead at 9 pm; however, last time we wandered out there on a saturday night, I was pleasantly surprised by how many people were out just walking around, Robson and Granville shut off to be pedestrian-only, cafes and restaurants open, just a very pleasant, almost European atmosphere.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bcgreen
Love, love, love it. It's our dream to be able to go back to Vancouver eventually, after maybe saving up for a bit in the States. In fact, we're thinking of relocating to Seattle just so we're closer to Vancouver and our families and can drive over whenever we want.
I have a lot of the same feelings you do but with me I have put a lot of money into the US medicare system and so I was thinking of living close to the border so I can drive across occasionally. I just don't know the Canadian medical system yet, still learning, to see which is better.
I was brought up there in Burnaby and use to go to Vancouver with my mom on my weekends. Vancouver seemed to be so much bigger when your just a kid and travel by bus.
Best park in the world.[/quote]
Does Vancouver get smog alert days? I remembr we's get those in Toronto and I'd stay inside.
no we have the Jetstream of the pacific that brings a nice cool breeze at night to cool things off and disperse any smog that you would see.
But compared to Toronto we have less than 1/3 the population so less cars on the road means less smog I mean the Number 1 TransCanada Hwy is the main artery into and out of Vancouver for most of the GVRD and commercial trucks and the 401 is massive compared to what we encounter and there are no Freeways or major highways that run though downtown core Vancouver.
While I do agree Vancouver is far from perfect you shouldn't blast the city just because you can't afford to live here comfortably. All cities that are considered "world class cities" (New York,London,Melbourne etc.) can either be a great place to live or a horrible place to live depending on your salary.
The traffic may be difficult at times but it's all in exchange for the density downtown (Which makes Vancouver the city it is) Living downtown you don't even need a car. Shops are located everywhere in close walking distance. Good luck doing that in the urban sprawl of Phoenix...
and yes the rain sucks but IMO it's a hell lot better than snow that reaches up to your knees.
While I do agree Vancouver is far from perfect you shouldn't blast the city just because you can't afford to live here comfortably. All cities that are considered "world class cities" (New York,London,Melbourne etc.) can either be a great place to live or a horrible place to live depending on your salary.
....the problem is that Vancouver is not a "world class city"....not by a long shot even if many people are delusional about it....
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and yes the rain sucks but IMO it's a hell lot better than snow that reaches up to your knees.
Yep..and that is pretty much the whole story...Vancouver is desiderable mostly for people that have nowhere else to go (better weather and economic environment)..for Canadians it means either rain, shoebox sized half million dollar condos and absurd cost of living in general or shovelling snow in the rest of the country in winter....
Nowhere else to go? Maybe for some immigrants (obtaining Canadian citizenship is incredibly easy) but I live in Vancouver because I choose to. I love the natural beauty with the forests and the beaches located close to the city center.
People complain about our real estate but if you compare it to any major US city its really not that bad. In Vancouver I can afford to live right across the street from the beach. Would I be able to afford the same kind of spot in Southern California? Nope. Forget about it.
Call it absurd but if you live in a city that has shoebox sized half million dollar condos it's probably because its a highly desirable city. (Which is a good thing I should add)
Nowhere else to go? Maybe for some immigrants (obtaining Canadian citizenship is incredibly easy) but I live in Vancouver because I choose to. I love the natural beauty with the forests and the beaches located close to the city center.
People complain about our real estate but if you compare it to any major US city its really not that bad. In Vancouver I can afford to live right across the street from the beach. Would I be able to afford the same kind of spot in Southern California? Nope. Forget about it.
Call it absurd but if you live in a city that has shoebox sized half million dollar condos it's probably because its a highly desirable city. (Which is a good thing I should add)
Some people like Vancouver yes....but to a good chunk of Vancouver residents if you give them the choice to move to a warmer place in the US with better career opportunities, they will jump at it...and I'm not talking about a TN working slave, I mean full residence rights....I lived in Vancouver so I know that for a fact....
There are a lot of places where you could live "across the street from the beach" in the US (never to mention warmer climate)...including Southern California....maybe it is a shock to you but real estate prices are actually more affordable in San Diego than Vancouver (and much better career opportunities).
So Vancouver is "not that bad" compared to any major US city?? Are you really that delusional??? Just across the border here in Seattle you can buy similar properties in similar areas in terms of desireability up to 40-50% less than Vancouver, not to mention many more chances to have a real career.
Yes in Manhattan or at the Hamptons real estate prices are probably higher...do you know how much is the average income in these areas??
But then again, it is safe to say that the vast majority of people in Van do not have che chance of full residence rights in the US....try to hand out green cards to peope in Van and you'll see how many would grab one....
It is a highly desiderable city mainly to Asian property speculators that grab real estate assets to buy a western country passport (and keep doing their business over there)....it is one of the easiest country to get into....that is the real reason why you have half milion dollar shoebox sized condos (half of them empty)
For the remaining working stiffs and lots of seniors it is a place where they can escape the brutal winters in the rest of Canada so they are willing to spend more in living expenses for the tradeoff.
Just across the border here in Seattle you can buy similar properties in similar areas in terms of desireability up to 40-50% less than Vancouver, not to mention many more chances to have a real career.
Yes, but I doubt there'd be many Vancouverites who would want to leave Vancouver for Seattle even if given a choice.
Yes, but I doubt there'd be many Vancouverites who would want to leave Vancouver for Seattle even if given a choice.
You may be surprised......now, granted that if you have full residence rights for Seattle, by definition you also have it for the rest of the US so in that case you could chose another city in the US with better climate....
I can mention several case just from my circle of friends acquaintances of peopel from Vancouver living in Seattle......I never met someone from Seattle living in Vancouver....
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