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I'm in Toronto right now but I'm headed to SFU in September, the Surrey campus specifically. This means it's time to find an apartment. I'm taking a look at listings and I'm seeing some options in the $500 to $750 range which is encouraging. Is there anything I should look out for? Any nasty neighborhoods to avoid? I know Surrey has a bad rap.
Additional questions:
What do you think the odds are of finding a part-time job during the school year? I'll have some help courtesy of a student loan but I'll need some additional income. Can a student manage?
Out of curiosity, what's the weather like out there? How cold does it get? Does it snow? Earthquakes?
One bedroom apartments that are that cheap are likely in Whalley an area of Surrey with quite a few problems. I know people that live there but there is a lot property crime, visible street prostitution in areas and kind of a "thug" culture among a lot of the young men there. I'd be careful walking around certain parts of the area at night.
The good thing about the area is that it is very close to the Surrey SFU campus and there is lots of amenities near by on King George Hwy. Another plus is that the area has 3 skytrain stations so getting into Vancouver is pretty easy by transit. I would live there if I was on a budget, just be street smart.
Do you live in the area? Is it improving? I hear good things but I also can't afford a robbery. You know.
My parents live close to there. I worked in the area for a while as well. Parts of it are improving, as many people have been pushed out of the area due to gentrification. This has just caused more crime in neighbouring Newton. There are new condo towers in the area and more retail has been added. My friend bought a new condo in the area. He reports it being much better but it still has a rough element and one still must use street smarts at night. I wouldn't be over concerned about being robbed. It's a bit higher of chance living in a ground level suite but it'll probably be fine. If you're on a tight budget it's a decent area to live close to your school.
One bedroom apartments that are that cheap are likely in Whalley an area of Surrey with quite a few problems. I know people that live there but there is a lot property crime, visible street prostitution in areas and kind of a "thug" culture among a lot of the young men there. I'd be careful walking around certain parts of the area at night.
The good thing about the area is that it is very close to the Surrey SFU campus and there is lots of amenities near by on King George Hwy. Another plus is that the area has 3 skytrain stations so getting into Vancouver is pretty easy by transit. I would live there if I was on a budget, just be street smart.
This.
I used to live in whalley, back in '09 when I was at the surrey SFU campus. I lived in one of those newer condo buildings, a 1 bedroom for $900. My storage locker got robbed in the 1st week! The crime there is ridiculous, but, if you don't go out at night around there, and keep to yourself, you'll be fine. Just avoid whalley altogether.
I'm sure you'll be able to find a part time job, there are alotta places around the campus you can apply to.
It gets cold during winter, like most places, yes it does snow, not alot to stop your everyday commute. No earthquakes though.
Yeah, Whalley isn't looking so hot. I'm now focusing my attention at White Rock. I notice that apartments there start at around $800 or so, which isn't too bad. What do you think of the area? I assume its safer. Google says it's about 40 minutes to the campus by transit which seems manageable. And I believe you get a bus pass from SFU as part of tuition.
Also, since you've been through this already, can you recommend the best time to fly over and look at apartments? Right now I'm thinking 3 or 4 days in late May/early June. Do you think that's enough time?
Up to a week sounds fair. I moved here from the U.K so what I did was email a few landlords a week before moving out here, explaining my situation, that I've never been to Canada before and I need a place asap because I'm a student. I wasn't asked for references, but they agreed to meet me on the day I moved here, and they liked me right away and I got the place. It's best if you mention you're only in town for a few days to look for a place so they know you're serious and not a time waster. Also let em know you're looking for long term. This way you're more likely to find an apartment sooner.
Have you thought about looking at places in Vancouver along the millenium/expo line? Transit from Commercial/Broadway skytrain, for example, is about half an hour to SFU Surrey. You can find a 1 bedroom for around 600-900 around Joyce or Commercial stations. Plus living in Vancouver might suit your tastes better, there's a cool vibe around Commercial drive and you're closer to downtown and other stuff going on.
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