If you are a bit of a cowboy (or girl), but still enjoy the city bustle, Langley is the best of both worlds and it might be for you.
CONS:
Langley is about 45 min drive to Vancouver and can take well over an HOUR in traffic time. If you have to commute to work daily, you will be incorporating driving and traffic as part of your lifestyle. However, they do have the Langley Park and Ride , where you can park your car and take transit to work, I have heard that it is pretty convenient, I know many local residents actually prefer this option over driving.
Langley is also not connected to the public Skytrain, which only leaves you with buses for traveling to Burnaby or Vancouver. There are plans proposed for an extension, but it will take 5- 10 years to complete.
If you own your property, the property taxes are higher than Vancouver and other cities around it like Burnaby, Coquitlam, Surrey or Maple Ridge. But overall with cheaper housing options, cheaper daycare options and overall expenses, it might not have a large effect on your cashflow
Langley still doesn’t have any high rises, so for these of you who like the city like views, and sky scrappers, you will not get it here.
PROS:
Lower REAL ESTATE PRICES. Lots of new homes and all of them are very affordable. THE NEIGHBOURHOODS ARE EVOLVING. STREETS, COMMUNITIES, PARKS, AND SCHOOLS ARE NEW AND CLEAN on nice flat streets.
WARMER AND BRIGHTER THEN THE REST OF VANCOUVER- I find that Langley is always sunnier and slightly warmer as well. Every time I am making my way to Langley from Burnaby or Coquitlam when it is cloudy, as soon as I get to Langley it is nice and sunny.
Every amenity you could possibly need is just minutes away. Langley has all the shops and stores you need, and you will never need to drive to Vancouver. It also happens to have one of the highest amount of restaurants per capita .. there are a good amount of bars, nightlife, city parks, hiking, regional parks, Rich History at historic Fort Langley, great ranking schools, great sports programs, schools IB programs, New event center and everything you need just minutes away.
Employment - Langley is a Central location in a region of nearly 3 million people, affordable real estate, and a great quality of life are some of the factors that attract businesses and residents to the Township of Langley. In fact, Langley is touted as one of BC’s top investment towns according to Western Investor magazine and the Real Estate Investment Network (REIN) community. With the regional population projected to double by 2040, the Township of Langley offers clear strategic advantages.
It’s a wonderful place to raise a little family of your own. You may see an odd horse trotting down a dirt road. There may be a few to many cowboy boots beside you on the bus. Yet, Langley offers a unique blend of farmland and modern living at a very affordable price.
Langley consists of Langley City and Langley Township. Langley Township is not to be confused with the City of Langley, which is adjacent to the township but politically is a separate entity. These areas and very different in many different aspects.
2. THE COMMUNITY FEEL
EVERYTHING IS NICE, NEW, AND WIDE COMPARING TO THE CITY and other immediate suburbs to Vancouver. Communities are organized well around shopping centers and entertainment. Places like Walnut Grove, Murrayville, North Gordon, have a real sense of identity and people can easily become a part of the community. Unlike the sprawl of other cities like Surrey, Abbotsford, and Richmond, many of these communities in Langley are walking communities, where every morning it’s a parade of parents walking their kids to school. That’s great to see and it's not obvious to find elsewhere. the neighborhoods really celebrate creating a sense of community through street fairs, block parties, and family events.
2. AFFORDABLE REAL ESTATE:
There are tons of new developments, new townhouse communities, and detached communities being built every day along with new schools and parks. There are lots of options that always keep upgrading to a better home and stay in the same community. Prices for new apartments start from around the 300’. Fairly new Townhouses and raw homes will range between high 500’- to high 800’, and brand new detached will start from 900’. In comparison With greater Vancouver prices, these are very affordable for two working parents with a
median household income, or even when one is a working parent you will get a nice new home in a great neighborhood.
If you were to rent,
3. CLOSE TO WASHINGTON STATE
a very big plus for Langley is that it is Close to Washington state, it is very easy to get your shopping and groceries done across the border. There is much more selection and even after the conversion rate, it is still cheaper.
4. Langley is home to many FARMS, picking your own berries, and enjoying fresh food is a norm around there. There are some amazing local farms that turned into a tourist destination.
KRAUS BERRY FARMS AND ESTATE WINES- it has U-Pick Berry Fields, a great Market, a Bakery, an Estate Winery, a long line up to the famous Waffle Bar and Farm Fresh Food.
MILNER VALLEY CHEESE- This is an amazing farm where they make cheeses that are all-natural and are handcrafted using our own pasteurized fresh goat milk. https://www.milnervalleycheese.com/
JD FARMS- IS a family-run producer of specialty turkeys.
JD Farms Specialty Turkey has been offering a diverse range of nutritious and wholesome meal solutions in the traditional country-style deli and bistro, as well as supplying whole turkeys to families and retailers in the Metro Vancouver and Fraser Valley regions. https://jdfarms.ca/
5. High ranking schools
Langley is great for schools and recreation. Township of Langley has great high ranking schools. To name a few Langley fundamental school, The new Yorkson Middle school,. The R.E mountain Secondary school in Willoughby heights offers an IB diploma program.
If you or your kids are into hockey, Vancouver Giants play home games at the beautiful new Langley Events Centre. As part of the Western Hockey League, the Vancouver Giants play against teams from all four Western Canadian provinces as well as from Washington and Oregon in the States.
Langley is home to quality gymnastics programs with great coaches, and There are Competitive program for high-level gymnastics athletes
This neighborhood highlights luxury living, privacy, views of Coquitlam, and a golf course. Many from Vancouver were attracted to Coquitlam by the large luxury homes in this neighborhood.
Now that Coquitlam city center has urbanized, this area has gained popularity due to its proximity to all the amenities in the Town center.
Located on Eagle Mountain in the northern part of Coquitlam bordering the City of Port Moody and Village of Anmore to the west, Westwood Plateau is a master-planned residential neighborhood and is home to around 20,000 people. From the time its development began in the late 1980s until 2011, this quiet, upper-scale subarea had been the main area of residential growth in Coquitlam. The Plateau consists of condo’s, townhomes, and detached homes, the majority of which have at least a mild slope or incline.
Median age is around: 40 yo
Average Household Size consists of 3 to 4 people
Average Household Income: around $100,000
About 80% of Households are with Children
Based on 2016 statistics.
The distance between Westwood Plateau and Downtown Vancouver is about 40 min drive or 40 min from the nearby Coquitlam Skytrain STATIONS. As it is a fairly large subarea, the accessibility varies greatly. If you are commuting to Vancouver there are several ways and transportation options you can use.
A Number of busses will take you down Pinetree Way, which aligns with the LAFARGE LAKE STATION BY Douglas College, which will take you to New Westminster, Burnaby, Richmond, Vancouver, and other CITIES. However, as you get higher and higher up the mountain, the area becomes more car-dependent.
In the wintertime mainly between Dec and March, Anything north of David always gets more snow than the rest of Coquitlam, Westwood Plateau, in particular, gets more and more snow up the mountain with higher elevations, and the views are stunning.
Westwood Plateau is also home to a number of hiking trails, from easy to difficult.
The Westwood Plateau Golf and Country Club are considered one of the top 100 golf courses in Canada. Many of its 18 holes offer spectacular views of the Fraser Valley to the east and of the surrounding mountains to the north and west. The club also features an executive 12-hole course, a driving range, a golf academy as well as a clubhouse, and a restaurant.
If you are looking for entertainment, Coquitlam Centre for shopping, restaurants, and grocery is the closest and just about 5-7 minutes away.THERE ARE MANY CHOICES TO DINE AROUND THE CITY CENTRE: restaurants range from Korean, Japanese, Chinese, and Thai food, Boston Pizza, Red Robins, Cora’s, White Spot and so much more.
Your closest movie theatre is Silvercity Coquitlam near Maillardville, about 15 minutes away.
For everyday shopping, area residents use Westwood Plateau Village. Centrally located at the intersection of Parkway Boulevard and Johnson Street. The large plaza includes the IGA food market, a local liquor store, Starbucks, sushi, and pizza restaurants, banks, and other services.
Avinash- show trail pictures and vies named HIKING AND TRAILS.
Coquitlam enjoys relatively low crime rates as reported in Stats - Canada’s crime rate reports.
Public Schools ON WESTWOOD PLATEAU ARE ALL VERY GOOD CHOICES.
Panorama Heights Elementary - is a great ranking school and offers early French immersion options. Located on the bottom of the mountain and is very accessible. Right by the awesome Panorama Park which offers Waterpark, tennis, soccer, swings, picnic areas, baseball field.
/Hampton Park Elementary- is located at the top of the mountain and offers early Montessori program which delivers education following the Montessori philosophy of learning. It is a program of choice that allowed cross catchment in Coquitlam
Pinetree Way Elementary located near the Robson park which has swings, soccer, baseball, and hiking options.
Heritage Woods Secondary / Pinetree Secondary School are known for having great extra-curricular clubs and activities! There’s something for anyone and everyone, THEY OFFER a number of specialty courses designed to meet the specific needs and goals of the students.
I attached a link below in the description if you are interested in more about the different programs offered in Coquitlam.
And to my favorite topic real estate around Westwood plateau:
There is a great selection of homes offered here. Real estate prices depend on the size and product offered, as anywhere else:
Most of the homes in the area are ranging between 3000- 4000 sqft. Some are smaller and some are larger. Many of them have a secondary suite that can be used for extended family, a nanny or be rented out to help generate more income. Detached homes sales as of June 2020, show the cheapest detached house was sold for over 1.1 ml to AND THE highest at 2.5ml FOR THIS YEAR.
Townhouses can come in 3 or 4 bedrooms plus rec room. Ranging between 1,00sqf to 2,300sqf and for 2020 the sold data shows 717,000 for the cheapest and 987,000 for the largest and most expensive.a
Condos or apartments are more common at the bottom of the mountain. supply is very limited at the top of the mountain. 1 bedroom condo prices are ranging between 400 to 475,000.
2 bedroom apartments are ranging between 480,000 all the way to 800,000
Send me Westwood plateau listings: https://bit.ly/36OPIe0
Create your own insider’s report for any Neighbourhood: https://bit.ly/3eDubrn
The city of Coquitlam in British Columbia has been growing very rapidly. Today we are going to be talking about the FIVE reasons people are moving to Coquitlam BC.
The distance between Vancouver and Coquitlam is 27 km. It takes approximately 30 min to drive from Coquitlam to Downtown Eastside. The snowy period of the year lasts from December to around mid-March, and gets more then 3 months of warm weather above 20 degrees Celsius between mid-June to mid-September.
REASON NUMBER ONE - MANY TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUTE OPTIONS
Transportation- For those working in Burnaby or Vancouver, in recent years Coquitlam has significantly improved its bus routes and transportation to make effective ways for commuting into Vancouver City. Coquitlam offers a variety of options when it comes to transit such as West Coast Express, the Skytrain, and regular busses.
The West Coast Express is an express bus with limited stops. It stops at Coquitlam Central Station runs about 40 to DT Vancouver, or east all the way to Mission.
The Skytrain system is also very efficient. The Evergreen Skytrain Line runs from the Coquitlam Town Centre through Port Moody, and joins with the existing SkyTrain system at Lougheed Town Centre. For residents on the Southern side of Coquitlam - Lougheed Skytrain station or Braid station are ideal SkyTrain options. For drivers, Coquitlam is centrally located and provides access to the surrounding cities such as Burnaby, Vancouver, Surrey, Pitt Meadows, and Maple Ridge. Lougheed Highway & Barnet Highway also run through Coquitlam. The Port Mann Bridge and the Golden Ears Bridge are also very easy to access.
NUMBER TWO - COQUITLAM ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
1. Coquitlam's Hard Rock Casino is a popular choice of entertainment out here as well as the SilverCity, Coquitlam's movie complex with 20 screens and VIP options.
2. The Evergreen Cultural Centre is near Town Centre Park and is a venue for arts and culture, in which they host a wide variety of community events. There is a 264 seat black box theatre, rehearsal hall, art studio, and art gallery. There are also several choirs and theatre societies that practice at the Evergreen Cultural Centre.
3. The arts center has been around since 1972 in Coquitlam and plays a big part in the community. Place des Arts is a non-profit teaching arts center in Maillardville that offers a variety of programs in the visual arts, music, acting, and dance. It is a fantastic place for young kids and adults to learn and expand their love for the arts, whether it be pottery, yoga, ballet, piano, violin, painting, drawing, or more. Place des Arts offer faculty concerts throughout the year and participate competitively in some areas as well.
4. Place Maillardville is a community center providing leisure activities for all age groups, with programs on the French language, culture, as well as physical activities. Heritage Square offers visitors a wealth of historic sites, gardens, a bike path, and an outdoor amphitheater;
REASON NUMBER 3 - COQUITLAM'S MALLS & SHOPPING
Coquitlam Centre shopping mall is the biggest mall in the Tri-Cities and is located in North Coquitlam. It is the hub of City Centre, and a popular spot for a quick bit to eat, grocery shopping, entertainment, or just good old fashioned shopping! Meanwhile, a master planning process for the entire site will look at developing a downtown core with employment, housing, parks, and transportation with distinct innovative architecture.
Situated on 57 acres of land in the heart of the Tri-Cities, Coquitlam Centre features over 910,000 square feet of retail on two spacious levels. Coquitlam Centre is the only shopping center in Metro Vancouver offering almost all the major brands and department stores all in one convenient location.
In the Coquitlam West area, there is also Lougheed Mall. While technically located in North Burnaby, it is on the exact borderline of Coquitlam and Burnaby so it is still a popular area to shop. This particular mall is a part of the Lougheed Town Centre Expansion which now includes a revitalized shopping mall, new businesses, a brand new food court, and several high-rise residential towers.
Coquitlam also offers a great number of large grocery stores to shop in, ranging from Superstore, Save on Foods, Safeway, and smaller local shops, to the nearby Costco in Port Coquitlam.
REASON NUMBER 4- THE AMAZING TRAIL SYSTEM
The City of Coquitlam Master Trail Plan is a comprehensive flexible guide for the provision of a citywide, off-road network of trails connecting people, places, public amenities, to other municipalities and regional trail systems. I have attached a guide below if you are interested to fully explore it. GUIDE
Woodlands Trail is a great hike for you and if you have a dog. This is up Burke Mountain right near the Port Coquitlam and District Hunting and Fishing Club. As you go along the trail, there are a couple of different waterfalls to go check out which are great in the summertime to get into and cool down. It is a popular spot for mountain biking so be sure to keep an eye out for them.
Mundy Park trail is a great trail that also has a small off-leash trail system. this is a great spot to go for an early morning walk or run with your dog.
Crystal Falls is a great place to go exploring with friends. Along the Coquitlam River you get to the end you will get to a great waterfall. There are several great spots in summer as you can go down to hang out by the water.
REASON NUMBER 5 - SCHOOL DISTRICT & SCHOOLING OPTIONS
Coquitlam is served by THE EXCELLENT School District 43 and has elementary, middle & high schools.
Coquitlam also has a very strong french-immersion school presence, with many schools offering early french immersion, and Montgomery middle offering late french immersion.
The City of Coquitlam offers four public secondary schools, seven middle schools, and dozens of elementary schools. There are also 2 local colleges (Douglas & Coquitlam College), and a nearby university within a 10-20 minute transit (SFU).
Connect with me to get a comprehensive list of all the elementary, middle, secondary, post-secondary, and french immersion schools in Coquitlam!
Coquitlam BC offers a unique lifestyle, and truly offers everything a family would need. I hope you learned what it is like to live in Coquitlam. Feel free to connect with me if you consider moving to the area.
The data relating to real estate on this website comes in part from the MLS® Reciprocity program of either the Greater Vancouver REALTORS® (GVR), the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board (FVREB) or the Chilliwack and District Real Estate Board (CADREB). Real estate listings held by participating real estate firms are marked with the MLS® logo and detailed information about the listing includes the name of the listing agent. This representation is based in whole or part on data generated by either the GVR, the FVREB or the CADREB which assumes no responsibility for its accuracy. The materials contained on this page may not be reproduced without the express written consent of either the GVR, the FVREB or the CADREB.