Vancouver- apartment recommendations?

AndreaM95

So my four friends are going to work in Vancouver for 3 months during the summer. They're having a lot of difficulty finding apartments which are central/ are near to the center via public transport, are cheap, and have four beds. Has anybody stayed in Vancouver? Do you know where a good place to stay is/ have any apartment recommendations? Thanks in advance

anne burnell

check out www.homeaway.com.... there might be something on that site that might suit ya....

ciaran67

or padmapper

roomaroma

make yourself at home

pooljinx

its all about craigslist!, I would recommend kits or the west end for the summer!

ciaran67

pooljinx wrote: »

its all about craigslist!, I would recommend kits or the west end for the summer!

Thats who padmapper uses

Niamh_M

Consider airbnb.com? Craigslist is good too

Shalamov

If you're looking for cheap accommodation I'd recommend focusing on the areas around Main and Commercial Drive. Still fairly central and a hell of a lot cheaper than Kits/West End. Otherwise you could stay near to UBC, which isn't a million miles from town and right beside beaches

Niamh_M

Don't go to the east side, it's a complete hole. Most socially deprived area in Canada.

NewsMeQuick

I read quite a few people (on FB and here) who had their hearts set on a particular neighbourhood - and successfully got a nice place there. I wasn't sure I could be choosy :rolleyes: I'm looking to share a house in the $450-550 range. Looking for a healthy lifestyle and cheap amenties while looking for work, I was thinking about a neighbourhood near the sea or near one of the big parks. Kits/Fairview/Mount Pleasant/South Cambie. UBC looks stunning but I'm unsure if the bus services are adequate for connecting to downtown when I do get work, plus I don't know if all that forrest is open to all residents?

p.s. if the OP would prefer to talk about short-term accom I don't mind setting up a new thread.

ciaran67

NewsMeQuick wrote: »

I read quite a few people (on FB and here) who had their hearts set on a particular neighbourhood - and successfully got a nice place there. I wasn't sure I could be choosy :rolleyes: I'm looking to share a house in the $450-550 range. Looking for a healthy lifestyle and cheap amenties while looking for work, I was thinking about a neighbourhood near the sea or near one of the big parks. Kits/Fairview/Mount Pleasant/South Cambie. UBC looks stunning but I'm unsure if the bus services are adequate for connecting to downtown when I do get work, plus I don't know if all that forrest is open to all residents?

p.s. if the OP would prefer to talk about short-term accom I don't mind setting up a new thread.

While people seem to be flooding into Vancouver they are cutting bus services. I wouldnt like to have to rely on the bus cos they are packed. Meanwhile they build bike lane after bike lane which are unused. I would try and get somewhere a close to your work as possible.

That forest is Pacific Spirit park. I think the only land not available is the Musqueam reservation on the south side.

Jamsiek

Niamh_M wrote: »

Don't go to the east side, it's a complete hole. Most socially deprived area in Canada.

I assume you mean the downtown east side. It is the most deprived area alright.

However East Van is a totally different story, especially in the commercial drive area. It's fantastic during the summer.

Jamsiek

Niamh_M wrote: »

Don't go to the east side, it's a complete hole. Most socially deprived area in Canada.

I assume you mean the downtown east side. It is the most deprived area alright.

However East Van is a totally different story, especially in the commercial drive area. It's fantastic during the summer.

Jamsiek

Niamh_M wrote: »

Don't go to the east side, it's a complete hole. Most socially deprived area in Canada.

I assume you mean the downtown east side. It is the most deprived area alright.

However East Van is a totally different story, especially in the commercial drive area. It's fantastic during the summer.

NewsMeQuick

ciaran67 - I took a loot at Pacific Spirit online, geez not bad is it?! 3 hours of trails! It looks like an unspoiled gem, well-worth a visit. I wouldn't mind having that in my back yard for frequent walks

I took a look at busses on Translink. I seen an apartment near 41st & Dunbar so checked out bus routes. From early in the morning until about 10am they come every 10 mins and go to Oakridge skytrain station. That ain't bad? Are there any areas in the city which are unreliable for busses?

I hope Craigslist isn't king of the hill for local renting,sometimes isn't as much choice as it looks. If you click on '8 listings here' you see one person listed the same place 8 times. I'll go for a walk around neighbourhoods I guess and look for signs.

Jamsiek - How about Strathcona, Grandview woodland or East Hastings? Is it true it's dangerous along there? That's a lot of spoiled sea-view...:eek:

ciaran67

NewsMeQuick wrote: »

ciaran67 - I took a loot at Pacific Spirit online, geez not bad is it?! 3 hours of trails! It looks like an unspoiled gem, well-worth a visit. I wouldn't mind having that in my back yard for frequent walks

I took a look at busses on Translink. I seen an apartment near 41st & Dunbar so checked out bus routes. From early in the morning until about 10am they come every 10 mins and go to Oakridge skytrain station. That ain't bad? Are there any areas in the city which are unreliable for busses?

I hope Craigslist isn't king of the hill for local renting,sometimes isn't as much choice as it looks. If you click on '8 listings here' you see one person listed the same place 8 times. I'll go for a walk around neighbourhoods I guess and look for signs.

Jamsiek - How about Strathcona, Grandview woodland or East Hastings? Is it true it's dangerous along there? That's a lot of spoiled sea-view...:eek:

Can be a bit busy along 41st at Kerrisdale in rush hour so factor that in. Quite a few schools as well so lots of school kids holding up the buses. Very nice around Dunbar & 41st.

Nowhere is dangerous in Vancouver. It can be a bit slummy in areas but they are slowly but surely cleaning them up. You should of seen Granville St in 98 when I first got here. Druggie after druggie and now its all bars and nightlife.

Jamsiek

NewsMeQuick wrote: »

How about Strathcona, Grandview woodland or East Hastings? Is it true it's dangerous along there? That's a lot of spoiled sea-view...:eek:

Yes, I agree with Ciaran67. Parts of East Hastings have issues with homelessness and drug abuse but it's not dangerous.
I lived just off Woodland Drive on East 13th and it's a great neighbourhood.
Lots of Irish there.

ciaran67

Jamsiek wrote: »

Yes, I agree with Ciaran67. Parts of East Hastings have issues with homelessness and drug abuse but it's not dangerous.
I lived just off Woodland Drive on East 13th and it's a great neighbourhood.
Lots of Irish there.

I had to pick up from the BC Compassion place the other day on E14th and Commercial. Man they were smoking something seriously industrial in there! It is a great area. Old Portuguese neighbourhood.

Jamsiek

ciaran67 wrote: »

I had to pick up from the BC Compassion place the other day on E14th and Commercial. Man they were smoking something seriously industrial in there! It is a great area. Old Portuguese neighbourhood.

Yes, I lived right across the road from the Portuguese church, it's nice there.
Commercial Drive is still the hippy haven it's always been
It has a great atmosphere especially in the summer.

Shalamov

Jamsiek wrote: »

Yes, I lived right across the road from the Portuguese church, it's nice there.
Commercial Drive is still the hippy haven it's always been
It has a great atmosphere especially in the summer.

Right beside Bandidas Tacqueria... Wow. Never thought I'd really appreciate food in a vegetarian restaurant before that place!

Commercial is decent alright. A bit gritty but not even slightly dangerous. And even the real "danger" zones like Hastings and Main aren't that bad. The people down there generally ignore you. They're off in their own little world.

ciaran67

Shalamov wrote: »

Right beside Bandidas Tacqueria... Wow. Never thought I'd really appreciate food in a vegetarian restaurant before that place!

Passed it twice last night. Always looks very tempting.

robbieVan

downtown vancouver in the west end is cheaper than a lot of places, a ton of old buildings with apartments that are being rented out

NewsMeQuick

I will have a look on the west side of downtown for sure.

At least on Craigslist the downtown section is dominated by Asian students sharing apartments. I see many 1 bedroom apartments with two people (not even a couple) sharing the bedroom and two people (not a couple) sharing the living room for $500 each per month. I'm not even joking, if anyone thinks I'm exaggerating, go to craigslist, sharing, downtown. I wouldn't move to Zurich or Monte Carlo to study so I don't know why the Asian students move to somewhere drastically outside their financial comfort.

If there are a few signs up in windows I'll go for a walk when I get there.

Niamh_M

NewsMeQuick wrote: »

I will have a look on the west side of downtown for sure.

At least on Craigslist the downtown section is dominated by Asian students sharing apartments. I see many 1 bedroom apartments with two people (not even a couple) sharing the bedroom and two people (not a couple) sharing the living room for $500 each per month. I'm not even joking, if anyone thinks I'm exaggerating, go to craigslist, sharing, downtown. I wouldn't move to Zurich or Monte Carlo to study so I don't know why the Asian students move to somewhere drastically outside their financial comfort.

If there are a few signs up in windows I'll go for a walk when I get there.

Yep, I live on the downtown west side near English Bay. I'm not joking, it's more the Persians and Saudis you need to watch out for. Four of them live across the hall in a TINY 400sq ft apartment. I don't understand how it's even allowed. Mental. Perhaps we are just spoiled with the luxury of private space back in Ireland!