This Opinion article is part of a Narcity content series. The views expressed are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
It’s no secret that Vancouver shares the dubious status of most expensive city in Canada alongside Toronto. There’s no getting around it: this city is not cheap. However, there are plenty of reasons to want to live here, not the least of which are our world-famous mountains and gorgeous oceanside location.
Vancouver’s beautiful West End.Nadya Bondoreff
The climate is generally moderate, it’s safe, it’s easy to get around, and the food scene here is sensational. Now: how about finding a place to live?
This isn’t a simple task, and as a native Vancouverite and someone who has rented here for her entire life, I am happy to give you some pointers on how to find an apartment. Unless you’re making serious coin, being an actual homeowner is likely out of the question here for now, but there are plenty of advantages to being a renter…especially if you’re young, you don’t have kids, and you simply have no idea how to unclog a drain.
Don’t use Craigslist unless you absolutely have to.
Craigslist absolutely has its merits, not the least of which is getting stuff for free, selling your own goods, and even finding a last-minute gig for cash: it’s the online version of what used to be the classified section of the newspaper (remember those?).
As a Vancouver source for housing, however, you’re going to be up against countless people looking for places in the city, and it’s a landlord’s market right now. The average one-bedroom apartment in this city is hovering around the $3,000-per-month range, which is devastating enough, but competing alongside other people for even just a chance to view one of these suites can make your apartment search even more painful.
That’s why the most effective way to find a place in this city is to…
Pound the pavement in your area of choice.
A rental sign.
In the many, many years I have been a renter, I have found this to be the hands-down most effective way to find a place in your desired neighbourhood. It sounds old-school and doubtful, but as someone who has been living in the West End for a long time, this is actually the way that buildings here find tenants, and vice versa.
Grab yourself a notebook and pen, and spend some time walking around the area in which you’d like to live. Most apartments simply advertise their vacancies (or lack thereof) on simple, old-fashioned signs and boards, and it’s a great way to quite possibly check out the place immediately, especially if the building manager lives on the premises and answers the call you’re making from the sidewalk.
Get on a waiting list.
A rental sign
This might not be the most practical move for you if you are in urgent need of housing (renovictions, unfortunately, are fairly commonplace in Vancouver), but if you are secure in your current situation and seeking a change or upgrade, getting onto an apartment waiting list is a great idea.
It’s as easy as contacting the property management company, explaining what you are looking for, getting the lowdown on how long you might have to wait, and then deciding whether this is the right place for you. There is absolutely no harm in a waiting list, as you are obligated to nobody. It’s free, and you can change your mind if something else has come up for you — therefore making the next candidate in line a lot happier.
Look outside of Vancouver.
A city.
Living in Vancouver proper isn’t the be-all and end-all. Sure, it’s a lovely city and the geography is mind-boggling, but you’re not going to be living cheaply. Let’s also take into account how competitive and difficult it can be to find a place, as well as the utter headache of trying to find parking in the city.
If you do have a vehicle, there’s a good chance your apartment building doesn’t have a designated free spot for you; street parking is at a premium, and the bylaw enforcement officers are constantly plastering cars with tickets. Consider moving to one of the small cities just outside of Vancouver, such as Burnaby, New Westminster, Richmond, or Port Moody.
You get the multiple bonuses of becoming part of a community, access to more localized mom-and-pop storefronts in which to shop, cheaper food, far more opportunities to park, and access to excellent public transit. If you do take public transit, most of the areas surrounding Vancouver are roughly thirty to forty minutes by Skytrain. If you drive, you’ll actually spend far more time getting there and back thanks to the outrageous traffic congestion here that’s just getting worse.
Your social networks and community centres.
An apartment sign.
People still communicate among themselves, and word-of-mouth connections are still very much a thing when it comes to finding jobs or housing. Make the most of your social media accounts, and throw it out there. Tell people what you’re looking for and where, and you will be surprised by how many people can help.
I had an acquaintance actually find a place during 2020 (when nobody was doing anything except panicking), very close to UBC. She had enrolled at the beginning of the year, and nobody could have predicted that the world would be flipped upside-down thanks to COVID. Using Facebook, she put out the word that she was desperately looking for a place, and within a few weeks, friends of her family informed her that they knew of someone with a vacant basement suite close to the university, and the very big crisis was averted.
Also, never underestimate the power of local postings. Check out the local community centre, social hub, or popular coffee shops, and there’s a good chance you’ll find at least a couple of handmade (or printed-out) advertisements for available housing, or at the very least, for a good roommate. Sharing a space with someone isn’t the worst idea if you’re new to the city, a student, or in transition. I’ve done it. I think everyone has done it.
Vancouver is not an easy city in which to set yourself up, and our housing shortage is a real cause for concern. Hopefully, we can turn that corner sooner rather than later. If you are looking for a place, you’d be surprised by how much old-fashioned tenacity and human connections can improve your chances of finding something that suits your needs. Best of luck!
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