good place to live near downtown (cheap)?
 

I used to live downtown for 3 years, but recently moved to the burbs. I miss my friends and the life that I was leading there. I have decided to move back and will either get a bachelor or share a 2br or maybe get a house with a few of my friends. We all used to live dt and are sick of our burb-existence. The quietness of burblife is great for some people, but it's just not for me. While in the middle of downtown living is extremely expensive, I am willing to compromise to places that are close, but not actually in downtown. Out of these areas, what would you guys recommend?

Kits, Commercial and the neighboring East Van areas, the Westend, Main/Cambie area, over the bridge towards Richmond areas (i.e the numbered avenues and Oak/granville). My budget is 800, for either a bachelor or shared accommodations.

Does anyone on this forum live outside of friggin' Richmond???

Dude... they probably don't hahaha or still live at home. I am guessing the latter, but all you have to do is search on craigslist man. All those areas you listed vary quite greatly. If I were you, I would go with a bachelor 1 bdrm. I would not want to room with anyone, unless it was your gf, and that is another story.

1 bdrm in downtown in newer buildings is about 1400+ on average. You could probably find something in the West End (bach) for abut 700, 1bdrm about 900. The good thing about the West End is that the buildings are older, so the rooms are bigger.

If I were you, I would look for something close to the Canada line.. My gf lived on Fraser by 33rd and she had a pretty roomy bachelor for about 700 a month. OR another choice would be renting out a ground level suite in a house. Those are usually much cheaper and they include utilities cable and internet. HTH

depends if you mind roommates or not

prob can get a 1 bed or a tiny studio for around 800

Yes, I've seem to notice everyone here is either from Richmond or really young. The Fraser 33rd is a great area, but since I am currently in New West and paying no rent (I am house sitting for my parents while they're gone for a year), I want to be as close to DT as possible otherwise it defeats the purpose of paying rent. I will look into that area, but the traffic around there during rush hour is a PITA especially heading towards DT via Oak , Cambie or Granville. Rush hour is the time I mostly head down because that's where my gym is. I also found a decent house in the commercial dr. area which I will check out today. Commercial is my dream location, next to kits.

fraser and 33rd is not far from downtown man. You have a car right? Honestly, rush hour traffic isn't as bad as it was pre olympics. I drive from Lougheed and Willingdon to Cambie and Bway in rush hour in 30 mins. Look for a place on Main street then, but if you are picky about actually living seconds off the bridge or actually in DT, you are looking at paying at least 900 for a one bedroom, and like I said in the other post, you will get nothing cheaper than 1300-1400 for a 1bdrm IN downtown. Roommates such in Dt too.. especially since the apartments are so small. you will be in a 2 bdrm apartment thats 700-800 sqr feet. and rent will be like 2000

Lastly, having privacy and living on your own/being independent was the main reason for paying rent, not to be closer to anything. New West is far from the city and friends (if they are all in Vancouver), but I would be more than happy living in the East Van area. That is close enough to anything where it would only take 10-15 mins of driving to get anywhere I wanted to.

I live on oak and 10th and pay 550 for half of a 2 bedroom townhouse. Its a bit of a shitpile, but location is great. I find the best way to find a place is drive or walk through the areas you like, and call places that have signs up. Usually the reason places are on craigslist is because they aren't as easy to get rented for any # of reasons. (shitty condition, too much money, etc.)