What do you love (or not) about New Westminster? Did I miss anything? Call/Text Direct - 604-831-4837 email: sebastian@albrechtgroup.ca website: www.calendly.com/albrechtgroup
@exnihilo634 thank you and glad to hear that you are enjoying these videos! It is a lot of work to do it this way but i know people want to see more of the places I’m talking about…so it’s worth it. :)
I live just a few km from New West, but sadly I rarely visit. I was visiting my mom at RCH and went for a walk in Sapperton. Saw stores, businesses, and a nice old church. To the east of RCH there is an old prison that looks like an old English castle, just sitting there overlooking the river. And the paddlewheelers are cool. Reminds me of New Orleans. One area that appeals to me is the area just west of 22nd Street station. Here there are houses and a cemetery built on a steep hill overlooking Richmond and Delta. I've seen some nice sunsets from this spot.
Hi @frankyxrax! I appreciate you checking out the channel and sharing your personal experience of the area. I didn't realize that there was a cemetery over there but just looked it up. Turns out that's one of the oldest jewish cemeteries in BC (preceded only by Victoria and Vancouver). Very cool...thank you for bringing that to my attention.
You pros and cons are right on. I moved to New West a few years ago and have never looked back. I'm very glad I purchased a condo in the New West Quay area. I find that people in New West are very friendly, I can walk everywhere and if I want to go to downtown Vancouver I can just take the skytrain. I definitely don't miss the horrendous traffic leaving or getting to the North Shore!
In the walkability section you forgot to mention all the damn hills. It's brutal you were even walking uphill in one of the shots lol. If you're not in shape or have mobility issues like me it's not that fun. I've been there a couple of time and those hills almost killed me :) Edit: should’ve finished the video before commenting lol. You put hills in the cons. Good job 👍
Haha @nicktankard1244! I appreciate you leaving your comment up and not editing it out. It gave me a good chuckle. ;) The hills in New West are the real deal! I can appreciate wanting a flatter area to live in (not that easy to find in these parts...maybe Richmond?)!
One of your best videos. I don't live in BC, but I've probably seen about 85% of the B.C. Vancouver videos on RUclips. Some multiple times, and your video on New West has hit all the important pros and cons. Two questions: 1)I've seen walkability scores in the 90's, though you seem to refer to a different walkability scale, 2) The "Grit" that you spoke about seems to be due to the historic buildings that are still being used ,and the sometimes horrendous condition of the roads. No mistaking the fact that NewWest is OLD, but it's the combo of that and the fact that this older infrastructure (still being used and remaining vital to the population) that I find appealing. Also, I love "Eating in NewWest," and Queen's Park. Great job!
Thank you @marcberrenson570! Walkability - I was comparing the walkability scores for Metro Vancouver cities here (I'm not 100% certain that I understood the question here but I'm going to give it a shot, let me know if you'd like further clarification). The larger geographic areas tend to have much lower scores (Vancouver's is 80 for example). Individual neighborhoods (like the West End, Kitsilano, Mount Pleasant) will have much higher scores (in the 90s) being considerably smaller/denser than the entire city. Grit - Some of the grit is certainly the existence of historical infrastructure. But I'd say it's more a reflection of it's long-standing history of being a working-class city and it's position as a crossroad for the region. These days it's been gentrified quite a bit, but it still has that underlying "grit" that I personally think makes it a little more interesting and vibrant than other suburbs. Queen's Park is a really amazing part of New Westminster. It's one of my favorite areas in the city, for sure.
Great video. When I was growing up, New West was a total drug/crime hub. It was only when I finally bought our modest apartment that I found everything has changed for the better. In fact, after I moved, my car insurance gave me a sizeable rebate. Apparently their stats show my car is less likely to be broken in New West. And after 10 years living here, I can concur.
@marcberrenson570 The lawsuit in the US has no bearing on us here in Canada. As far as I'm aware, the Canadian lawsuit does not involve the Vancouver real estate board...and it's years away from being resolved. My understanding is that we've been much more up front about buyer's commissions (and also have much lower commissions) than just about every jurisdiction in North America...so I doubt it...but then, I'm not a lawyer. :)
Use to live in New West, walking at the Quay along the river is great. Downtown is well contained and has everything. Queens park is fantastic. Great community if you are a stay at home parent. I would agree with all the points made. RCH is a good hospital
Havent watched the video yet but excited to check it out. I was born and had my childhood in Burnaby but have lived most of my adult (im 47) life in New Westminster. I have my own thoughts about the present state of the city and how its changed over the years. Will update my comment after watching.
I have to say this was an extremely thorough and fair breakdown. I agree with all your pros and cons. I think what could be of help to people was maybe to give an overview of the city such as the different neighbourhoods. As someone who lives here I understood the Downtown and Uptown references but others may not. As someone who was transit only for many years and now driving for the last 5 years I would say New West biggest pro is it's central location. You can pretty much go anywhere in the Lower Mainland within 30 to 40 mins. On the downside as you mentioned I have noticed a huge rise in the homelessness population which is hard to miss in such a densely populated city. Also as you mentioned the industrial look of the city. It's most definately not for everyone but we do have access to beautiful parks such as Moody, Queens, Pier, and Hume. Again great video and thanks for highlighting my city! 😁
@chrisg5853 Thank you for checking out the video and for taking the time to share your thoughts. I really appreciate it! You are right, maps are always helpful to give people an awareness of the geography. I'll do a future video that explores the neighborhoods better and will definitely have more use of maps. Great insights...and thank you again!
Another CON is that the skytrain is old, and seems to struggle with vancouver winters (i.e. quick thaw and freeze) buses will definitely struggle with those hills too!!! Our winters are becoming more and more unpredictable. If always reliant on public transit.. expect that at least for a week every winter, transit will be a struggle
Very true @AhhhSukeSuke. Getting around by any means (not just transit, but car, bike, walking, etc) is usually pretty challenging for about a week of just about every winter.
What neighborhoods near Vancouver would you recommend for someone looking to avoid issues with homelessness and drug use, but who also wants more value for their money than they’d get in North Vancouver? Also, would you say it’s still realistic to consider owning a house in North Vancouver for someone planning to work as a child psychologist?
I lived in New Westminster most of my life. It's like a giant intersection of people going through to somewhere else to the headache of the people who live there.
Hi @janiceho6034. Yes, there are areas of New West that are on the Fraser River's floodplain. But most of the residential areas are away from that risk. The most obvious and susceptible area to flooding is the Queensborough area...but some lower-lying areas of downtown (and obviously the Quay) are also at risk.
A big con is the increasing drug/homeless problem. I guess it's affecting all areas of the lower mainland. Id say new west + more societal issues + less population around..... it'd feel less safe I wouldn't recommend walking around alone late at night or early mornings
@LarryNg-mx8qz Do you mean property taxes in New West? Yeah, that's true...they are higher than most areas in Metro Vancouver (I think the highest) but not too much more than say, Surrey...and still quite a lot less than people are paying in Calgary or Toronto.
What do you love (or not) about New Westminster? Did I miss anything?
Call/Text Direct - 604-831-4837
email: sebastian@albrechtgroup.ca
website: www.calendly.com/albrechtgroup
I really appreciate these videos where you are walking around in the actual area, whilst some others only show the same old photos and clips!
@exnihilo634 thank you and glad to hear that you are enjoying these videos! It is a lot of work to do it this way but i know people want to see more of the places I’m talking about…so it’s worth it. :)
I live just a few km from New West, but sadly I rarely visit. I was visiting my mom at RCH and went for a walk in Sapperton. Saw stores, businesses, and a nice old church. To the east of RCH there is an old prison that looks like an old English castle, just sitting there overlooking the river. And the paddlewheelers are cool. Reminds me of New Orleans.
One area that appeals to me is the area just west of 22nd Street station. Here there are houses and a cemetery built on a steep hill overlooking Richmond and Delta. I've seen some nice sunsets from this spot.
Hi @frankyxrax! I appreciate you checking out the channel and sharing your personal experience of the area. I didn't realize that there was a cemetery over there but just looked it up. Turns out that's one of the oldest jewish cemeteries in BC (preceded only by Victoria and Vancouver). Very cool...thank you for bringing that to my attention.
You pros and cons are right on. I moved to New West a few years ago and have never looked back. I'm very glad I purchased a condo in the New West Quay area. I find that people in New West are very friendly, I can walk everywhere and if I want to go to downtown Vancouver I can just take the skytrain. I definitely don't miss the horrendous traffic leaving or getting to the North Shore!
Amazing! Love to hear from locals...especially when they agree with me. :)
I agree with you, there's so much to like about New West!
Thinking of moving to Vancouver... thank you for your honesty in each of the videos. Will be contacting you soon!!
Sounds great @karenrio7314! Happy to hear that you are enjoying my videos and look forward to hearing from you! :)
In the walkability section you forgot to mention all the damn hills. It's brutal you were even walking uphill in one of the shots lol. If you're not in shape or have mobility issues like me it's not that fun. I've been there a couple of time and those hills almost killed me :)
Edit: should’ve finished the video before commenting lol. You put hills in the cons. Good job 👍
Haha @nicktankard1244! I appreciate you leaving your comment up and not editing it out. It gave me a good chuckle. ;) The hills in New West are the real deal! I can appreciate wanting a flatter area to live in (not that easy to find in these parts...maybe Richmond?)!
Very fair assessment of the pros/cons
Thank you @AhhhSukeSuke!
One of your best videos. I don't live in BC, but I've probably seen about 85% of the B.C. Vancouver videos on RUclips. Some multiple times, and your video on New West has hit all the important pros and cons. Two questions: 1)I've seen walkability scores in the 90's, though you seem to refer to a different walkability scale, 2) The "Grit" that you spoke about seems to be due to the historic buildings that are still being used ,and the sometimes horrendous condition of the roads. No mistaking the fact that NewWest is OLD, but it's the combo of that and the fact that this older infrastructure (still being used and remaining vital to the population) that I find appealing. Also, I love "Eating in NewWest," and Queen's Park. Great job!
Thank you @marcberrenson570!
Walkability - I was comparing the walkability scores for Metro Vancouver cities here (I'm not 100% certain that I understood the question here but I'm going to give it a shot, let me know if you'd like further clarification). The larger geographic areas tend to have much lower scores (Vancouver's is 80 for example). Individual neighborhoods (like the West End, Kitsilano, Mount Pleasant) will have much higher scores (in the 90s) being considerably smaller/denser than the entire city.
Grit - Some of the grit is certainly the existence of historical infrastructure. But I'd say it's more a reflection of it's long-standing history of being a working-class city and it's position as a crossroad for the region. These days it's been gentrified quite a bit, but it still has that underlying "grit" that I personally think makes it a little more interesting and vibrant than other suburbs.
Queen's Park is a really amazing part of New Westminster. It's one of my favorite areas in the city, for sure.
Great video. When I was growing up, New West was a total drug/crime hub. It was only when I finally bought our modest apartment that I found everything has changed for the better. In fact, after I moved, my car insurance gave me a sizeable rebate. Apparently their stats show my car is less likely to be broken in New West. And after 10 years living here, I can concur.
Thank you @josephlim8941...and thank you for sharing your experience! Glad to hear that you are enjoying life in New West!
Viewed for the third time. It gets better and better. Nice job.
Amazing @marcberrenson570! That's a really lovely compliment. Glad that you are getting a lot out of this one!
@@LivingInVancouver-BC quick question: Is the Realtor Commission Class Action Lawsuit, in both the U.S. and Canada, going to affect you?
@marcberrenson570 The lawsuit in the US has no bearing on us here in Canada. As far as I'm aware, the Canadian lawsuit does not involve the Vancouver real estate board...and it's years away from being resolved. My understanding is that we've been much more up front about buyer's commissions (and also have much lower commissions) than just about every jurisdiction in North America...so I doubt it...but then, I'm not a lawyer. :)
Great video, Seb. A pretty honest take on New West. Thank you and Happy New Year!🎉
Thank you @armandon2208. I really appreciate that...and Happy New Year to you as well!
Use to live in New West, walking at the Quay along the river is great. Downtown is well contained and has everything. Queens park is fantastic. Great community if you are a stay at home parent. I would agree with all the points made. RCH is a good hospital
@edmac3893 Appreciate you watching the video and sharing your experience with us!
Love your content
Thanks @warrior4713! I love to hear that! I'll keep making them. :)
Havent watched the video yet but excited to check it out. I was born and had my childhood in Burnaby but have lived most of my adult (im 47) life in New Westminster. I have my own thoughts about the present state of the city and how its changed over the years. Will update my comment after watching.
I have to say this was an extremely thorough and fair breakdown. I agree with all your pros and cons. I think what could be of help to people was maybe to give an overview of the city such as the different neighbourhoods. As someone who lives here I understood the Downtown and Uptown references but others may not.
As someone who was transit only for many years and now driving for the last 5 years I would say New West biggest pro is it's central location. You can pretty much go anywhere in the Lower Mainland within 30 to 40 mins.
On the downside as you mentioned I have noticed a huge rise in the homelessness population which is hard to miss in such a densely populated city.
Also as you mentioned the industrial look of the city. It's most definately not for everyone but we do have access to beautiful parks such as Moody, Queens, Pier, and Hume.
Again great video and thanks for highlighting my city! 😁
@chrisg5853 Thank you for checking out the video and for taking the time to share your thoughts. I really appreciate it!
You are right, maps are always helpful to give people an awareness of the geography. I'll do a future video that explores the neighborhoods better and will definitely have more use of maps.
Great insights...and thank you again!
New West is unique. It's old, urban, yet very gritty and industrial. Personally, that's what I love about New West.
@Sc00terNut-zq3gs Agreed. And I think it's those features that tends to draw people there...plus, it's a bit cheaper for housing.
Happy New Year, Sebastian. Do you have any future plans to review Delta/Tsawassen?
Thanks, @marcberrenson570. Happy New Year to you as well! I think that Delta/Tsawassen is definitely on the list!
Another CON is that the skytrain is old, and seems to struggle with vancouver winters (i.e. quick thaw and freeze) buses will definitely struggle with those hills too!!!
Our winters are becoming more and more unpredictable. If always reliant on public transit.. expect that at least for a week every winter, transit will be a struggle
Very true @AhhhSukeSuke. Getting around by any means (not just transit, but car, bike, walking, etc) is usually pretty challenging for about a week of just about every winter.
this is a decent ass video thx from chilliwack
@user-xe2kb5hj2f I appreciate that, thank you! :)
good video!
I appreciate that, thank you @kksparks! :)
What neighborhoods near Vancouver would you recommend for someone looking to avoid issues with homelessness and drug use, but who also wants more value for their money than they’d get in North Vancouver? Also, would you say it’s still realistic to consider owning a house in North Vancouver for someone planning to work as a child psychologist?
Which neighborhood would you say is family friendly if you're looking into living in an apartment/condo?
@brevislux112 are you referring to New West in particular?
I lived in New Westminster most of my life. It's like a giant intersection of people going through to somewhere else to the headache of the people who live there.
@poodtang2104 Yes, indeed. New West is definitely at the crossroads.
I heard there used to be flooding areas in NW.
Hi @janiceho6034. Yes, there are areas of New West that are on the Fraser River's floodplain. But most of the residential areas are away from that risk. The most obvious and susceptible area to flooding is the Queensborough area...but some lower-lying areas of downtown (and obviously the Quay) are also at risk.
A big con is the increasing drug/homeless problem. I guess it's affecting all areas of the lower mainland.
Id say new west + more societal issues + less population around..... it'd feel less safe
I wouldn't recommend walking around alone late at night or early mornings
Yep. Around the Skytrain stations in particular it can feel a bit uncomfortable at night.
The trick is to BE the danger
taxes are high or housing
@LarryNg-mx8qz Do you mean property taxes in New West? Yeah, that's true...they are higher than most areas in Metro Vancouver (I think the highest) but not too much more than say, Surrey...and still quite a lot less than people are paying in Calgary or Toronto.
New Westminster is a sheeeeet hole
@nimo6972 Some areas can definitely be less desirable...but there are some really nice pockets, too (in my opinion)!