By Romana King on June 24, 2020 Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Where to buy real estate in 2020: Tri-Cities of Coquitlam, Port Moody and Port Coquitlam, B.C.
By Romana King on June 24, 2020 Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
For growing families, empty nesters or newlyweds looking to buy their first home, Coquitlam West offers an excellent selection of condos, townhouses and detached homes.
The top three neighbourhoods in the Tri-Cities are:
1. Coquitlam West, Coquitlam
Located in the heart of Coquitlam, Coquitlam West is one of the original bedroom communities in the Greater Vancouver Area (it’s also our No.2 Where to buy pick for the GVA and the Lower Mainland this year). Even before the public transit upgrades, this neighbourhood attracted families who wanted an affordable single-family home with exceptional commuter access. Coquitlam West offers quick highway access to Burnaby, Vancouver, Surrey, Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge. For public transit users, there are many options including the West Coast Express, SkyTrain and extensive regular bus service.
Since the neighbourhood is dominated by families, home ownership is high in this community with about 70% of homes owner-occupied.
“Coquitlam West’s quick and easy access to the highway makes this neighbourhood a great option for commuters, plus it’s got wonderful transit access, both bus and SkyTrain,” says Amy Billingsley, a Zolo real estate agent who works with a number of clients in the Tri-Cities area. Families with students at SFU like this area because it’s easy for their kids to get to university, she adds. “Plus, there’s lots of positive growth and redevelopment in the area.”
Buyers will discover a great mix of older and newer detached homes, in addition to a smaller selection of condos and townhomes.
Prior to the pandemic and market slowdown, homes typically sold within 15 days in Coquitlam West.
Average Single-Family Home Price (2019):$1,444,392
2. North Shore Port Moody, Port Moody
Port Moody is the smallest city in the Tri-Cities area, but it’s not surprising to see one of its neighbourhoods rank high on our list. (In fact, North Shore Port Moody is also our No. 3 pick for Greater Vancouver and the Lower Mainland this year.)
For a few years now, developers and the municipality have worked hard to develop and grow Port Moody. The linchpin of this growth was the extension of the SkyTrain, which connected this city by mass public transit to downtown Vancouver. As a result, developers have swooped in and built everything from condo complexes to townhouse enclaves and new-build single-family homes.
Residents of the neighbourhood love the recreation and artistic opportunities offered. “Port Moody is known as the City of the Arts,” says Billingsley. “Plus it’s got access to forest trails and oceanfront. It’s just one beautiful package.”
A newly built rec centre sits in the heart of this community, creating a hub that attracts locals and has helped to rejuvenate the surrounding retail space.
For growing families, empty nesters or newlyweds looking to buy their first abode, there is an excellent selection of condos, townhouses and detached homes.
Prior to the pandemic and market slowdown, homes typically sold within 22 days in North Shore Port Moody.
Average Single-Family Home Price (2019):$1,580,453
3. Harbour Chines, Coquitlam
Harbour Chines is a relatively small community in close proximity to Highway 7 and the Lougheed Shopping Centre.
“This neighbourhood blends good family housing with great access to outdoor parks and recreation with good highway and public transit access and easy access to the mall,” says Billingsley.
The recently redeveloped Lougheed Town Centre on its expanded 41-acre site now offers residents hundreds of stores and restaurants and the mall acts as a transit hub. This mall redevelopment also added 23 residential condo and office towers making it one of the largest master-planned communities in the area.
Harbour Chines residents also enjoy easy access to Mundy Park, Coquitlam’s largest park featuring 176 hectares of urban forest in the heart of the city with an extensive network of trails, sports fields, recreational facilities and an outdoor pool. The park is home to owls, butterflies and bats. Larger animals such as deer and black bear frequent the forest at various times of the year.
Buyers will discover a great mix of older and newer detached homes. Homes closer to the average price will be solid split-levels or bungalows, while higher-priced homes will be larger custom-builds complete with seven or eight bedrooms and matching bathrooms.
Prior to the pandemic and market slowdown, homes typically sold within 35 days in Harbour Chines, Coquitlam.
Average Single-Family Home Price (2019): $1,414,991
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