How to do a good (but perhaps quick) search for housing (in Vancouver)?

Deusfaux

I'm looking at moving back to Vancouver for work/school that starts on May 5th - so I don't have a lot of time.

Things are more complicated in that I am not there now to look at places.

What kind of systems do you guys use for looking for a place?

considerations:

-I'm looking for a year lease (potentially more if I decide later), probably around $400-800/mo, private bedroom, preferrably furnished. school/work is right downtown, so proximity to a skytrain station or something would be ideal.

-school has a housing coordinator - but they take a hefty $350 finder's fee, and I'm not necessarily convinced they're worth that

-I do know people who live there currently who are willing to check out a place for me, presumably once I am more serious about it

-is there a method to using craigslist for housing? there's so many listings...

-I'm considering having a cat at times, but I expect this would be a deal breaker in most cases and I'm willing to go without pet allowance


I just don't really know where to start - also I am pretty keen on getting a good deal for a place I'd really like - especially if it's going to be for a year straight.

vonPoonBurGer

Unless the market has changed in Vancouver in the last couple years, you may have a rough time of it. The last time I was looking for a place in Vancouver, we took to going to places half an hour before the landlord was scheduled to arrive to show it, with all of our references and documentation (pay stubs, bank account statements) in hand, with the cash for the deposit and first month's rent in my pocket. If you did anything less and the place was at all decent, it would be rented by the time you got in touch with the landlord after the showing.

I don't know, maybe it's easier if you're looking for a single room (my girlfriend and I were renting two-bedroom places), but I think the market in general is really tight in Vantown. If I were you, I would be making plans to go to Vancouver this weekend or next, crashing at a friend's place if you can. I'd be looking at ads now, through Craigslist and classifieds.canada.com/vancouver, and I'd be making early morning appointments for the Saturday and Sunday of whatever weekend you're going to be there. I'd have my list of references from previous landlords printed out, several copies, I'd have several copies of my latest paystub and bank account statements, and I'd have some cheques and/or $1200 in cash, or the ability to get said amount quickly.

I've missed out on nice places in Vancouver a couple of times because I didn't have one of those things available. Landlords can afford to be choosy, because demand is high and supply is low, so I highly recommend you do everything in your power to give the landlord incentive to choose you. Also, note that I don't think sending your friends to check out places for you will work. Good places get snapped up very quickly, so you have to move fast, and you can't move fast when you're not physically there. The place ain't yours until you sign the lease, and your friends cannot sign it for you.

Deusfaux

hmmm. they'd be just making sure it was a good pick for me - but I see that if things move that quick, it won't really matter if I can't get that info relayed back to me and make a decision.

on another note - a friend of mind just scored some 1 bedroom place in Yaletown for himself and his girlfriend off a craigslist housing WANTED ad he put up.

they didnt even want a security deposit or anything... that sounds really easy - but then really sketchy as well - he wont meet the guy or see the place in person until moving day

Dioltas

housingmaps.com

It is a sweet sweet blend of craigslist and googlemaps. I swear by it.

Select "Vancouver" from drop down box, select price range, bam. Tons of options.

Deusfaux

housingmaps appears to be sweet, but pretty much every link i hit has already been removed by the author

edit: presumably cuz all the listings were only as recent as March 25th? why is that