What I Learned About Vancouver Real Estate at Disneyland - Part 2
This is nothing new, but the point was driven home to me during our stay at the Howard Johnson By Disneyland Park back in May. The location and walk-ability was great.
This saved us valuable time, allowed us to avoid taking shuttles to Disneyland, or having to drive our rental car (Yes, we did have a rental car because it was cheaper than the airport shuttle for my family of 5, and it allowed us to explore the LA area as well) to the Park and paying for parking. We were able to walk to the park gates in 5-10 minutes and that not only saved us time, but also saved the legs of the kids for the long hours ahead. This close vicinity also allowed us to easily return to the hotel for a mid afternoon siesta (more like a swim in the pool or a splash in the water park for the kids).
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How does all this relate to choosing a neighbourhood and a home to buy in that neighbourhood. I feel that the bottom line is that the more walkable the neighbourhood you choose is, the better your quality of life will be. You will drive less and walk more. This will save you money on gas and car repairs, and also make you healthier.
If you are lucky enough to be able to live and work in a walkable neighbourhood you may even be able to get rid of one of your cars. The alone could help you save enough for a tropical vacation once a year. Then again, you will likely feel less stressed, more connected to your neighbours and healthier; and therefore may not feel you need that vacation after all. In that case, you could pay down your mortgage, or start saving for an investment property.
Whenever you search for homes for sale in Metro Vancouver on my website you can find the Walk Score under the Map | Walkscore tab at the top of the listing.