January 18, 2022 Urban Infrastructure's Influence on Pre-Sale Development

Thoughtful urban design and infrastructure are often front-of-mind for home buyers. When you’re deciding on a new neighbourhood, its walkability, commute times, and the distance to shops, services, employment, education, recreation, and other factors will impact your daily life. This is where public transit can have a huge influence on your work and lifestyle. And when talking about Metro Vancouver, living near a SkyTrain can make all the difference.

There are a few key questions many homebuyers often consider when researching their new home’s location. If you have to commute regularly for work or school, how much time (and stress) it takes each day really adds up over the years.  Is car ownership worth the expenses and dealing with traffic? How about your proximity to amenities, recreation, services, and shops? Are they walkable from where you live or can you easily reach them via public transport or car? Also how often do you need to visit other areas of Vancouver? Skytrain and public transit access can be your easy answer to these questions.

Let’s take a look at existing neighbourhoods that benefit from public transit accessibility, as well as upcoming urban infrastructure projects to look out for across Metro Vancouver that are in close proximity to planned pre-sale developments.

Skytrain success: Metrotown and Brentwood

These large urban hubs in Burnaby are proof of the benefit of SkyTrain stations. Many real estate developments have and continue to pop up with access to these hubs and their SkyTrain stations. If you live along the SkyTrain, you can easily visit Metrotown and Brentwood, which are are loaded with services, shops, entertainment, restaurants, and expansive malls, which were made possible by people and economic activity the SkyTrain brings in. Living around Metrotown or Brentwood means the SkyTrain allows you to quickly get to other urban hubs across Metro Vancouver. And both Metrotown and Brentwood have plans to grow and improve the livability and sustainability of their urban centres in the years to come.

A few key pre-sale projects to watch out for include Eclipse by Thind Properties, planned in close proximity to Bentwood Skytrain Station and the recently complete Brentwood Mall, and O2 by Keltic, located nearby Metrotown Skytrain Station and the Metropolis at Metrotown, one of Canada’s largest shopping centres.

Upcoming SkyTrain projects: Surrey- Langley, Port Moody, and Vancouver Broadway

When buying a pre-sale home and the time involved, you have to consider both your future and long-term plans. Equally, it’s important to research your chosen location and it’s plans for future development and urban infrastructure. If looking for a pre-sale near a SkyTrain that works with your near future plans, then you may also consider a neighbourhood that is working towards a new SkyTrain station or plans to add improved urban infrastructure. 

These upcoming hotspots will not only benefit from related infrastructure upgrades and the economic growth spurred from them, but the value of your home will likely increase as new infrastructure makes it an even more attractive place to live. 

The Surrey-Langley SkyTrain project plans to extend the Expo Line along the Fraser Highway, further connecting residents and businesses south of the Fraser River. To learn more about these plans, read our Market Spotlight focusing on the future of Langley.

Port Moody is looking to add an additional third Skytrain station, which will also help connect upcoming condo developments in the area that could house up to 11,500 people and generate 1,200 new jobs.

The Broadway Subway Project is currently underway, which will extend the Millennium Line from the VCC-Clark station to Broadway and Arbutus, creating six new stations along the way and a more convenient bus connection to UBC.

To learn more about the Lower Mainlands plans for improving infrastructure, check out our article on The future of urban design in Vancouver.