The Insiders’ Guide to Buying a Home in South Surrey

You have been secretly plotting your move to a desirable community South Surrey or White Rock, and you really don’t know where to start.

You’re not sure which community might be the very best for you and obviously want your money to go as far as absolutely possible.

More importantly than all, you want to make sure you get it right.

You’ve only got one chance to buy a new home, and you don’t want to put your money and your family in an area that doesn’t make sense.

South Surrey is big, with lots of niche areas that offer much different living conditions than others. This is the beginner’s guide to buying a home in the South Surrey or White Rock neighborhood.

Here’s What We Will Cover in This Blog Post

We are going to jump into the top five considerations that you want to make when you’re choosing a place to call home in South Surrey.

We will also give you some very detailed information to help you make a great decision. So when it does come time to make your purchase, you can be absolutely sure that you pick the right family-centric community.

Are you a single person looking to relocate? Or you’re somebody looking to move your entire family to this incredible neighborhood? We’re going to cover the following:

1. How to pick the ideal location in a healthy, well-rounded community
2. The different quality of life aspects that are offered
3. Where you can go to feel like a part of the community bonds.
4. The cultural experiences available
5. Affordability and where your money might get you exactly what you’re looking for.

Buying a Home in South Surrey or White Rock Is Going to Be Awesome

Let me just start by confessing that I absolutely love White Rock and South Surrey.

I might be a little bit biased about this because I grew up in the Ocean Park area, but I think it is probably the best community in the entire Lower Mainland.

That’s right. I said it. The entire Lower Mainland.

You got almost everything you need out in White Rock and South Surrey. It is a sought-after place to live for people from all across British Columbia and the Lower Mainland.

Honestly, this is all for a very good reason. It is simply beautiful here.

There are parks everywhere, as far as you can see. It has nice wide streets and is not super busy like so many other Lower Mainland communities, although it is getting busier as the years go by.

You’re very close to some major highways and the US border to get out of town for a nice holiday should you wish to.

Picking the Best Location to Live in South Surrey for Your Needs

As the real estate market mantra goes, “location, location, location.” The first thing I really want you to consider is the location and where you may find your next home.

Saying South Surrey / White Rock just as a whole, well, it’s a huge area.

Of course, just like any community, there are little pockets all over that you are going to want to understand a little bit better. This is before you decide to commit to one.

Grandview Heights- South Surrey’s Newest and Youngest Master-Planned Community

The Grand View neighborhood is a newer community that’s only really been around since maybe about 2008. This is where you’re going to find a little bit of a younger vibe, a little bit of a younger generation.

Typically, a lot of people may be starting their families or finding their original homes in this area.

It is an incredibly walkable area where there is just shopping galore at The Shops at Morgan Crossing. Whether you are looking for restaurants, coffee shops, retail, or major box stores, it’s all here.

A lot of the premier stores in South Surrey and White Rock are located here as well. In addition, many of the bigger chain restaurants can be a little more fine dining/casual.

It is a really great community for people who are maybe a little bit more social, and they like getting involved in the community.

Semiahmoo Town Center – Where Old White Rock and Future Development Come to Meet

Central White Rock is primarily more senior-orientated. It’s better described as a Semiahmoo Town Center. Here, many buildings are age-restricted and are scattered around the radius of the shopping center.

Many seniors walk on the streets to run errands and go to the grocery store, which makes the community quite active.

Being a very walkable area with lots of shopping, you do have lots of choices for not only shopping and groceries but also restaurants in the area.

A lot of this Semiahmoo Town Center area is due to be redeveloped in the future. It’s going to be lots of 6-story condominiums and concrete high rises, yet it will still have a shopping aspect to it.

Are you buying in this area? It’s best to know that it’s going to be changing quite a bit in the future following the City of Surrey’s development plan going all the way into 2050.

Catch a video we did all about this here.

Crescent Park and Elgin Park – Luxury Living in Beautiful Surroundings

Crescent Park or the Elgin/Chantrell areas are where you tend to find some of the bigger properties. The more fancy and really exquisite homes that we have in this almost-secret community.

To live in this area, a car is necessary because the properties are bigger and located far away from commercial stores and services.

You’re not typically walking to things like groceries, coffee shops, or stores. You’re just walking through beautiful neighborhoods with lots of trees and parks around.

There are incredible homes on beautiful lots. Giving you much more of a quiet neighborhood experience, just living your day-to-day life.

Crescent Beach and White Rock Beach- Where the Locals Go to Play

White Rock Beach and Crescent Beach both offer a slightly different vibe.

Living near White Rock Beach is more about the view, and people who really want to have the White Rock stamp on their mail love knowing this. You’re going to need a car in this area as well.

Because it is very close to the beach, it is very hilly in most areas, making walking slightly more difficult.

The demographic in this area tends to be middle-aged and maybe a little bit older, people in the empty nester-type phase of their lives.

Crescent Beach is a little bit of a different vibe than White Rock. While there certainly are some very beautiful homes down here, it’s a much more of a beachside community feeling.

There are many little beach houses in this smaller, tight-knit community. You’re probably going to get to know your neighbors much more here.

King George Corridor and Sunnyside – Affordable Options in Great Neighborhoods

There are many detached homes in this area, yet a lot of the new development going in and around this area is happening closer to King George Boulevard.

The development tends to be a little bit sporadic all over the King George corridor.

Here, you get all types of people, whether it is:

• Seniors
• New home buyers
• Or middle-aged type buyers who are maybe getting their first house for their young family.

If You Are an Outdoor Activities Lover Moving to South Surrey

Quality of life is such an important consideration when buying a home. So much so that you really want to consider it when making an investment as large as a home purchase.

If you’re someone who really values parks, you would probably want to live somewhere close to the Sunnyside Acres Urban Forest.

This is by far the biggest park in South Surrey and has ample walking trails and BMX trails. You can walk for absolutely hours in here and just get lost enjoying yourself in the forest.

Other bigger forests in South Surrey and White Rock include

• Crescent Park, which is attached to Crescent Park Elementary School, is just down by the Crescent Beach area. Again, it is a very beautiful forest with lots of walking trails, albeit not they are not quite as extensive as Sunnyside Acres.
• There are little parks around the area, too, like the Bakerview Park or the Dogwood Park (an off-leash dog park.)

What Are the Best Schools in South Surrey?

You’re really not going to go wrong anywhere in South Surrey or White Rock when picking an elementary or secondary school.

When it comes to the Fraser Institute’s ratings of schools in the Lower Mainland, South Surrey holds the top 7 out of 10 spots for its schools.

Some of the top elementary schools include

• Bayridge Elementary
• Star of the Sea (religious school)
• Rosemary Heights Elementary

Some of the top secondary schools include

• White Rock Christian Academy (religious school)
• Southridge Secondary School (private)

For a list of the top-rated schools in BC, visit the Fraser Institute Rankings here.

You get a wide range of elementary schools to choose from. These are all very walkable in terms of their catchment areas, but you’ve also got four high schools to choose from in the area.

All the high schools have different offerings. But whether it is sports programs or IB offerings, you’re really not going to go wrong with any of the high schools.

You’ve also got the brand new Grand View Heights secondary school.

If you haven’t had an opportunity to go drive by this, then you definitely want to because it’s a pretty expressive school. It’s also beside the Grandview Heights Aquatic Center (for anyone with young kids, you cannot go wrong visiting here).

It is probably the best swimming pool you will ever get to experience.

Where to Find the Best Quality of Life When Buying in South Surrey

The main hubs are really the areas that you may consider focusing on for different qualities you may find important when buying a home.

The hubs, of course, are:

• Semiahmoo Town Center
• The Grandview Heights
• The Morgan Crossing area
• South Point Shopping Area
• Peninsula Village Shopping Center
• And Ocean Park (the coolest little community that you’re ever going to find).

Where to Go to Build Community in the Area

Becoming part of your surrounding community is such a big part of buying a home you really want to consider what demographic that you might fit into.

First-Time Home Buyers Should Consider Buying in Grandview Heights.

For those of us starting out to find our first home, perhaps people who are:

• Single
• Freshly in a new relationship
• Just married
• Maybe in their early 30s looking to start a family, you should definitely consider the Grandview Heights neighborhood.

You’re going to find families very similar to you and your stage of life in this area.

It’s a very vibrant, alive community full of young families. You’re going to have an awesome time just getting to meet all the folks out there.

Young Families Should Consider Buying in the King George Corridor or Sunnyside Area.

Do you have a young family already or someone with kids? You’re probably going to want to stay close to the King George corridor or the Sunnyside area.

This is where you start to get a lot more of the detached homes on a little bit of the bigger properties. You tend to get the more established households in these areas.

You will find people who are fairly similar to you in these areas because of the attractive school catchments.

Empty Nesters Will Love Living Near White Rock or Crescent Beach.

Moving up the age brackets a little bit. Are you in an empty nester-type phase of your life? Or perhaps you have older kids still at home? Consider gravitating towards the White Rock and Crescent Beach areas.

These tend to be the places where all homeowners really want to live.

Are you someone who’s maybe a little bit older or perhaps slightly more established in your career? It’s a little bit more expensive to live in a home in these areas due to their proximity to the beach.

However, these also tend to be the trophy homes that people really, really strive to have.

Senior in White Rock and South Surrey Love Living Near Semiahmoo Town Center.

As mentioned previously, this area is littered with buildings all around it. These are age-restricted buildings. Typically, to be an owner of these, you need to be over the age of 55.

You’re going to see seniors all over the sidewalks walking to the various services easily accessible from this location. This includes:

• Groceries
• Shopping
• Restaurants
• City services
• Pharmacies
• And doctors.

Additionally, it’s close to the Peace Arch Hospital, which some elderly people quite appreciate, especially as they continue to age.

Where to Go in South Surrey to Experience Some Real Culture

While not technically in South Surrey, look no further than the White Rock area.

Hands down, White Rock just absolutely crushes South Surrey in terms of the things it hosts. Many activities and cultural offerings in Surrey are located much farther north in North Surrey, up by City Hall.

Of course, anywhere in South Surrey, White Rock, you’re still easily accessible to all the things that happen in White Rock. But you are going to absolutely love some of the festivities that take place here each year.

You’ve got things like Canada Day Down by the Bay, which is just an enormous celebration in the city of White Rock with live music and a fair.

You’ve also got the White Rock Sea Festival, a local delight that brings everybody out in the city of White Rock to come celebrate. You’ve got the White Rock Arts Festival as well. If you’re an artsy person, you’ll absolutely love this.

As the sun rolls around in the summer months, the community really comes alive.

Where Are the Most Affordable Places to Live in South Surrey?

If money wasn’t a factor, I think we would all live on 10 acres in a new home on White Rock Beach. But alas, it is!

White Rock South Surrey really is a mixed bag.

There’s no area that is necessarily going to be less expensive for a certain type of product than others. But you tend to see characteristics or commonalities amongst the different communities.

All communities in South Surrey have condominiums, townhomes, and detached homes.

You’re going to find in the White Rock area that there are going to be some houses that have gorgeous ocean views.

Some that don’t, yet the properties or the lots tend to be slightly smaller than other areas. So you can get some beautiful homes with beautiful views.

You’ve got some older-style homes as well. However, if you’re looking for space, White Rock is probably not the place for you because of the size of the lots.

White Rock also tends to be one of the more expensive areas. Crescent Beach can be similar to this as well, which also has smaller lots.

In talking about expensive areas, we also want to make sure that the Elgin, Chantrell, and Crescent Park areas are on the list for that as well.

These areas are more characteristic of having really large properties, so there’s no view.

Getting to the ocean or bay from these areas on foot is not easy. However, these properties are much bigger than what you would find in the King George Corridor or Sunnyside Park areas.

These tend to be the premier homes, the ones that people get very excited about, the ones you might see on HGTV because they’re just amazing.

Some of the more affordable areas tend to be around the Semiahmoo Town Center area. The reason for this is many of the buildings in this area tend to be a little bit older.

You’re going to get more for your money when you go towards an older place rather than a new place.

You’ve also got the Grandview area, which is full of townhomes, condominiums, and detached homes. It’s quite a mixed bag.

Many first-time buyers prefer this area as it is affordable for many people. People really love the Semiahmoo Town Centre area and Grandview area.

Why? Because when you take all of the community aspects of all the things you can walk to in these areas, residents really tend to appreciate it.

In terms of affordability for the area, it goes quite a long way in those areas in terms of South Surrey or White Rock.

In the middle of the pack, you tend to get the Sunnyside and the King George corridor area. Here, there are many either newer condominiums or townhomes.

Or you’ve got some of those medium-sized detached homes on nice square footage properties that are in and around 8,000 sqft.

Moving to South Surrey Is Going to Make Your Family Happy

To tie everything together, you’re not going to go wrong buying anywhere in South Surrey or White Rock. If you’re coming from other areas in the province or other areas within the Lower Mainland, you cannot go wrong.

Almost everywhere in the area, you have a distinct community that almost anybody would be thankful to live in. South Surrey and White Rock are clean, safe, and well-maintained. The residents take pride in living there.

Are you someone who’s looking to relocate out to this area? Do you need a perfect resource to help you when it comes time to buy your most valuable asset?

Use this link to book a space in our calendar where you can schedule a time to chat with our team.

You can be absolutely confident when you go into your home purchase.

The Germyn Group will be fighting for the absolute best for you and your family. We’ll make sure that you get the right price in the right area and the best home that’s available.