Murrayville Langley: Country Feel Minutes from the City

The place

A small village core with a few shops, the Murrayville Town Centre plaza and the hospital, surrounded by residential streets that were laid out when land was cheap. Lots of a third to half an acre are normal, and larger acreages sit on the southern and eastern edges toward the farmland of the Agricultural Land Reserve. The Langley Regional Airport is a short distance south, which matters for noise on some streets. Fraser Highway and 216 Street connect you to Highway 1 in about ten minutes, and Willoughby's shopping is about the same.

The housing

A wide range on the same streets: 1970s and 1980s ranchers and split-levels on the biggest lots, 1990s and 2000s two-storey homes with basements, some newer infill, and on the edges, acreages with barns and shops. Townhomes and condos are few and mostly near the village core. The size of the lots is the attraction and the reason prices sit above Willoughby for comparable homes. Many properties have room for a coach house or a shop, and some already have one; check the permit history.

Schools and daily life

Langley Secondary and several elementary schools, including James Hill and Simonds, serve the area, with Langley Fine Arts School in nearby Fort Langley an option for some families. The W.C. Blair Recreation Centre with its pool is in the neighbourhood. Daily life is driving: to Willoughby or Langley City for the larger grocery stores, to Fort Langley for the weekend, to Highway 1 for the commute. People here tend to have a truck, a dog and a workshop, and they like it that way.

What to check before buying

• Septic and well. Some older and larger lots are not on City sewer or water. Confirm, and inspect any septic system.
• Airport noise. Visit at different times and ask about flight paths for the specific street.
• ALR status on edge properties, which governs what you can build and whether you can split the lot.
• Trees and drainage. Big lots with big trees and seasonal creeks need a look at drainage and at the Township's tree rules.
• Permit history for shops, coach houses and additions.
• The Township's plan for the area, which has been debated as Langley grows. Know what density is proposed near you.

Murrayville versus the Peninsula

A Murrayville half-acre with a 1990s home costs roughly what a smaller lot with an older home costs in Sunnyside or Elgin, and far less than any comparable lot in Elgin Chantrell. You give up the ocean, the Peninsula's catchments and Highway 99, and you get land, trees and quiet. For a family that works in the Valley or the Tri-Cities and wants space, that trade is often an easy one. For a family set on the beach, it is not a substitute, and I say so.

The short version

• Langley's original village, around the hospital, with large lots, mature trees and farmland at the edges.
• Homes from 1970s ranchers to newer two-storeys, plus acreages. Few townhomes or condos.
• Check septic, well, airport noise, ALR status, trees and permit history.
• Land and quiet at a price well below comparable Peninsula lots, without the ocean or Highway 99.

If you are weighing Murrayville against a smaller lot in South Surrey, send me both addresses and I will give you the honest comparison, including the commute and the septic question.