Can anyone who lives or is familiar with Vancouver help me out. which are the decent neighbourhoods to live in?

If you want a nice neighbourhood, go live in Burnaby or in UBC (housing is very expensive in UBC though). Many middle class people live in Vancouver East and the richer people live in Vancouver West. However, since people know that rich people live in the westside, there tends to be more crime and break-in's to houses there. Richmond is a human-made island and it could possibly sink in 50 years as global warming pursuits and ocean levels rise. Other areas would be too far away from Downtown Vancouver. Don't live in Surrey because although there's cheap housing, it has a high crime rate.

Right now the quickest way is to take #98 to get to Dwtn Van, takes about 45mins. After the Canada Line's finished it'll take about 30mins.

Richmond isn't a long commute - and once the Gateway line gets going (Skytrain, from the Airport to downtown) it will be much easier.
Which areas to live in? They're all pretty good, except for the Hastings and Main area. Burnaby is nice, Port Moody, Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam, North Van, West Van, Kits, Kerrisdale, Marpole, Delta - they've all got lots of utilities and good stuff.

Richmond is really nice, especially steveston. It's really safe too, i live in richmond and i could probably leave all my doors unlocked at night, or when nobodys home and i would be safe. Richmond Centre is good mall and has lots of good stores and its really close to practically everywhere, plus everything in richmond is really close and will take no longer than 20 minutes to get there (driving). Vancouver is really nice, but i would stay away from the east side, its kinda sketchy and not safe at night. Kitsilano is very nice area, as well as Kerrisdale, and anywhere near there. Pretty much anywhere on the west side of Vancouver is nice.

Will you be driving or taking public transportation? Richmond is a nice city to live in, about 25-30 mins from downtown (driving). Public transportation-wise, right now, your only option is the bus. But there'll be the skytrain later on that'll take you from Richmond to Vancouver and then into Downtown Vancouver.
Another place you can check out is Burnaby. It's another suburb outside downtown, about 15-20 mins driving from Downtown, and skytrain is already up and running in Burnaby to take you to Vancouver and Downtown.
Both Richmond and Burnaby have good shopping malls as well as ice rinks, pools, parks, schools, hospitals, etc.

The commute is about 45 minutes B line bus is best .Ricfhmond has a high Asian population We live near metro town in burnaby and love it Stay away from the east end of Vancouver Kerridale nice expensive same with the west end Coquitlam , Delta Are reasonable