Thinking of moving to Calgary

[cabrio_driver]

Hi, thought I'd check this site out a bit. I'm from Vancouver but teaching in Newfoundland for now. I'm not really liking it were I am, mainly work related. So, I'm looking into new places. Calgary seemed pretty nice when I stopped there in the summer.

I just have a bunch of questions about, so if anybody wants to help sell me and my wife on Calgary, please do.

Anyway, a big reason we left Vancouver is because we can't afford to buy a house there. What kinda average house prices would I be looking at there? What is rent like? (we arent' gonna buy right away)
I dont' think I want to live right downtown like, but wouldn't mind being in a suburban type area that was built around the 50s (I want to find a solid 50s modern rancher/bungalow)

Also does anybody know anything about the education system out there? We're both teachers so of course finding work first is the tough part (at least it was tough in Vancouver).

And lastly for me, how hard are the winters on cars? I don't want to kill my Jetta.

Anyway, anything else you want to tell me about the city and surrounding area would be great.

[Tuna]

Re: Thinking of moving to Calgary

Well, i'll start with the easy stuff. Getting a teaching job shouldn't be a problem, my sister-in-law is a teacher in the lower mainleand and we've been trying to tell them to come out here because getting a job there is so hard. There seems to be a lot of seniority issues there so you have to temp for a long time to get in. Here they are in demand so the pay is better too. I don't HOW easy it is to get something here but I know last fall the subject was on the news weekly how Alberta needs teachers.

As for the housing market, it's getting really crazy. I'm not sure if you were looking right IN vancouver in which case it's still cheaper here, but we've surpased some of the other areas down there like Langley and Abbotsford (I think). For an old house like that, most of them are being bought up and torn down to build a bigger house on the lot (due to location, fairly close to down town with a more mature neigborhood), If I had to guess, i'd say for a small old house you'd be looking at around 250,000 to start, and it would probably only be good for tearing down and it would go up from there.

I'm by no means an expert but try and help when I can.

Edit: oh yea, and welcome!

[liquid]

Re: Thinking of moving to Calgary

Calgary is expensive, but there are a lot of opportunities. We have the highest per captia income in the country, and the prices of homes in the area tend to reflect that.

Trying to get into a house in Calgary can be very difficult, but the city is great in that it provides a lot of opportunities for employment. Housing costs are expected to rise 12% this year alone, and my property tax assesment is a prime example of that

For any economic indicators, check out the quarterly report from Calgary Economic Development online.

As for the city itself, I really enjoy it. Close to the mountains, very mild weather, and a lot of sunshine.

[cabrio_driver]

Re: Thinking of moving to Calgary

It sounds pretty good. I think its something we are going to look into. Housing is more than I expected, but within reason. I'm from North Vancouver, so housing there is absolutely ridiculous (as in the house I described would be 550-600000 in need of a lot of work.

Is there an area outside of the city a bit that would be cheaper but still nice-ish? Just need to get ideas before we make a commitment to really looking for jobs. It won't be for next year but the year after. Our joke of a contract out here states we have to give notice we are leaving by the start of March, so that's not enough time to find jobs and arrange everything for next year.

Anyway, thanks for the info.

Shawn

[Tuna]

Re: Thinking of moving to Calgary

Is there an area outside of the city a bit that would be cheaper but still nice-ish?
Shawn

Airdrie, Okotoks, bearspaw and Cochrane are probably the most popular areas outside of the city. For me they are "far" but they would be nothing like driving into Vancouver from say Delta or something like that. It's all highway (and not busy like the #1 either). And if you're from North Van, nothing here will seem expensive! You can get a lot of house for 500,000 In my opinion.

[R_Ethug]

Re: Thinking of moving to Calgary

well i'm 1 block from bearspaw so i count it as calgary but yea living in cochrane would be awesome IMO.. although where I am now it's nice an quiet.

[Tuna]

Re: Thinking of moving to Calgary

well i'm 1 block from bearspaw so i count it as calgary but yea living in cochrane would be awesome IMO.. although where I am now it's nice an quiet.

Yea, of all the ones I mentioned I think Cochrane would be my favorite too. there is also Balzac.

[Canadian Turbo]

Re: Thinking of moving to Calgary

Welcome to the boards!! I think average housing price is getting close to 300,000 here as things are moving up very very fast, so the longer you wait the more it will cost you.

[James]

Re: Thinking of moving to Calgary

Aye, housing in calgary is getting pretty bad in the last 2 years.

The townhouse I bought thats ~25mins out of downtown (in rush-hour traffic) was 165 and my assessment after 1 year is 181 if thats any indication.

From what I've heard, teaching jobs in calgary arent hard to find.

[liquid]

Re: Thinking of moving to Calgary

I forgot to mention that the Calgary Board of Education can be somewhat difficult to deal with, and find a full-time position with. If you can find yourself a position with a private school that would be perfect.

[Stonewall]

Re: Thinking of moving to Calgary

Average house price is 350,000 in calgary but that is not tipical for the outer areas. If you want an old house you are looking at areas that you really will not want to live in as tehy are run down or areas where the house will be 500,000+ Really it doesn't take all that long to drive across this town so any house in the other areas should be fine to start with.

[cabrio_driver]

Re: Thinking of moving to Calgary

Well its sounding pretty good. The outer areas would be just fine. We can always try and find jobs in those areas too. Just as long as its not like where I am now (2700 people and nothing to do). It is beautiful here but I'm bored all the time.

But nobody has answered about how the winter will be on my Jetta though. I can always get a beater (although Ginch's beater is at least as nice as my Jetta) I guess.

Thanks for the replies, sounds like a nice dub scene out there too. I really have to convince my wife now.

[Kevy]

Re: Thinking of moving to Calgary

Hate to bust all the calgarians on their great city, cause it realy is. But Edmonton hasnt had as big of a poplation growth as calgary has in the past two years. Therefore housing in edmonton can be a bit cheaper.
Don't know if your interested, but i thought id give it try.
Either way i think Alberta would be your best bet...but not rural Alberta
Welcome to the boards!

[cabrio_driver]

Re: Thinking of moving to Calgary

Ya, my wife was asking about Edmonton. Neither of us has ever been there. We might try and drive up there this summer, if my Jetta can make it. Calgary I've been to a few times and know kinda what its like. What does Edmonton have. Any websites for it? Like a tourism site. And how is the weather? I don't mind winter but don't want to freeze. I can't even picture it actually.

And thanks for all the welcomes.

[Canadian Turbo]

Re: Thinking of moving to Calgary

Well the weather is not that bad, lots of chinooks to warm things up here in Calgary, in fact 10 degrees out today. I think your car should be ok, they do put lots of gravel on the road which can wreak havoc with the windshields and paint but other than that only a few really cold days a year usually.

Calgary and Edmonton are a bit of a rivalry so probably hard to get an unbiased view but I think Edmonton is cheaper than Calgary, but not sure on the jobs there either.