Ok. We are here as I type...

We have SIN numbers, mobile phones, bank accounts...yet to get drivers licenses and health registration.

What we really need asap is an apartment /condo asap as living in motel village.

Any advice (that I can use right away) rather than just general pointers?

We are using rentfaster, rentspot and reading Calgary Sun and Herald as well as Kijiji but all are either rented already or not available for another couple of months.....arrgh. Its a lot more difficult than reading Loot in UK and making phone calls and going round to see flats the same day.

Any inside track info gratefully appreciated.

I suggest you obtain your Alberta Health Card asap. Could be expensive otherwise.

Have you tried https://www.padmapper.com/ ?

Unfortunately, due to the 60 days notice required by most landlords (and Provincial law) a lot of rentals are not available for up to 60 days and normally coincide with the 1st of the month.

Have you looked into short term rental in the interim?

If you are in a motel and think you will stay more than 2 weeks, you could try and negotiate for a better rate - I was in a hotel for 5 weeks when I first came, so I know what it's like, I must have called 100 places during that time.

Good luck with the hunt!

Just keep viewing as many properties as you can, it took us 5 weeks. Then our current landlord chose us, it was a relief.

Good luck.

Really? i moved here over a year ago and took me less than 3 days to find a place and moved in a week later.

Yeah. It was always multiple viewings, on one viewing there were 13 families viewing. The landlords were spoilt for choice.
Its all worked out well in the end, we have lovely neighbours/friends.

We came over about a year ago and it took about 2 weeks to find somewhere. Like you we were in motel city for a while.

Our issue was needing to make a decision immediately. We had a a couple of properties we thought were possible, and asked for a couple of hours to discuss it and make a decision. When we went back to the agency the property had been rented. So, if you think somewhere is OK then I'd say yes straight away.

Unfortunately for people looking for property to rent the market is very tight at the moment (about 2% vacancy rate I think) which means anywhere half decent and at a reasonable rent will go very quickly.

Good luck.

Update.

Got 2 viewings. We'll see. Just seems like a very low return rate for 50 calls.

Got to get another weekly rate from somewhere in motel village. Ho-hum.

Once we get a rental I can send for our boxes to be shipped from home and get on the job hunt as well as get drivers license and health card.

Somebody mentioned urgency behind health registration - yes obviously if you need it you have to pay. Am I right in thinking you need a home address in order to get a drivers license and health registration? We got around it with Sin numbers and bank accounts.

I was amazed at how difficult not to mention expensive it can be to get decent accommodation in Calgary. I had expected it to be cheaper and easier here as opposed to vancouver and the surrounding surbubs....alas, I was wrong. I have seen plenty Adds on kijiji with over 10000 views!!! thats insane and when you call, its gone just like that....and all for something small and sometimes crappy...

Welcome to Calgary, yes its very true accommodation can be fairly expensive in Calgary and is in high demand. I'd certainly advise anyone thinking of relocating to Calgary to check rental/purchase prices of properties and availability.

We are 10 days in our apartment now. The apartments are managed by Boardwalk - possibly biggest property management co in Calgary, but they have no further vacancies until August! Everyone concedes there is a real over demand for rentals. If you get one that meets your needs snap it up! Loads of people - expats from everywhere and internal migrants from BC and the east are coming for jobs and rent initially to see if they'll like it. Housing is a big restrictive factor - they can't keep pace with growth out here.

It was a rude awakening for us, shocking really. I can't wait to return to BC. I guess it's either you love it or don't in Cowtown...