The question is in the title!!

I have accepted a job in Dartmouth, but seen the perfect house in Truro.

Did the journey a few times whilst on recce, but just could do with someone sayig they do it everyday!!

There is someone I work with who's OH does it every day but the other way around (lives in Dartmouth and comutes to Truro). Its quite a treck. Also, the direction you're proposing will take longer as you will hit traffic heading into dartmouth and need time to park whereas comuting into Truro would be much lighter traffic.

So it certainly is possible BUT I think most people would find it hard to do that distance there and back every day (I used to do similr in the UK and it wore me down after a while).

You need to factor in winter conditions. In a bad snow storm you probably wouldnt be able to get home at all.

You also need to factor in the cost. Now that gas is over $1.20 per litre and the journey is about 60 miles each way, even if you had a car that gave you 30 miles/gallon the cost of gas alone would be over $5,000 per year out of your net income (so the cost of taking your family to Disneyworld every year). Then you need to add on more frequent servicing and more tyre usage.

Personally I would only do it if I knew it was likely to be temporary. If for example I needed the job in Dartmouth to get my visa and I knew that within a year I planned to change jobs and find something near to Truro as that was where I really wanted to settle. Hope that helps.

I agree with Paul. It is possible, but I wouldn't want to do it. It's not as if there isn't similarly affordable housing a lot nearer to Halifax / Dartmouth. So unless you have a specific reason for wanting to live in Truro, I think you could find an easier location.

Thanks Guys,

That's just what i thought you'd say!!

The office is just off Akerley Boulevard and has it's own car park, so parking would not be too much of a problem. Also, as a contracts manager, I would not be office bound and could go straight to sites from home.

The thing is, I am really quite taken by this house and the vendor has agreed to hold it for me and even finance it for me, so that I would be able to reduce the initial downpayment from the expected 35% for non-residents, from canadian banks.

What do you think?????

I have also seen one next to Rawdon - would that be easier?

I would agree with everyone else and say it is probably just that too far out. Also you will probably find the perfect house 100 times over once you get here AND not all banks need the 35% down - I have spoken to a few mortgage brokers and there are things that you can do if you don't have the 35% to put down - so don't do anything hasty!

Dont meant to sound rude, but that sounds like a desperate vendor and that might mean a house that is hard to sell. If you havent seen it in person, I would be super wary of agreeing to any kind of deal. We bought a house where we lived before because we loved the house and could afford so much more that far from the place we worked, but the 1 hour daily commute to work and 1 hour return soon overshadowed the house and we regretted it. We could have found a good house closer and we wouldnt ever do that again. The amount you spend on fuel is enough to stop us wanting that again, you think it being cheaper than the UK it is more affordable, but when you are filling up your tank every 3 days or so and it costs nearly half your weekly food shop to do so each time, its no joke!

So just think it through and see what you think, there's no rush is there?

Thanks again everyone.

I have seen this house in person, three times!! But this was when I had an offer on the table from a Truro company. But the Dartmouth firm has offered so much more, in terms of long term security I have had to put work first.

I think you are probably all right and I need to look a bit closer - my new boss agrees as well!!!

I have an excellent realtor, so i don't think it should be too difficult.

Can anyone recommend any good rural areas around Dartmouth/Halifax, the wife and kids want to have land enough for horses?? Is Rawdon/Nine Mile River too far as well?

Would you be able to give me the name of the mortgage broker you used AmyDavid?

Thanks again for all your first hand advice.

p.s. - can anyone tell me why sometimes i can include smilies in my posts and sometimes i can't????

I will go dig out his information in a bit and PM you with it.

Cheers!!!

I have two friends that commute regulary from Truro to Halifax and another that goes as far as Stewiacke. I think it ia personal thing...they enjoy the drive and it is a very straight route from Truro to Halifax. I have never heard negative comments about there trip so I guess it just depends on what you really want, do you mind driving. The 102 is a heck of alot quieter than any of the roads that you would commute on in the UK so it just depends on what you want. Especially if you are only going to Dartmouth.

Heck if you are british and lived in Uk and have travelled those highways, travelling from Truro to Dartmouth will be a piece of cake.

How about Enfield or Elmsdale areas...close to the city but not on top of it...houses there have large lots and small commuities. Just a thought.

Cheers Corky,

Did look at a house in Enfield, which I loved, but just a bit too small.

Touched on the edge of Elmsdale - Tim Hortons - to meet the mortgage advisor, but didn't actually go into the town or drive around.

Also looked at Stewiacke, which was quite nice, nut the house I viewed has since had an offer accepted - just my luck!!

Also seen some houses around Musquidoboit area, but land too rocky for horses.

If anyone has any suggestions, they would be welcomed.

I have to agree with Corky we often (weekly) do the North Shore to the South Shore and find it a piece of cake. Any traveling here is much easier than in the UK. 1hr to get out of a drive in London every morning for instance.
Truro to Dartmouth is less than 30mins and it would have to be very bad weather for it to be a problem. I do a 1hr drive 2 to 3 times a week into Truro over Nutby Mountain in the winter months and it would be rare not to be able to do it. I think it is personal choice and wether you like the location and the community the property is in. Elmsdale, Enfield and Grand Lake or somewhere on the Eastern Shore if you wanted to be on the coast.
How long has the property you are interested in been on the market? Ususally any worth having are gone in weeks. One I was looking at that came on last week is now sold. Some properties have been around over a year, but usually have reasons why.

Thanks PF,

This one has only been on since end of march.

when i was in NS 2 weeks ago, I spent a couple of days with the man selling it - he took me around Truro and showed me parts that I would never have found. He even got me access into the local school where my daughters would go.

I just think as a town Truro is really on the up and as a place to bring up the kids, you would struggle to do better.

My apologies Corky, I had missed your first post - do your friends commute it every day? what part of Truro do they live in?

PF, do you really think truro to dartmouth is only 30mins?? I struggled to do it in less than 45.

I think you are wrong about Truro to Dartmouth being 30 mins - Truro to Clayton Park straight on the 102 takes 50 mins - my OH works up there sometimes so this is driving in morning and afternoon traffic. We drove back and forth to Truro when we were staying in Dartmouth and it took us just an hour.

So no idea where you got this timescale from unless you drive a rocket?