Hello all..seriously thinking on Windsor !
 

Hi guys,

My wife and myself ( with a little girl on the way) are very close to putting our house on the market ( in the UK ) with a view to moving to the Windsor area.

We have a couple of good friends living that way, and visited a few times as tourists. Obviously we like what we see.

My friends are from the UK and are forever telling me how great it is, but i can't help thinking it's because they want a new buddy and family out there.

I'm a commercial/domestic gas engineer of 22 years experience. I also deal with air conditioning but not so much as the gas. I'm 42 next birthday. If our house fetches slightly below market value it should still return us a liquid amount of cash to the tune of around $ 340 K to take with us.

I know that property in Windsor is very reasonable but this must reflect the earnings of the area, i don't want to set the world alight but obviously want to survive if poss on one salary. People tell me that certain trades, mine included is in demand, i take that with a pinch of salt, as i said much of what i hear is from guys that want us out there.

Questions guys : What's Windsor like as a place to live and what, in your opinion's would the work situation be like ? One other question, is it right that Windsor residents suffer health problems due to the smog from Detroit ?

Thank you

Daz and Michelle

Re: Hello all..seriously thinking on Windsor !
 

Dire. Get a job before moving there.

Re: Hello all..seriously thinking on Windsor !
 

Windsor's actually got decent wages - those who are still working in the auto industry are earning good money. There's so much more money here, economically depressed as it may be, than I ever saw in somewhere like Winnipeg. You can't believe some of the houses, cars, the country clubs... not everyone is suffering.

I don't know the first thing about gas engineers or whether they're protected from the current situation or not. It might be an idea to make enquiries with a local company. The only gas guy I know here is Italian and I don't think he hires anyone who doesn't come from his village or at the very least speak Italian so I can't put you in touch with anyone useful!

Smog, I have no idea, it doesn't affect me that I know of. I don't doubt it's bad, but I'm not sure it's that much worse than anywhere else in the rust belt.

I've done my list so many times but what drew us here was the cheap property, the climate, proximity to Detroit (airport with cheap flights, sports, concerts, theatre, superb shopping), being close driving distance to various places for weekends away (Chicago 4hrs, Toronto 3hrs, Northern Michigan, Kentucky 5hrs)... all that and yet it's still smalltown Canada, there is a villagey feel around here (LaSalle) which OH loves.

If all that floats your boat (and if you like boats it's a great place to be!), you just need to look into your trade and see what the prospects are. I wouldn't come here without a job no matter how fabulous a house you can get for your money.

Re: Hello all..seriously thinking on Windsor !
 

Thanks for the replies, guys.

Biiiiiink, being as you live very close to Windsor (if my geography is correct) you're probably a good person to ask how the climate is. Some people tell me the snow is bad, some people tell me there is no snow, some say it rains a lot, some a bit, summers are short, long...................very confusing?

What is the travelling time from La Salle to Windsor, not long i guess. From looking on mls listings, property in your area is quite nice ?

Thanks again:)

Re: Hello all..seriously thinking on Windsor !
 

Hi
I'm also interested in the Windsor area so look forward to reading your answers re climate etc.
Ruby

Re: Hello all..seriously thinking on Windsor !
 

The local rag gives you the current temp (A whopping 30c at the moment:eek:) a good source of info too...

http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/index.html

I'm heading in that area also:thumbsup:

Re: Hello all..seriously thinking on Windsor !
 

We've only done 1 of each season here so far so don't take my word on any of this...

I gather this Winter had the most snow in ages, it wasn't usual. In some ways it was crueller than a Winnipeg one - snowfall, melt, grass for a few days, snowfall, melt, repeat. I found the snowfalls after a week or so of no snow particularly depressing... but then I remember how much milder it was, and that I didn't wear gloves all winter, only to shovel snow. In Winnipeg it was so important that I'd buy about ten pairs and dot them about in bag, coat pockets, car... it wasn't something you could be without at all. We don't seem to have the lake effect snow here that cripples other places in the region.

Last Summer was hot and long. Not so much of the unbearable humidity I'd read about, but hot enough to make me think I didn't want to do another one without a pool. Autumn was quick and much later than Winnipeg, it was hot throughout Sept. I saw geese all Winter here, they left Winnipeg skies in early Sept. It's all relative though - it might be Canada's banana belt but think Detroit/Chicago and I think of freezing cold, snowy states...

This year it was hot in April, May was cooler and June was a bit of a washout. We've got more mosquitoes now as a result of the wet weather than I ever saw in Winnipeg. The other day I got 16 bites whilst wearing DEET and jeans/shirt, I have no idea how they bit me through clothes... I thought it was only 10 when I went to bed, but noticed 6more in the morning, hah :eek: 2 swelled big enough to make walking painful. Again, this is unusual, the wettest June on record or something...

Re Lasalle, it's just a suburb of Windsor, only been on its own since 1991 I think. See this map -

http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/new...2602/cover.gif

- the Windsor line is Malden/few houses North of Todd I think. We're a few mins south of that line. Tecumseh is supposed to be nice too, same deal, independent town on the other side but just a suburb of Windsor...I don't really know it though.

Re: Hello all..seriously thinking on Windsor !
 

Okay, here we go, we have been living in Windsor well (Belle River) now for 5 years and we have just sold our house and we are relocating to Nova Scotia - why????

We do like Windsor and the people that we have met are awesome and really friendly, the weather is okay hot summers if you like that worth having a pool if you can afford it and winters are pretty mild...

Windsor is going through a bit of a rough time at the mo, because of lay offs etc... so you would get a deal on a house if you bought one, we just sold our house for $10,000 less than what we bought it for - so that just shows, people are really picky at the moment with buying and will only pay what they want to...

So you ask why are we moving..
1. we feel that Windsor doesn't provide the outdoor life that we want, beaches( long beaches) hiking, camping - basically we love to live outdoors, but we find people here (no offence) spend all there money on there houses with a pool, landscaping deck etc... and i don't know if it's because there is no where for you to go close by here... all the houses are cookie cutters of next doors, pristine gardens.... we just want out of that sort of life.( we were only meant to stay here for 1 year and we have been here 5).. don't get me wrong we are going to be sad to go, but it's just not what we want..

I would suggest you get a job here in Windsor b4 you move just because of the way all the lay offs are affecting everything...

Smog - yes there is smog, and the humidity is high but if you stay away from the downtown area you should be okay.

Hope this helps,
thanks jennie.
p.s. we might know your friends......

Re: Hello all..seriously thinking on Windsor !
 

BE WARNED
I lived in LaSalle between 2001 - 2002 (Big House posh neighborhood) loved the place and the climate and all as Biiink said, I was there on WP but the employer decided once I got there that there wasn't a job for me. Applied everywhere including CAW approximately 250 job applications later got two offers of employment in Toronto (4hours away) so had to return to UK. I'm an electrician and at the time Windsor's car industry was in full swing I was seriously desperate for a job but not one reply came from a local company not even saying that I had been unsuccessful.

People there would say that if Detroit sneezes Windsor catches a cold. Now that was 6 years ago, the situation has gotten a lot worse and will continue to decline because of the heavy US investment there. The majority of the waterfront properties were owned by Americans and used as recreational homes because of the low exchange rate, the casino's were built to draw American's over the border. I can't see how the area will regenerate without the US.



BTW I Later returned to Canada & I sued the company directors & won.

Re: Hello all..seriously thinking on Windsor !
 

We're moving to Windsor in 6 weeks time, for us it was the combination of cheap housing, milder winters and proximity to the US.

I had the option of anywhere in Canada within reason and that's where we decided upon. I have a job lined up, so the work situation will only be a problem if I lose it or decide I want to change jobs.

Re: Hello all..seriously thinking on Windsor !
 

Definitely avoid Belle River/Lakeshore/Emeryville (not quite sure what the area where all the new housing is is called?) We looked out there, in fact it was our first choice because we hadn't discovered other places and got caught up with the idea of new houses=new people needing a dentist... Around Joshua/Chelsea Pkwy/George Kennedy Way up to where the new Lakeshore school is. You're right, it is just row after row of houses, very close, with small back gardens. Almost looks like a UK development only the houses are a bit bigger. When you compare with how new builds have been done sensitively here in bundles on wooded lots, out your way begins to look unattractive... and yet the price is similar!

Re scenery, you're right, there isn't much locally and you shouldn't come here if you want wild Canada, but it's not too far to some gorgeous places in Michigan. There might be nice places in Ontario too, we never go that way, preferring cheaper gas/lodging on trips ;)

If you get a job OP and you want to come, rent for a bit first if you can whilst you get to know the area. There isn't that much on the rental market but if you make the wrong choice of neighbourhood/house somewhere else, it's no big deal, you can sell again in a few years. Here, you might be stuck with it for a long time so you've got to get it right :thumbup:

Re: Hello all..seriously thinking on Windsor !
 

Hey,

Windsor isn't a bad place. My OH was born and raised there. His family still live there.

He moved out to the burbs from West Windsor to Tecumseh / St Clair Beach area and his parents live in what would be considered locally as affluent and most either do golf/sailing in the summer and curling in the winter. Luckily his father retired last year and his Mom this year, both his Brother and Sister-in-law are grade school teachers so somewhat unaffected by the 'boom and bust' - they have actually been rather fortunate and managed to upscale into a larger property for next to nothing because property is just so cheap!

The drive along riverside is something else. Lots of new money! Italians AKA 'Tool and Dye' thinking its little Italy with their terracotta monstrosities... or ye olde England Tudor style and everything in between. I'm a bit of a critic when it comes to good architecture but there are a few gems on the way into town esp the architect owned properties which look like they could be straight out a Malibu beach front (ok, perhaps a slight exaggeration)... :D

I am sure times are tough for some parts of Windsor but I have never really seen it. There still seems to be plenty of money in the city so their not flogging a dead horse yet!

Downtown is relatively safe and family friendly especially around the park areas along the Detroit River. Also, Jackson Park is a favorite of mine.

The downtown entertainment core is heavily dependant on US traffic. However, if there wasn't confidence in the city then the Casino would never have been given the upgrade to Caesars esp as Detroit now has 2 or 3 Casinos downtown. The US kids (19-20 years) tend to go to the same bars in Windsor and the locals don't tend to mix with them... yes they can get a bit annoying but most kids can be.

The Windsor Art Gallery is worth a visit just for the excellent vista it allows of the Detroit skyline.

My favorite part of the city is old Walkerville - it is a 1850's company town with lots of tree lined streets, red brick homes. Has a connection with Hiram Walkers - makers of Canadian Club Whisky.

As others have said having a city the size of Detroit makes Windsor a much more appealing offer. Last trip we went across the border to do some shopping. Just south of Detroit in the city of Troy is the Somerset Collection - what a mall! There is a Nordstrom, Macy's, Neiman Marcus and Saks 5th Avenue - there is even a friggin sky bridge to take you to one side to the other. Also the Detroit Greek town is a fun night out.

Closer to home the Wyandotte St area is full of restaurants (if you like Italian)...they shut the street down once a year so everyone can eat and drink out on the street (make sure you are within the ticker tape though...)

Lots of very flat countryside in Essex county. I enjoy the long drives around farm country exp around Leamington (Tomatos) also, Wheatley Provincial Park is not that far and camping on the shores of Lake Eire can be a quick get away. Point Pelee is intesesting - take a trip out to the Island and sample the wine.

So yes, thumbs up for Windsor :thumbsup: but secure work before going out!

Re: Hello all..seriously thinking on Windsor !
 

south of Detroit is Windsor? :confused:


Troy is on 16 mile........ 16 miles north of Detroit.

Re: Hello all..seriously thinking on Windsor !
 

Hi,
We live about 20 mins out of Windsor, and have done for 4 years.
You have been given some really good advise from everyone, but we can all understand how hard the decision must be. Just ask my OH what your job would mean and he thought it was plumbing, so if thats right we have one great company that deals with everybody around here, and I remember them looking for someone not long ago. I will keep my ears out and let you know. As far as living on one wage, we have done for a while but found it was a struggle so I just started part time and although wages are crap we get by.
Biiiink is right about rent though. It would make life easier if you felt this wasnt the right area for you.

Re: Hello all..seriously thinking on Windsor !
 

Moving to the Windsor area.
Right now the economy is slowing down both for industry and construction.
I hope you have found out if your British qualifications are accepted here.
My husband was a gas fitter/plumber for years in London Ontario which is very close to Windsor.
He had to have licenses from the Ontario government for both plumbing and gas fitting. I can tell you the government is very strict regarding gas fitting.
I would suggest that with your qualifications you would be better off settling in Alberta where their is a present boom.It is a lovely province very close to the mountains I lived their for years when the last construction boom was on.
You might find it a little pricey but I am sure the wages would be higher than Ontario.
Unless you have a job to come to in Windsor I would give it a lot of thought.
I came to Canada from UK IN 1965 and have never regretted it.
As far as the smog yes some days it can be bad we are getting more and more bad air days.
Good luck you are making a good choice on Canada