Hey guys - been hanging around here for a while and finally got a date from BUNAC to go to Alberta - May 6th. Pretty good stuff!

Except I thought that I should look for housing + job now to get some roots down before I arrive.

Where can I look for places though? Craigslist doesn't have a listing for Banff / Canmore...I've tried looking for the Banff's local newspaper, but that never comes up with listings. Not really sure whatelse to do, other than google 'Banff accommodation or words to that effect. Is there a major place that i'm missing?

TIA

Not sure if it'll have Banff / Canmore, but try this...
http://www.rentfaster.ca/calgary.php

www.homerent.ca

Thanks both. Both sites list for near calgary, but there's not alot available within our price range. I've put an 'accomodation' ad up on one of them - not sure if I'll get anything though.

I imagine I'm not the only one BUT I do have contacts who could put you in touch with other 'bunacers' and find out how they got accomodation. The other thing I would say is why not do Calgary for a couple of months (Stampede is approaching and the Tips CAN be awesome, never mind the wage, again I can put you in touch with the managers of the grandstand on the grounds and some of the HR bods in the Bars).

If any of this works for you PM me.

peka property services
asset west

Not sure what they've got on the books at the mo, but two bunacers rented our place in canmore last year... might have been daddy paying though...

Do you know what you're planning on doing? There'll be a bit of change coming up with the end of the ski season, and I'm sure loads...

if you google canmore rental, loads comes up.

Planning on doing? Just taking in the Rockies, generally trying out all Alberta has to offer. I'll be looking for a full time job out there so I don't think we'll have much problem affording a half decent place - it's jsut FINDING a place that'll take two 20 year old guys for a year, haha. What is the market like out there anyway? I've seen rental prices for like 900-1.5k, but I'm not really sure on any sort of base price to compare it to. If that makes sense...

I mean those prices are for the whole property, not each person, right? Haha, I have no idea...

I've contemplated like taking up on shared accomodation, but I think it would kill me to not have at least a little bit of privacy for 12 months.

2 bed condo in canmore around 1350 - 1500 for smartish. Should be plenty of places offering 'legal suite' type though which would probably be cheaper... our tenant hasn't confirmed if he's staying past the end of April lol...

Both of those companies do Canmore rentals, furnished and unfurnished I think, but probably tending towards the 'couple' market rather than party central I'm sure they would have no problem giving you some advice where to look if they can't help though...

The Rocky Mountain Outlook is the free paper I think, with the Canmore Leader the local rag... (think so...) both have rental listings afaik, not sure if they have websites... worth a punt. (OH thinks both might be linked from the Asset West website - peering over my shoulder...)

You'll have a blast.
sigh.
Oh to be a single 20 something in the Rockies...

Oh, and yes, that'll be for the whole deal, not per person. Our condo is $1595 unfurnished, but it's 2/ 3 bed townhouse type (in a residential area) - so yours should be a bit less if you're looking for smaller and a bit more central....

Awesome info, Debbiem I'm a noob at this haha. Nevermind, knowledge through experience, and all that.

I'll definately follow up most of what you said

I rang up both of those companies, regarding two separate properties (to ask about minimum lease + such) and they both basically told me to f**k off. Even if I told him how much money I had saved and how much this move meant to us, as soon as I said I was 20 years old, he wasn't interested;

"Stick with a hostel" one of them said. Hostel is all well and good for travelling, but I'm sure as hell not planning on staying in one for longer than a few weeks.

I understand it on some level - the stereotypical view of young people sucks, but theres no reason for either of the Customer Relation people to be so rude when I mentioned my age, seeing as theres no age restriction on either property, either.

So I think I'll have to go with someone privately, rather than through a listing agency site like Asset West...

It's a real bummer too, since I'd like to lay some groundwork before I get there so I'm not stressed about accomodation.

This might be one of those occasions that meeting people face to face would work better then. You turn up looking all clean and shiny and responsible

By May, I suspect many of the ski season staff will be heading off, and the summer folks won't be there yet - you could be timing it perfectly to find something on the spot pretty quickly I would have thought.

Good luck.

Might be cutting it close many of the summer staff may be getting there by then Ann.

University winter session ends April 30th.

Yes, true Steve - but 6th May might be OK. It's not like it will actually be summer in early May - some businesses will not be hiring that early, do you think - so potentially not all the accommodation in the area will be taken by then? Or am I being over optimistic on behalf of the OP?

Anyway if the ski-season bunch move out, surely the landlords need two weeks to fumigate before re-letting

I think the OP should be OK early in May.

With this recession and all I wonder how businesses will react as far as hiring goes. A total crap shoot I think this year.

Ahhh yes the annual fumigation, I had forgotten the joys and enthusiasm of youth. Missed most of it myself, too much a stick in the mud.