Re: how do you pick a location to live?
 

Whilst I admire your go-to attitude, I worry when I read posts like this, so my following comment is not specifically personal to you, but to many people who have written similar comments ... If you cannot spare a few hundred pounds for a flight to donate towards a research trip to a country you have never visited, and you have two children in tow (one of whom might need some extra help in life), then I think you could be setting yourselves up for heartache and extreme financial hardship and shocks. Canada is not cheaper than the UK on day to living (from my humble point of view).

There are several posters currently in the throws of packing up and going home - it's not an easy decision, and when you do it because of financial hardship, it's even more difficult.

OK, off my soapbox - there's me being all pessimistic and cautious again :D
Other posters have arrived, with no former visits and three suitcases. And it all worked out well. I don't do risk like that though ;)

Re: how do you pick a location to live?
 

If you can't come over and visit first, http://www.britishcolumbia.com/regions/ provides a good overview on how the province differs.

To get a really good sense of the region/town, try looking at the towns you're interested in with Google Maps - quite the eye opener. ;)

Re: how do you pick a location to live?
 

i appreciate that ann, its not that we dont have the £400, its just that you never really get a feel for a place on holiday, and we have no idea where to even look ATM so its not worth me coming over. DH on the other hand could talk himself into a job with his eyes shut, and needs his crane tickets before he can work there so wants to take, the main one at least and his driving test, before we "land" so he is available to work straight away. and while we are not short of cash ( as well as can be expected in the recession anyway) we cant show the CHC we have a spare $20,k lying about so will have to have a job offer to get a visa. once the visa is in place $400 for flights to "land" and validate my visa, will be a price very well worth paying.

as for my son, we are very lucky that he is "higher functioning" he is 9 and his iq is 134. so altho as a kid he is hard work, as an adult he will make plenty of money as long as computers exist, in fact is excited about moving closer to his spiritual home... microsoft :blink: its fun in my houe :rofl:

Re: how do you pick a location to live?
 

Will he be allowed to take his driving test (i assume you mean car and nothing larger) as a tourist?

I believe you can get a pretty good feel from a "holiday" in the way of deciding whether you like a place or not. I've been to many places around the world where i'd quite happily never return and many places that i loved visiting but could not see myself ever living there.

To be honest, the money you'd spend heading out there initially could be considered an investment into your decisions. The money you'll spend on a recce trip would be much less than moving over there only to find out you don't like it and moving back or elsewhere within Canada.

I've said it quite a few times on this forum that Due Diligence is needed with any form of life changing and financially impacting decision.

Saying all that, i truly wish you all the luck in the world and will get back to you as soon as i hear anything about Crane work in and around Vancouver. :thumbsup:

Re: how do you pick a location to live?
 

I agree with the pp's - you are not holidaying, you would be doing fairly vital research! Think of it as being a very different trip to a normal holiday. I know when I went to Vancouver I'd didn't do any touristy stuff, it was all research!

£400 is a small price to pay when you think that it'll probably cost you at least £10k to relocate anyway - what if you move over there, having never even been to Canada, and then decide you hate it? You've then wasted an awful lot more than £400!

If you've never even been to Canada then I'd say it's vital you go with hubby, you can do some research (i.e. areas to live, schools, etc) whilst he job hunts.

Obviously you'll have to live near to wherever he ends up getting his job offer, but even so, you could do some preliminary looking.

:)

Re: how do you pick a location to live?
 

As twenty somethings I'd recommend Yaletown or Kitsilano if your budget can stretch. Otherwise anywhere within striking distance of the seawall is your best bet. West end has some cheaper accommodation, but can be hard to find.

When apartment hunting pick up the Vancouver Sun, and then take a walk around the areas you like - many places just stick a notice up in the window.

If budget is tighter then somewhere out towards burnaby on the skytrain would be your next best option.

Re: how do you pick a location to live?
 

Although we recently bought our first home in Canada, we rented for the first 6 months. I suggest you try renting first to feel out the housing market and the area. With housing prices in some areas on the decline sometime I wish I waited a little bit longer.

Re: how do you pick a location to live?
 

I agree with this if you're looking at greater vancouver. Okay, back to lurking.

Re: how do you pick a location to live?
 

Hey Rob,

Thanks for the low-down. My OH wants to work in the University so around that way does make sense. I'm in IT and there seems to be a reasonable amount of jobs that way too. I guess we just need to get the visa's, sort out the CV and get a job...

Thanks again!

NJ

Re: how do you pick a location to live?
 

FYI: bc schools are underfunded for children with special needs, so make sure to check that out too.

Re: how do you pick a location to live?
 

Vancouver is a relatively small city, and there isn't really a bad area on the west side. Some areas are more expensive than others, such as Coal Harbour or Yaletown, but the whole city is accessible where ever you live and I personally would avoid the more expensive areas.

The westend or fariview are the cheaper areas and are both great areas to live. A decent one bedroom in the westend would be around 1100 dollars or so, although you can find cheaper and certainly ones more expensive. For example i was renting a older one bed on English Bay - 650 sq feet, balcony, view of the ocean, parking and heating and hot water for 1140 a month (and i actually felt i was paying a bit more than i ought to have been). As i mentioned earlier, there are no property taxes (council taxes) to pay if you rent. Hydro was about $20 per month.

I now live in Kitsilano which is on the beach - nicer area but rent is a little higher.

As fare seeing the sights, there's a lot to do, I think the fireworks is on in july and is worth watching. Whislter, Grouse Mountain, Vancouver Island - depends on how much time you have and what your budget is.

Re: how do you pick a location to live?
 

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Richmond is to the south of Vancouver - by the airport. Good area overall, lots of traffic though. There is a large Chinese population that calls the area home. Steveston Village is nice - i would certainly live there. Certainly safe.
I have no kids so not sure about schools.

Re: how do you pick a location to live?
 

Not quite true. It's just an illusion - the property tax is hidden within the rent.

Re: how do you pick a location to live?
 

Don't underestimate the climate conditions in Canada when picking a place.

Re: how do you pick a location to live?
 

As well as watered supermarket veggies, bland cheese, lack of media/TV productions in Toronto............and so on.