daisychain

Hi

we are going for a recce in oct and wondered it anyone had any good/bad things to say about the above areas?

We are looking for a property with a bit of land but are obviously unsure about good/bad areas in these locations, any ideas?

Many thanks

DC

iaink

Beautiful location (especially in October), but very expensive compared to other areas that are just as nice but less touristy and the same distance from Toronto.

The danger of visiting muskoka in the fall for a recce is that it is absolutely at its most beautifull, so perhaps a bit misleading compared to the reality of living there in February for example.

Is there a particular reason you have focussed in on that bit of cottage country?

daisychain

We went oct 2008 to visit friends and family, loved the area, job prospects are good, according to job bank!

We were thinking of other areas like owen sound/wiarton but not sure jobs dont seem to be as many and not sure of area etc.

You say its is expensive compared to other areas with the same to offer can you enlighten me? Perhaps we have missed a trick!

We are under no illusion of the severity of the winter but obviously have to witness it for ourselves. We are possibly going to go again in Feb if the pennies allow. Looking to go permanently June 2011.

Am in a bit of a pickle over areas obviously last thing we want to do is to plump for one and its the 'bad' area! Don't want a big city and want to be out of town so long as its not miles and miles!!

Hope you can throw some light
DC

iaink

I was thinking of East of Toronto in particular, the cost of buying a place with some land is far cheaper in Northumberland and the Kawarthas, even more so in Quinte / Hastings. Depends how far from Toronto you want to be. The area north of Kingston up to Ottawa is full of lakes etc too.

The thing with location is you are free to move once you are here anyway. Ive always said that the key to a successful migration is finding a job that satisfies, that,s the real foundation of being happy here in most cases as everything springs from that, income, social contact etc. Hard to comment on job prospects without knowing what you are looking for, but as far as initial investment in land and bang for the buck, the East is a better bet in my opinion, but Im probably not considered impartial....

daisychain

We did think of Lindsay or Minden but not sure of areas again, or facilities we have a 16 year old!

We are not bothered about being near Toronto just want a nice area with land and a job! We are 2hrs or so from London and only visit there once in a blue moon!

Any areas you can recommend looking at, we want to cram in as much as possible in october? Booked 2 nights in Huntsville as a start but nothing after that as we were just going to wing it! And look at areas that might spring up when we were there.

Job prospects in the carpentry trade or anything handy!
DC

Big Kieran

Hi Daisychain

Huntsville etc is relatively close to Barrie but would be quite a drive to Toronto from that location. It all depends what your priorities are, and what employment opportunities there are in the area.

For myself and family, we moved to Toronto first, rented for a year nearby to where we worked, and spent most weekends scouting for a suitable location. (we wanted affordable country living, not too far away from Toronto) we ended up north of Toronto close to a town called Alliston Ontario, houses are not too expensive (yet) and it is in a farming community with 45 mins to Toronto & Barrie and within a couple of hours drive of Huntsville etc, for the occasional weekend.

Best of luck wherever you decide to go

fledermaus

Never think of Lindsay. Not a good plan. Dull and a bit rough.

The Muskokas are pretty but you will probably be infuriated by the tourists and cityiots who visit. You're coming on October so you will see how much is closed for the winter but you won't see the tourist traffic. Unless you are here for Thanksgiving weekend.

Iain talks sense when he says about the job, so don't buy until you have a job that suits. Find a job and then the house. If you buy in the wrong place as we did it costs a lot to move again.

daisychain

Thanks for all your replies! I think we will give Lindsay a miss then, stick to 'cottage country' to start with. There seems to be a fair few jobs advertised in husbands field so it looks like a good place to start.

Anybody got any ideas of house rental companies to try in that area?

Many thanks

DC

Siouxie

My niece lived in the Huntsville area (Emsdale) in a lovely house with 2-3 acres of land (mainly bush) - the nearest neighbour was a couple of miles away.

After a few winters with days with no electricity, having to use a snowmobile to get down to the road to their car (it was impossible to drive up their road in the winter months) they started to have misgivings.

The next summer a bear took up residence (complete with cubs) in the area, which caused them some consternation as they had 2 small children... that fall, the bear decided their house might be a good place to look for food... her husband (a huntin' shootin' fishing type of Canadian) had to shoot it as it became a danger to the family.

My niece moved into Huntsville shortly after.

daisychain

Thanks for all your replies, all info taken in and stored!

Am looking forward to trip to see whats what and wheres where, hopefully come home a bit more wiser of where we are going to live.

Retal to start seems favourite not sure where the best place to look for rentals would be any ideas?

DC

iaink

http://www.realtor.ca/index.aspx?cul=1
http://www.rentit.ca/
http://huntsville.ebayclassifieds.co.../?catId=100043
http://muskoka.kijiji.ca/f-housing-h...l-W0QQCatIdZ43

daisychain

Excellent, thanks!

bobcaygeonjon

I cant over emphasis this enough. FIND A JOB FIRST. That will determin were you are going to live. Take your time buying a place. It's a buyers market. Rent first and make sure that you absolutely want to live here.

bobcaygeonjon

Also just want to point out that wherever you go in Ontario it's beutifull.
Almost impossible to be more than ten minutes from one lake or another.
BTW I like lindsay.

Simon Legree

That's very good advice and what I try to tell newbies. The scenery is beautiful but you can't eat it !!
The availability of regular work should always be the prime concern. If you can find work and then find your perfect place to live you've got it pretty much made.
Good luck in your journey.