scrubbedexpat091

Sounds a lot like Vancouver/Lower Mainland/Any reasonable sized city in BC......lol


I am starting to give up housing altogether, even renting is nearing the point we can't afford.

Shard

Arizona. You'll even earn real $.

scrubbedexpat091

The healthcare and lack of supplemental income is a bit of a deal breaker, assuming neither of us ever has to stop working for health issues, it would be doable, but the chances of either of us not having health issues is pretty slim.


The base price for insurance before even seeing a doctor is being quoted at around 300 per month, add in the co-payments and deductibles and its not cheap.


Say 1 week inpatient for mental health care runs 40,000 (when I went inpatient in 2003, my total bill was 33,000, so 40k isn't unlikely to be too far off.) even having to pay 30% of that is a huge financial hardship.


There are upsides, but at our income levels, the cost of healthcare is just a deal breaker in AZ..


Now in California where the state has way better subsidies for healthcare, it would be more doable, but then houses and rent there are pricey, and we couldn't own or rent in any desirable region of California and be better off.


US just isn't a good option under the current style of medical system they have.






Another thing that is annoying with renting is apparently us lower income folks shouldn't have pets, I can find a decent amount of rentals over 1,300/month that allow pets but nearly nothing in our under 800/month price range....

When low income doesn't matter where you live, your going to struggle no matter what.

In Canada its high rent, in the US is high cost of medical care, either way your not going to make ends meet if below the basic income necessary to meet basic necessity's like housing, food, transportation and such.



I was accepted into school for May for lab assistant, but not looking good since tuition is 9,000 and well its impossible to come up with that much between now and end of April when the tuition is due. Did try Van City and RBC for a loan, but both said our income is too low, so couldn't do anything.


Getting a skill in Canada when your not able to get student loans, and are not on EI is near impossible if you lack the funds to pay for it.

If one can get onto EI there is a slew of programs for retraining, but I am not on EI, haven't been on EI, and likely never will be on EI.

scrubbedexpat091

The other annoying thing is leases... Literally have 1 month out of the year where you can move, and it's not easy to find something this time of year, and even more difficult to find something in our price range.

Have until Dec 31 to decide, chances are we will have to stay here another year, not looking good for finding something we can afford comfortably.

scrubbedexpat091

Sold for a million over asking price. 11 offers in all and all were cash offers.

http://globalnews.ca/news/2557589/vancouver-home-sells-for-more-than-a-million-dollars-over-asking-price/

Oink

The problem with the so-called bubble theory is that anybody who is rational has figured out that everywhere in Canada except for Vancouver is a shithole.

BristolUK

There was something on CBC radio a few nights ago about housing costs in Vancouver.

For the life of me I can't recall what they were saying.

Former Lancastrian

Its expensive and people are willing to pay gobs of money for houses. Some of us choose to live elsewhere so we sit back and shake our heads and carry on with life. I have heard the odd one say the same about Toronto and about 5 years ago they were saying the same about Calgary and Fort McMurray.

Oink

While they're shivering and looking out on ugly featureless wasteland.

Tootlepootle

Snigger

scrubbedexpat091

Lots of reasons people cant move, and foreign money is inflating prices.

Doubt this 1 million over house thst was sold was someone in Vancouver.

Unfortunate for some who dont have mobility and are tied to Vancouver or BC for one reason or another.

There is a housing crises in many parts of BC and its not just Vancouver.

Former Lancastrian

Im sorry I will have to disagree with you and yes Im aware of your problems dealing with mental health issues.

1. Although foreign money is inflating prices in Vancouver it does not affect the rest of Canada. If you choose to stay in Vancouver then yes its a problem.

2. I could have bought that house but I live in another part of Canada so are you suggesting that I shouldn't be allowed?

3. For arguments sake you see a job advertised in Manitoba and you get it. Have you checked out what services are available to you? If you receive the same level or even greater levels of treatment then one could say you are ahead of the game. Affordability of houses in Winnipeg is definitely an advantage over Vancouver. Im suspecting vehicle insurance rates are as well and the general cost of living is the same if not lower in Winnipeg than Vancouver so its win win.
If you decided you don't want to live in Winnipeg then that is your choice but the option is there you are choosing not to move and its not that you can't.

4. Im aware of housing prices in other parts of BC and some of this is fall out from the Vancouver situation.

You sometimes make it sound like you are being held hostage in BC but you are not. There are options available for you to look at but you are choosing not to.
I choose not to live or want to move to Vancouver for one reason and only one reason and that is affordability of housing.

So apart from not wanting to live in Winnipeg have you checked into seeing if you would be better off? I would be in total agreement with you if services were not available but if they were then that is an option to look at and the same with any other Province.

Shard

Indeed, Vancouver and Toronto are the exception rather than the norm on Canadian house prices.

Vancouver and Toronto housing markets ‘increasingly, dangerously unaffordable,’ RBC says | Financial Post

KuroKuro

How afforabable is renting in Toronto (in comparison with Vancouver)? I've been thinking about making the move across the country with increasing seriousness recently.

A market crash on housing in Vancouver would make us come back, I guess... But it's all really the same: I want to own a home, not an investment. So long as it's actually doable for me & my OH in our lifetimes, then I don't really care what the comparison to 10 years ago is. A condo/townhouse is equally acceptable to us.

Londonuck

We actually managed to buy a place this week, Central Lonsdale. Im still shocked. We're stuck here now!

Anyone got any mortgage advice? Interest rates etc..