Montreal - Location location location
Jun 18th 2011, 11:54 am
#1
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Montreal - Location location location
Hello,
I figured if I do a quick 'about us' and a checklist for our ideal community or place to live, then the knowledgeable people on here could make recommendations or laugh at how disappointed we'll be!
Me and OH are moving over, OH in 5 weeks, me in Jan. He'll be working on University Street, and ideally wouldn't have a troublesome commute - currently he's travelling to London for 45 mins each day.
We don't have children, and are looking for somewhere within easy commute to University street. He'll be travelling internationally a lot with his work so I'd like somewhere where meeting other people is easy to do, and that there will be lots of opportunities to integrate and practice my French. We'd like a 3 bedroom place, no garden necessary in a lively (but not woken by students at 3am) place with good shops and essentials near by.
Budget wise, OH is going to be earning around $95k tax free, so we're thinking that for what we want in a place to live we'd be looking around $800 - $1200 per month. We'll get a car too. I'd like to teach, but due to only having a PGCE from Cambridge, this might not be enough to get me a job in, what I understand to be a very competitive, Montreal.
Any pointers would be welcome, from scouring the forums, I think currently we'd be looking at Hampstead, Westmount? But any trendy, characterful locations would be awesome. We aren't worried about finding an exclusively English speaking place to live, but at the other extreme I'm not sure I could be somewhere exclusively French speaking, not until my French is much improved!
Am I being far too unrealistic here?
Any comments/derisory laughs welcome!
Ribbons x
I figured if I do a quick 'about us' and a checklist for our ideal community or place to live, then the knowledgeable people on here could make recommendations or laugh at how disappointed we'll be!
Me and OH are moving over, OH in 5 weeks, me in Jan. He'll be working on University Street, and ideally wouldn't have a troublesome commute - currently he's travelling to London for 45 mins each day.
We don't have children, and are looking for somewhere within easy commute to University street. He'll be travelling internationally a lot with his work so I'd like somewhere where meeting other people is easy to do, and that there will be lots of opportunities to integrate and practice my French. We'd like a 3 bedroom place, no garden necessary in a lively (but not woken by students at 3am) place with good shops and essentials near by.
Budget wise, OH is going to be earning around $95k tax free, so we're thinking that for what we want in a place to live we'd be looking around $800 - $1200 per month. We'll get a car too. I'd like to teach, but due to only having a PGCE from Cambridge, this might not be enough to get me a job in, what I understand to be a very competitive, Montreal.
Any pointers would be welcome, from scouring the forums, I think currently we'd be looking at Hampstead, Westmount? But any trendy, characterful locations would be awesome. We aren't worried about finding an exclusively English speaking place to live, but at the other extreme I'm not sure I could be somewhere exclusively French speaking, not until my French is much improved!
Am I being far too unrealistic here?
Any comments/derisory laughs welcome!
Ribbons x
Jun 19th 2011, 12:47 am
#2
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Re: Montreal - Location location location
I think you will need to spend much more than $800-$1200 to get a nice three bedroom place. If you are earning $95k tax free then you can probably afford a lot more I reckon.
Tim
Tim
Jun 19th 2011, 1:27 am
#3
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Re: Montreal - Location location location
What he said.
Apart from your budget everythiing else sounds fine. Think between $2000 - $3000 per month. Unless you are willng to liive in a less trendy area.
Apart from your budget everythiing else sounds fine. Think between $2000 - $3000 per month. Unless you are willng to liive in a less trendy area.
Jun 19th 2011, 1:30 am
#4
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Location: St. John's, Newfoundland
Posts: 10,129
Re: Montreal - Location location location
How does one get a job that pays $95k a year tax free. Sh1t, I'd even live in Montreal for that?
Jun 19th 2011, 9:32 am
#5
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Re: Montreal - Location location location
Thank you for the replies! Yep, I was wrong about the budget, maybe around $2000-$3000. I'd like a nice community feel to a place, not just anonymous apartment blocks if possible. Is hampstead, CDN a good place to start looking do you think? Xx
Jun 19th 2011, 4:55 pm
#6
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Re: Montreal - Location location location
Plateau,Outremont,Hampstead , Ndg(monkland) and Westmount you will defo get a nice 3bed from $2000-3000. Quick commute to university street by Metro/bus.
Jun 22nd 2011, 1:49 am
#7
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Location: Montreal
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Re: Montreal - Location location location
are you looking to buy a place or rent? Montreal is easy to get around and rent can be very cheap depending on where you go. i work downtown, very close to University St, McGill metro. i live in a 2 bedroom apartment in Villeray, 30 mins away by Metro and it's 800 a month. it's not too far from downtown, and even closer to the plateau/mile-end which is pretty much the "trendiest" part of the city. i imagine if you were looking for the same kind of place anywhere downtown you'd be paying double. as for the french/english divide, it's not as apparent as you may imagine. most places in the downtown and near-downtown core are a mix anyway, and it rarely poses a problem. my advice would probably be to ignore westmount or NDG, as you'll find it near impossible to get anywhere with your french living around these parts. so many english montrealers don't know a lick of french due to this.
Sep 7th 2011, 3:26 pm
#8
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Re: Montreal - Location location location
Hi
possibly moving to Montreal working in the city but looking to live a more rural lifestyle approx 45 min travel....have 3 boys 16, 12 & 2 so looking for schooling, colleges etc any advice would be appreciated on possible locations....oh and this is for rental initially
possibly moving to Montreal working in the city but looking to live a more rural lifestyle approx 45 min travel....have 3 boys 16, 12 & 2 so looking for schooling, colleges etc any advice would be appreciated on possible locations....oh and this is for rental initially
Sep 12th 2011, 3:06 pm
#9
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Re: Montreal - Location location location
Hi Ribbons,
That's a healthy budget, Is he over here on R&D?
I live Downtown, about 15 minutes walk from University and I pay $1300 for a 3 1/2 (Which is a 1 bedroom apartment), the condos are immaculate and it's a brilliant location, I think they have bigger units for around the $2000 mark, I have seen 4 1/2's (2 bedroom) for $1700 (That's with underground parking, pool, hot tub, 'gym', etc...), might be worth looking into?
Otherwise, I've seen BIG apartments in NDG near Snowdon for around $1000, really cheap!
For your budget I would look at Outremont or TMR (Town of Mont-Royale), I'm not keen on Westmount but I might not of seen the right places.
Do you speak French?
That's a healthy budget, Is he over here on R&D?
I live Downtown, about 15 minutes walk from University and I pay $1300 for a 3 1/2 (Which is a 1 bedroom apartment), the condos are immaculate and it's a brilliant location, I think they have bigger units for around the $2000 mark, I have seen 4 1/2's (2 bedroom) for $1700 (That's with underground parking, pool, hot tub, 'gym', etc...), might be worth looking into?
Otherwise, I've seen BIG apartments in NDG near Snowdon for around $1000, really cheap!
For your budget I would look at Outremont or TMR (Town of Mont-Royale), I'm not keen on Westmount but I might not of seen the right places.
Do you speak French?
Sep 12th 2011, 3:07 pm
#10
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Re: Montreal - Location location location
Sorry after reading your post again, I would definitely go for Outremont/TMR.
Sep 13th 2011, 1:30 pm
#11
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Re: Montreal - Location location location
Hi new-like
First it is probably better to start a new thread rather than just adding on to an old one. That way you can make sure that the answers you receive relate directly to your question.
Now as to a more rural lifestyle, this is available, but to get this you are looking at off island (North or South Shore).
There are many lovely areas around the island which are normally within a 45 minute drive of downtown. But in deciding on an area things to be taken into account include terrible traffic and congested bridges which can make predicting your commute time difficult.
So you will be looking for some place not too far from one of the commuter lines.
If you’re thinking about a more rural area, then usually the more rural you get, the more French you get, and if you or your partner are not very fluent in French you or they will find it very hard to cope. Other issues that you may have to face are flooding, the potential for extended power cuts and inaccessible roads.
I live in an off-island suburb which is normally a 20 minute drive from downtown Montreal, but on a bad day, this can easily extend to two or more hours (I have sat in traffic at 10 PM wondering why). I can drive to more rural areas within 15 minutes where I can see rivers and forests and all kinds of wildlife, but am also within easy traveling distances of the amenities of a town. I can also be in the US less than 45 minutes.
You do not have to travel very far off Island before things start looking pretty rural.
As to nice areas to live, personally I do not know very much which rural areas are nice to live in. But my advice would be to try not to be too close to a river or lake.
First it is probably better to start a new thread rather than just adding on to an old one. That way you can make sure that the answers you receive relate directly to your question.
Now as to a more rural lifestyle, this is available, but to get this you are looking at off island (North or South Shore).
There are many lovely areas around the island which are normally within a 45 minute drive of downtown. But in deciding on an area things to be taken into account include terrible traffic and congested bridges which can make predicting your commute time difficult.
So you will be looking for some place not too far from one of the commuter lines.
If you’re thinking about a more rural area, then usually the more rural you get, the more French you get, and if you or your partner are not very fluent in French you or they will find it very hard to cope. Other issues that you may have to face are flooding, the potential for extended power cuts and inaccessible roads.
I live in an off-island suburb which is normally a 20 minute drive from downtown Montreal, but on a bad day, this can easily extend to two or more hours (I have sat in traffic at 10 PM wondering why). I can drive to more rural areas within 15 minutes where I can see rivers and forests and all kinds of wildlife, but am also within easy traveling distances of the amenities of a town. I can also be in the US less than 45 minutes.
You do not have to travel very far off Island before things start looking pretty rural.
As to nice areas to live, personally I do not know very much which rural areas are nice to live in. But my advice would be to try not to be too close to a river or lake.
Sep 13th 2011, 3:06 pm
#12
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 88
Re: Montreal - Location location location
Hi new-like
First it is probably better to start a new thread rather than just adding on to an old one. That way you can make sure that the answers you receive relate directly to your question.
Now as to a more rural lifestyle, this is available, but to get this you are looking at off island (North or South Shore).
There are many lovely areas around the island which are normally within a 45 minute drive of downtown. But in deciding on an area things to be taken into account include terrible traffic and congested bridges which can make predicting your commute time difficult.
So you will be looking for some place not too far from one of the commuter lines.
If you’re thinking about a more rural area, then usually the more rural you get, the more French you get, and if you or your partner are not very fluent in French you or they will find it very hard to cope. Other issues that you may have to face are flooding, the potential for extended power cuts and inaccessible roads.
I live in an off-island suburb which is normally a 20 minute drive from downtown Montreal, but on a bad day, this can easily extend to two or more hours (I have sat in traffic at 10 PM wondering why). I can drive to more rural areas within 15 minutes where I can see rivers and forests and all kinds of wildlife, but am also within easy traveling distances of the amenities of a town. I can also be in the US less than 45 minutes.
You do not have to travel very far off Island before things start looking pretty rural.
As to nice areas to live, personally I do not know very much which rural areas are nice to live in. But my advice would be to try not to be too close to a river or lake.
First it is probably better to start a new thread rather than just adding on to an old one. That way you can make sure that the answers you receive relate directly to your question.
Now as to a more rural lifestyle, this is available, but to get this you are looking at off island (North or South Shore).
There are many lovely areas around the island which are normally within a 45 minute drive of downtown. But in deciding on an area things to be taken into account include terrible traffic and congested bridges which can make predicting your commute time difficult.
So you will be looking for some place not too far from one of the commuter lines.
If you’re thinking about a more rural area, then usually the more rural you get, the more French you get, and if you or your partner are not very fluent in French you or they will find it very hard to cope. Other issues that you may have to face are flooding, the potential for extended power cuts and inaccessible roads.
I live in an off-island suburb which is normally a 20 minute drive from downtown Montreal, but on a bad day, this can easily extend to two or more hours (I have sat in traffic at 10 PM wondering why). I can drive to more rural areas within 15 minutes where I can see rivers and forests and all kinds of wildlife, but am also within easy traveling distances of the amenities of a town. I can also be in the US less than 45 minutes.
You do not have to travel very far off Island before things start looking pretty rural.
As to nice areas to live, personally I do not know very much which rural areas are nice to live in. But my advice would be to try not to be too close to a river or lake.
