iaink

Depends how much you want for your money, and how far he's prepared to drive every day. Closer to TO = less property, but also less commute.

Any further east than Cobourg is going to start to be a drag I suspect, especially in the winter.

bluemoon1

Can you tell me why you are coming back?

Elaine B.

Who me?

Well my OH is away a lot and I have 2 small kids and it gets I bit much doing the single mum thing for weeks and months at a time. Canada's a fine place but Northern Ireland is home warts and all. (BTW I've been here almost 9 years).

bluemoon1

Yes Elaine I meant you! I think we all posted at the same time!
Oh right, I was just wondering whether it was to do with the area where you lived. I know what its like with children to look after!

Gazruss

We live in Brooklin which is only a few mins from Pickering......House prices WERE very reasonable when we purchased 3 years ago...now a 2 bed/ 3 bath bungalow on my street is going for an unbelievable $375k

http://tinyurl.com/3nu2c6

dbd33

About two years ago we looked for a place of 5 to 10 acres within two hours of Toronto so the eastern ones would be within your commuting range. Based on that I think it'd be a struggle to find somewhere on your budget but not impossible. It's lucky you can go east, rather than west

Do you want the space for anything in particular? If it's because you want to have horses or lots of dogs beware the zoning regulations, they'll greatly limit your choice. The commute's the thing, you want to be on a paved road and you want to have a short driveway, we looked at a gorgeous cabin with fenced paddocks advertised for, I think $275, but eventually decided than three miles of unmade and unserviced road was just too far to count on being able to go in the winter.

dbd33

That house has a "Chandelier In Eating Area", it's quinessentially suburban. If the OP wants a suburb why not live in Pickering and avoid the commute?

Gazruss

Just point out that for the OP's budget 220k they ain't getting a country estate within decent commute of anywhere with Hydro

iaink

I dunno. A lot depends on what is needed in the way of land. If its pasture for horses, then it will be hard to find. If its just a house in a couple of acres for privacy, then $225k will find something to the east. Maybe nothing fancy, but a house with a couple of acres. Obviouly the nearer the 401/ GTA, the less house you get for your buck.

dbd makes a number of good points about zoning and driveways....

bluemoon1

Thanks everyone for your replies. All of it helps us suss things out a little. Yes the acreage would be for a horse(s) so it looks like we would have to stretch our budget more if we were to move to Ontario. Houses do seem cheaper in NS

dbd33

Ah yes, the need for somewhere to park the horses.

Generally speaking you need ten acres for it to be lawful to keep a horse but the bylaws are local are varied; for example Peterborough and area (commutable to Pickering) allows two horses per household on a smaller lot provided they're for "personal transportation". At your price (and at ours) some creativity is required.

We made an offer on a place at Newtonville (easily commutable to Pickering) which was in a grim state but 10 acres for just over $300k, the snag was an easement for a gas line - that offer was accepted but the seller then reneged on the deal. We were also tempted by ten acres fsbo next to the dump at Grimsby, when the landfill is full that'll be worth a bundle - ultimately though the blood splattered walls, the facts that the freezers in the basement were to be included and the owner was immediately emigrating put us off.

We ended up with less than ten acres (eight) but there had been mules on it for fifteen years and before that it was farmed, we got documentation from the mule man and the farmer and had the township agree that the agricultural usage is grandfathered. Just as well since they're building a McMansion subdivision close to the back of us and we have a cock and a donkey.

Maybe you've kept horses before but in looking at places think about drainage and fencing, a field that's a bog isn't worth much and many in Ontario are. Fence posts are $1/inch up the road or $2/inch at TSC and then you need a pounder and something to string between them so even electro braid gets expensive. And then, of course, you need a tractor...

on edit, not to frighten you, that's an inch of girth, not length.

JLT

OK I am really glad to have seen your post as I had mentioned before I was thinking of moving house to somewhere with land just a small paddock on our return back from the UK, but I now thinking of local livery instead but of course not sure on costs etc may be over my budget per month. Thanks for the info on what not to go for......

dbd33

I can give you the cost for most anything horse related, you should be able to find somewhere to board with an hour of the CN Tower, with an indoor, for about $500/month + the cost of coaching, vet and farrier. Today's stuff (see blog) was $625, $525 for the vet $100 for the farrier (three barefoot trims).

If there's anything specific do ask, in the meantime though I'm off to the pub!

JLT

Good for you.... have a G&Ton me. Much appreciated re your offer of info.

bluemoon1

OMG dbd, sounds like you had a lucky escape from the creepy bloodbath!

Thanks for all the horse info, its great to get an idea of everything over there. We are just so used to how things are over here in the UK, costs, by laws etc, that it really is just a whole new ball game in Canada. We will really have to look into it on our recce to NS (and our possible one to ON!)

Thanks again, hope you enjoyed the pub