thanks to you all for your comments. It sounds like I might need a re-think, perhaps I'll trawl www.mls.ca for a bit and see if there's anything in our price range Richmond hill way.

I suppose if emigration was easy everyone would do it!

On a side note Novocastrian, if I do end up in Richmond Hill you can chalk up another chemist

Yes, I read your earlier post.

$400K won't get you quite as many square feet of living space in RH as in a new build in Maple, but as I understand it, there's just the two of you, so why would you want a mega-house anyway? Much better to go for a real community rather than a totally anonymous sub division IMHO.

Yeah, we don't come anywhere near filling the little terrace we have in the UK. The only reason we were getting a big place is that estate agent fees for selling houses seem massive. So we thought we'd buy a big place first as last.

Is the area close to the Go Train in RH okay or are the any parts I should avoid? (I realise I sound all doom and gloom trying to talk about the worst of areas but I want to be sure)

thanks for all your help with this

Well you don't want to be too close to the tracks 'cos of the noise, and there is a light industrial estate around the station itself. There's a large carpark at the station and a good local bus service in RH... you probalby wouldn't be walking from your house, especially in winter. Bike would be possible much of the year.

The best area of RH (where of course the Castrian Clan have their domicile) is on the west side of Yonge between Major Mack and Elgin Mills, but there are very nice places elsewhere in town. Don't go too far north (e.g. Bernard and up), 'cos you might as well go to Maple...all new development up there.

Note also that we have a new rapid bus service in the area (Viva) which means that, other than the GO train, bus to Finch TTC station and subway to downtown is a perfectly good alternative.

Hi - I've not posted on this site for a long time but having lived here ( Newmarket, On) for over a year - feel in a position to reply.

Vaughan is in the middle of many major road intersections, just above min town. Highway 7, 400 and 407 (toll). You could live anywhere from downtown to Barrie - Money and time are the key! We live in Newmarket and my husband works in Vaughan. He leaves every day at 6.30am and travels between 40mins and 1.30 hrs each way. Weather, traffic etc.

I travelled downtown on the GO train to work - up at 5.30am to get the 6.24 train. ( there are only 5 trains, downtown and back each day from Bradford North of the city).

The question you need to ask yourself is :- what are your motives? Does travelling cause problems - add 2/4 hours onto your day.

You need to check out areas very carefully - Maple is lovely but very Italian. Honestly, rent before you buy and live in the country first. Then you have time to find the right location.

I wish we had!

Bombards

Hey, Bombards, I was in Newmarket on the weekend and wondered how you were getting on; what's wrong with where you are?

Actually, the bus-TTC combo is preferable now I think about it. You can get off at the College TTC station on Yonge and just walk 1 block to Mt. Sinai on University. If you use the GO train you'll have to get from Union Station to the hospital, which is a bit too far to walk in winter.

P.S.... and you'd walk right past a decent Oirish pub called Eirann fail (or something, excuse my Gaelic) which does a very decent pint of Guiness for you to relax with after work.


P.P.S If you want me to choose the colour of your carpet, just give me a shout.

thanks, I think I've learned more from this thread than the countless hours I've spent trawling the net

The wife is renting in Vaughan at the minute and doesn't seem to mind it to much although she has noticed that there's not much about (ie anything).

The only reason I have been thinking train rather than bus was that I'd be able to use my laptop on the train but if it's truelly easier by bus I'll have to rethink.

If you can help me out with this you can name my first born

On College or in Richmond Hill?

On College. Between Yonge and MaRS (south side).

Taffy?

<goes to look>

<have one for me>