Bought, sight unseen (well OH saw it, I didn't), a cottage in a village I had once vaguely expressed a liking for on a snowmobile trip.

Flew in from Paris 5 months later (without OH) with 2 toddlers, 8 suitcases, 2 car seats & a double pushchair. A friend met us and kindly drove us up to the cottage & dumped us.

Stiffened upper lip.

Discovered lots of "interesting" ideosyncracies of cottage.

Sat down & had a bit of a cry

bought neighbour's truck 2 days later. Bought snow shovel 2 months after that, then a blade for the truck in December of that year.

Winged a lot of stuff. Wept occasionally too

OH eventually turned up

Oh, & acquired fridge magnet collection..

Lol, you guys are tits

( meaning very funny where I come from, in case there is any misinterpretation)

We have considered myself travelling first and getting accommodation sorted etc, but that causes issue at POE for the wife and son when they arrive I guess.
I think it's going to be the hotel / motel route, with lots of viewings arranged with a realtor for when we arrive, must remember to bring some fridge magnets on the viewings, could be a deal maker if they stick lol

Nice timing, Bucks.

I don't think that's a problem, hopefully someone will point if I'm wrong, as long as they have a copy of your temp work permit is it you're coming in on..

Sorry to ask a dumb question, but where do you locate these rentals, rivingtonpike? Just the usual Craigslist?

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Renting-Canada

We rented a holiday cottage for 4 weeks before we arrived. We rented a car for a week from the airport, and basically spent the first week finding a vehicle, and the next 3 finding a long term rental that we liked and sorting things like driving licences and SIN cards. There was less choice for rental options than I expected, but we did manage to find something in time. Our container arrived 3 weeks in, so we moved into the long term rental with all our belongings :-)

Thanks, gals

I'm a boy (ish).

Thanks folks this has been most enlightening!

First 2 nights slept at a B&B while formalizing mortgage arrangements for a property purchase.

Shipping container had been packed and sent on it's way 8 weeks previously. It should have arrived close to our arrival time here. A dock strike in Vancouver prevented that.

Borrowed a mattress and various household basics from neighbours and coped for the 6 weeks the container was held up. Trying to start a business and settle in with just a suitcase of clothes was challenging.

I'm pretty sure you're right

I also - deliberately - omitted to mention the saga of my adventures getting container through customs It was a long time ago. Vehicles were involved. Times have changed. It's taken nearly 18 years for me to smile about it

On a less facetious note, having one person go ahead & sort accommodation, etc, helps heaps!

SB

Eddmac...where are you thinking of coming and when?

Tirytory...Samsung and my magnets stick. It never occurred to me that fridges might come without magnets

Millie,

It's all dependant on the LMO, but hopefully around July or August.
We are moving to the Vancouver area, I have a job in Coquitlam and we are looking at property in the maple ridge / Pitt meadows area.

First night in a hotel then straight into a basement apartment for 4 months before finding and buying a house. I had the advantage of the Mrs having moved back home some months previously who organised said rental though.

We have a Kenmore (sears) fridge. It has a stainless steel door to which magnets do not stick. The sides though are magnet friendly. Which is a relief.