Hi all

We have our PR cards and will hopefully be moving to Calgary next year, The work for my hubby is based near the airport so we have been looking at the NW area of Calgary and possibly Airdrie. We were out there in the summer and had a look around some of the NW communties inc Tuscany, Royal Oak, Rocky Ridge and Panorama Hills. We are not sure about Panorama Hills as it seemed to be very built up and crowded.

Can any of you offer any tips or advice on any areas in the NW or Airdrie. We only had a quick look at Airdrie and that was back in 2005.

Any help/info etc appreciated

Andrea & family

Hi we live in Airdrie and one of the good things about living here is that it still has a town feel about it, you can still drive around without getting into serious traffic, you can still see the mountains......from certain areas. If you havent been here since 2005 then you will see some changes, super walmart, real canadian, canadian tire, and the new outlet mall being built down the road! Its only a hop and a skip from the airport area. There is a lot of ex pats that live in Airdrie, in fact all over here. I cant speak for NW Calgary. So there we go Hope this helps!
Bob

my brother lives in nw calgary and has done so for 14 years.....loves, loves, loves it......we've been lots (we're going to vancouver!!!!) to calgary and the nw has everything to offer from the outskirts of a major city but still with a small town feel (mostly).....airdrie is ok but more country town than city town, if that makes sense?.....if you want country life, then airdrie is for you.....both areas are only a short way to the airport, airdrie down the highway and nw along the top of the city......

there is alot of construction along the north of calgary and it won't be too long before calgary meets airdrie.....

my husband's there just now! he's working near the airport - started 3 weeks ago.
we'd looked on the internet and thought it seemed ok. hubby did a recce..and we've now got a 3 bedroom house rented for a year.
we're flying over on dec 10th.

m

Would I be correct in assuming you mean Airdrie?

All the best with that.
x

To the original poster, you need to see these places for yourself. NW Calgary versus Airdrie is one of those eternal debates that no one else can resolve for you.

For what it's worth, I think the commute to the airport area would be quicker from Airdrie than from NW Calgary.
x

Hi
Thanks for the info, We have had a good look at NW but didn't get a chance to goto Airdrie on our landing trip in the summer. we have contacted the MLA for the area and he is going to try and find some crime stats for me, have been able to get the stats for NW from Calgary Police but finding it hard to get any for Airdrie.

Andrea

Hi

Thanks for the info, there are so many areas to look at it is difficult to decide. We are also trying to way up the pros and cons of renting to start with or buying.

Thanks again
Andrea

Hi M

Good luck with the move, just in time for Christmas.
Have you got your PR or are you going out on a Temp Work Permit?
Can I ask where you looked for a rental? there seems so many sites.

Also, we are looking for areas with good schooling as our daughter is 5 and already at school but she will be starting grade 1 out in Calgary next year. Do you know anything about the schools in Airdrie?

How easy was it to arrange a rental? what sort of info/paperwork did they ask for? we have been told it can be quite difficult to get rentals as we don't have canadian credit history, we were going to get a ref from Mortgage company and Letting Agent to bring over.

Thanks and good Luck

Andrea

Hi Judy.

We went to Airdrie back in 2005 but they have built alot more since then, we didn't get a chance to go back when we were over in the summer but did get a look around some of the NW. We were not sure where the work would be when we visited but now looks like could be the airport. Hopefully hubby will get another chance to go out again before we move so he can have a better look at Airdrie.

Thanks
Andrea

The real estate market is very iffy. It has dropped, and I fully expect it to drop some more.

I personally think you are better off renting.

Various opinions on this topic were provided in a recent thread called The 'R' word in Aberta.

You should be able to line up a rental (from the point of view of your credit history, etc.). Umpteen members of this forum have done it in Canada, including the Calgary area.
x

According to the latest CMHC (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation) forecast, 2009 housing prices in Calgary will stabilise.

PDF Document attached

So although it goes against what Judy is suggesting I would also recommend renting for at least a year, but for perhaps different reasons.

Should you choose a home in an area you come to not like after you've moved in you will then have to sell your home at about what it cost you to purchase and incur all the costs of selling and moving. So in essence you would end up losing a significant amount of money.

Best to have the ability to really look around and be sure especially in a flat or decreasing market.

You should look at the neighbourhoods of Coventry Hills, Harvest Hills, Country Hills for areas technically in the NE but on the west side of Deerfoot Trail. These would be you closest areas to the airport with really quick commuting.
You mentioned Panorama Hills, also and I agree it is looking very crowded there but there are some nice places along the golf course in Panorama Hills Estates.

A little further away are the neighbourhoods of Hanson Ranch, Hidden Valley (where I live) and Edgemont. All great areas in the central NW and still really close to the airport.

Are schools in issue with you? If so, you should really do some good research because they can be a bit of a problem depending on which neighbourhood you live in.

Thing is no one really knows what the market will do, I cant remember anybody predicting the latest credit crunch and housing market downturn, Just go on "gut instinct " That what I always do esp when looking around for a house /area to live in . If it feels right buy it It might not be on the market next year .

Personally I wouldn't want to live in Airdire if I had to visit/commute to Calgary, The traffic on the Deerfoot is horrendous around there . And the standard of driving is something else !

I found Airdrie to be a little soul-less. In all honesty, I find most places I have visited here to be a little soul-less - and that is purely down to the layout!! We get used to our British village or High Street mentality (or I was, anyway) and I recall driving round various places - towns and neighbourhoods - trying to find a 'centre' or some kind of focus. Most places are so spread out, and so geared towards having a vehicle.

That is therefore a plus and a minus point about living here. Lots of space, wide roads and tons of parking places. But all this maintains the necessity of owning one or two vehicles. One would need to be a very determined pedestrian in most towns here if one wanted to walk from the bank to Blockbuster and then to the pet shop, or whatever. "Stuff" is so spread out!

So - on that note, Airdrie is really no different from most other options in the Calgary area. Pick a part that your feel happy with, and once you really get to know your way around, it all feels more familiar and comfortable anyway.

PS - I would rent in these strange economic times