Real Estate in Canada

How do I find a place to live in Canada?

We asked expats how they chose their neighborhood and found a place to live. They answered:

"By location and building amenities (The Richlin) a great building for adults, not a good neighborhood for kids, Everything you can imagine is within 3 1/2 miles from here," said another person in Ottawa.

"I bought a house near where my daughter initially wanted to go to school. She changed her mind before we moved in, wanting to attend school in a different town. So we moved 4500 miles together only to live 30 miles apart. She boarded, came home at weekends. Soon as my residency permit came through, I sold the house and bought one in the gulf islands," added another expat who made the move to Vancouver.

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What is a typical expat home or apartment like in Canada?

"It was a small modular home on the banks of Okanagan Lake. It's not a typical home for the area although there are quite a few areas in Kelowna with this type of low cost housing," explained one person living in Kelowna, Canada.

"I have a small farm, 11 acres, on the ocean. We have 5600 square feet of home, offices and workshops. This isn't typical for expats," said another expat in Vancouver.

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What is the average cost of housing in Canada?

If you are thinking about moving to Canada, cost of living in probably a key consideration. Expats commented about the cost of housing:

"I am an American, wishing to retire in Canada. It should be a no-brainer since I have double citizenship and I was a resident of Montreal, Quebec for 24 years. This month, feeling encouraged by the drop in real estate prices in N America. The Bottom line: Canadian housing is priced similarly to the prices in the US. I started looking for a condo in Montreal. here are the results of my research: Downtown Montreal - a 1000-1400 sq ft condo will cost over $ 1 Million NB: You may decide to settle for an old condo that needs repairs, in which case you will pay less but need lots of luck. For a similar size house or a condo in a Montreal suburb, located 25-35 minutes from downtown, you will have to pay $650,000- $850,000. Toronto prices are 15% higher than Monreal prices. Vancouver home prices are 25-30% higher than Montreal prices," remarked another foreigner who made the move to Canada.

"I am bewildered to hear of average housing in Montreal is around CAN $226,000. I lived in Montreal for 23 years, I am visiting frequently, I am planning to return soon, and I can confirm that you will not find any decent housing within 10 miles of the city center for less than $500,000," explained one person living in Canada.

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