Which cities in Ontario offer the best balance of affordability and quality of life? Open to suggestions!
Ontario Cities with Affordable Housing?
- Thread starter ChrisBrown
- Start date
Affordability is a subjective question and dependent on household income and what your actual expenses are. Quality of life is also a subjective criteria. What improves my quality of life may not improve your quality of life.
I have a friend on a fixed disability income (unable to work) who moved to Sault Ste Marie. Was the most affordable rent in a city with a hospital.
No idea on employment opportunities or pay so that is an unknown.
Likes being close to the border for groceries
I couldn’t live there though
Kingston or Barrie are the only cities in Ontario that I could even think of living in other than Toronto
No idea on employment opportunities or pay so that is an unknown.
Likes being close to the border for groceries
I couldn’t live there though
Kingston or Barrie are the only cities in Ontario that I could even think of living in other than Toronto
If it is affordable, you aren't going to have a wide variety of jobs and opportunities.
If you have a wide variety of jobs and opportunities it isn't going to be affordable.
That's Canada.
If you have a wide variety of jobs and opportunities it isn't going to be affordable.
That's Canada.
all depends how far from Toronto one is willing to move
could be very affordable
www.viewhomes.ca
could be very affordable
3 Babbitt Street, Wallaceburg, ON N8A2L4 - MLS# 24029715 | Viewhomes.ca
Home for sale: 3 Babbitt Street, Wallaceburg, Ontario, Priced at $279,900 - MLS ID 24029715. See all the listing details now.
I'm not sure such a city exists to be honest. Finding affordable housing is like finding Shangri-la, you might be looking for a long time and may never find it. I'm one of the lucky ones, my rent is $707 per month for a one bedroom but it's only that low because I signed the lease six years ago. Now a decent one bedroom apartment would cost at a minimum $1400 per month.
That may sound wonderful for someone living in Toronto but the odds that you'll have a job that pays enough for you to afford it are pretty slim. It's worse if you want to buy. Two or three bedroom, one bath bungalows that would normally sell between $120k-$150k are now going for between $300k-$350k.
The good old days are gone.
What benchmark metric system was used before 2000's cannot be applied anymore.
But long time ago a few old guys told me to check which area of a city the Gov't have plenty of aid for the elderly. They told me downtown Toronto was good in 2008 - 2017 because very few old people and plenty of services available. The Feds and Provincial didn't do their math properly to allocated funding.
What benchmark metric system was used before 2000's cannot be applied anymore.
But long time ago a few old guys told me to check which area of a city the Gov't have plenty of aid for the elderly. They told me downtown Toronto was good in 2008 - 2017 because very few old people and plenty of services available. The Feds and Provincial didn't do their math properly to allocated funding.
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North Bay!!! Better yet, there are a few smaller towns around it.. scenic drive from Toronto, not bad at all. Life is affordable, people are nice, air is clean and forests to explore everywhere. DM me for more info on this, my friend got a house for 250K up there
Windsor still has good value. And a fairly extensive bus transit system if you can't afford a car. And 4 Major League sports teams literally with stadiums in eyesight from Downtown Windsor. Windsor city bus actually has a route that crosses the border.
North Bay, Sudbury, etc. Can find something decent around $250K if you're looking to buy. Also if you never bought before you can look into the first time homeowner grant that helps with the down payment but there's guidelines and rules. Otherwise renting is fairly decent in those areas still.
Funnily enough i was thinking I wouldn't mind living in North Bay. It is quite beautiful there, especially on the lake (which does get pricier.) I was thinking the Callander Bay area on the lake.
nice try real estate investor...
Seriously though, anything in the golden horseshoe is pretty much unaffordable. Running out of land and surrounded by untouchable green-belt. Even if the government opens up the green-belt, we don't have enough labour to expand infrastructure in any meaningful capacity.
Waterloo does have some options if you don't mind living close to students. Condos now listed at mid-high 300s and saw some freehold precons townhouses listed for high 400s.
With the future expansion of GO trains (I believe it was hourly service to Union?), the city could be the next big thing as millennials start having more kids and realize condo living isn't for them.
Seriously though, anything in the golden horseshoe is pretty much unaffordable. Running out of land and surrounded by untouchable green-belt. Even if the government opens up the green-belt, we don't have enough labour to expand infrastructure in any meaningful capacity.
Waterloo does have some options if you don't mind living close to students. Condos now listed at mid-high 300s and saw some freehold precons townhouses listed for high 400s.
With the future expansion of GO trains (I believe it was hourly service to Union?), the city could be the next big thing as millennials start having more kids and realize condo living isn't for them.
Lots of cookie cutter subdivision houses if that is your thing. Keep in mind that Property Taxes are shockingly high. Much higher than Toronto.
