Should I move back to Calgary?

[peter12]

Originally Posted by squiggs96

I would never disrespect the people who cook my food, clean my clothes, and are in my house when I sleep. It would be way too easy for them to poison or murder me. A happy butler is a productive butler.

I think you raise a good point. If you got into the market at a good time with a place that suits your circumstances, Vancouver can be a very nice city with a wide variety of things for people to do, eat, see etc...

We are just making that transition from childless party couple to couple looking to have children but also host large dinner parties.

That transition is extremely expensive right now - in a way that is making me question whether or not it is worth doing here in Vancouver or if we would be better off doing it somewhere else.

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Good suggestion on Canmore.

Best part of Canmore is all the Nimbys that don't like seeing it expand. Turns out my new hobby is arguing with them. I think you'd have a lot of fun with that, too.

It’s hilarious, really.

[Cheese]

KW region here in Ontario is booming, looking for professionals of all types. Reminds me a lot of Calgary in the 70s when the City started to take off. House prices are climbing here, but compared to Vancouver you could live in luxury. Beautiful area as well.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by peter12

We are just making that transition from childless party couple to couple looking to have children but also host large dinner parties.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by peter12

Maybe we are a bit too Goldilocks, but we really aren't willing to move to neighbourhoods that would entail a long commute for either of us. So obviously, we are bidding in neighbourhoods that are extremely high demand and we shouldn't expect lower prices. That said, this current boom has seen condo and townhouse bidding wars that are just ridiculous.

Yeah, it's fairly insane, particularly for what you get. There's just no option for regular people to live there at this point unless you're renting and often then it's like student housing, only occupied by people in their late 20's. My view is that the commuting option is far, far preferable than subjecting yourself to that sort of thing, particularly given what you say below about the cultural issues... the real benefit of living there is the climate, natural beauty and access to the outdoors (which is sort of three ways of saying the same thing).

Hence my "live up in the mountains or on an island in the woods" ideas... the best outcome out there is one where your weekend routine is to walk out your door, take a few dozen steps, and slide a boat into the water.

If you want to talk about cultural development, Vancouver has taken massive steps backwards. Arts and cultural space is being shuttered at breakneck speed. There is almost nothing in the way of local music or art anymore.

I think that happened in the early 00's. Seems like the only cultural developments since have been wealth-display-oriented. Even the activities are like that... Gone are the days of picking up a $50 lift ticket at 7-11, hitchhiking by the ferry terminal and crashing on someone's floor in Tamarisk. Now you drive your 5 series up the re-constructed sea to sky and rent your room at Legends, or you stay in your place.

On the other hand, Calgary is a lot more fun when money is flying around everywhere. It has a sort of hunkered-down, "we're waiting for the good times to come back" feeling these days, and that started well before Covid. But if you're spending most of your time in your house, and you're spending a million bucks on it, you can live in pretty solid luxury.

As for restaurants and shops, it's fine here. Again, high commercial property taxes and rents mean that most of the high streets have a lot of vacancy. There was a block on 4th Ave in Kits (where I first lived in Van) which always had around 80% vacancy.

I lived in Kits once upon a time for a short period, many years ago. The beach was pretty nice to have nearby. Nothing like that here. I'm guessing Sophies is still there, but that Sgt. Pepperoni's is now a Starbucks.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by Cheese

KW region here in Ontario is booming, looking for professionals of all types. Reminds me a lot of Calgary in the 70s when the City started to take off. House prices are climbing here, but compared to Vancouver you could live in luxury. Beautiful area as well.

Beautiful area and one of the undiscovered gems of central Canada, as well as a growing tech center. Ontario is really hot right now, and rightfully so. It's Canada's hub, the economy there is strong, and there are a lot of options for outside-the-GTA living that are connected with transportation infrastructure (GO Train, VIA, highways). Even Hamilton is seeing a boom, and there are some big projects on deck for that city.

[Locke]

Have you ever considered moving to Smithers BC?

Its a haven of coal-mining, logging and general deforestation...you know, all the things that BC is famous for but people who live in Vancouver, Victoria and Kelowna deny happens.

[peter12]

Yeah, it's fairly insane, particularly for what you get. There's just no option for regular people to live there at this point unless you're renting and often then it's like student housing, only occupied by people in their late 20's. My view is that the commuting option is far, far preferable than subjecting yourself to that sort of thing, particularly given what you say below about the cultural issues... the real benefit of living there is the climate, natural beauty and access to the outdoors (which is sort of three ways of saying the same thing).

The natural beauty is nice, but you need a car to get to the mountains and lots of the beaches now (unless you can afford to live by a beach) and with the poor infrastructure comes traffic. It can take us well over an hour to even get to Lynn Valley from Vancouver.

Hence my "live up in the mountains or on an island in the woods" ideas... the best outcome out there is one where your weekend routine is to walk out your door, take a few dozen steps, and slide a boat into the water.

That was our idea for a bit, but you need something really ideal in terms of remote work, which is good for me, but my partner has a big "hands-on" component to her job that necessitates her being able to get into Vancouver daily.

I think that happened in the early 00's. Seems like the only cultural developments since have been wealth-display-oriented. Even the activities are like that... Gone are the days of picking up a $50 lift ticket at 7-11, hitchhiking by the ferry terminal and crashing on someone's floor in Tamarisk. Now you drive your 5 series up the re-constructed sea to sky and rent your room at Legends, or you stay in your place.

There is a lot of nostalgia here for the good ol' days (which ended in the late 90's or so??) and I think that nostalgia really holds the city back most of the time. You find pockets of it from time to time (Vancouver's West End, Wreck Beach), but it is mostly dead.

As for the recent cultural developments, yep, wealth-display and designed by the same people who design airport terminals. Meanwhile, most of the city has fallen into a NIMBY obstructionist debate that sees even important social housing projects held up in council. All this in a city with the most catastrophic poverty in North America. The juxtaposition still shocks me.

On the other hand, Calgary is a lot more fun when money is flying around everywhere. It has a sort of hunkered-down, "we're waiting for the good times to come back" feeling these days, and that started well before Covid. But if you're spending most of your time in your house, and you're spending a million bucks on it, you can live in pretty solid luxury.

I'm tempted with spending half of that and getting something way better that we have here. Our current condo could sell for over $1000 per sq ft. The only problem is we have to reenter the market at that price. It's a zero-sum game.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

Yeah, it's fairly insane, particularly for what you get. There's just no option for regular people to live there at this point unless you're renting and often then it's like student housing, only occupied by people in their late 20's. My view is that the commuting option is far, far preferable than subjecting yourself to that sort of thing, particularly given what you say below about the cultural issues... the real benefit of living there is the climate, natural beauty and access to the outdoors (which is sort of three ways of saying the same thing).

Hence my "live up in the mountains or on an island in the woods" ideas... the best outcome out there is one where your weekend routine is to walk out your door, take a few dozen steps, and slide a boat into the water.

I think that happened in the early 00's. Seems like the only cultural developments since have been wealth-display-oriented. Even the activities are like that... Gone are the days of picking up a $50 lift ticket at 7-11, hitchhiking by the ferry terminal and crashing on someone's floor in Tamarisk. Now you drive your 5 series up the re-constructed sea to sky and rent your room at Legends, or you stay in your place.

On the other hand, Calgary is a lot more fun when money is flying around everywhere. It has a sort of hunkered-down, "we're waiting for the good times to come back" feeling these days, and that started well before Covid. But if you're spending most of your time in your house, and you're spending a million bucks on it, you can live in pretty solid luxury.

I lived in Kits once upon a time for a short period, many years ago. The beach was pretty nice to have nearby. Nothing like that here. I'm guessing Sophies is still there, but that Sgt. Pepperoni's is now a Starbucks.

Corsi, don't make me say it. bonavista

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Corsi, don't make me say it. bonavista

fist pump lake bro

[peter12]

Originally Posted by Locke

Have you ever considered moving to Smithers BC?

Its a haven of coal-mining, logging and general deforestation...you know, all the things that BC is famous for but people who live in Vancouver, Victoria and Kelowna deny happens.

I ####ing love Smithers.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by Cheese

KW region here in Ontario is booming, looking for professionals of all types. Reminds me a lot of Calgary in the 70s when the City started to take off. House prices are climbing here, but compared to Vancouver you could live in luxury. Beautiful area as well.

Yeah it’s becoming a serious tech hub.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

Yeah it’s becoming a serious tech hub.

A move to Ontario and that general area is imminent, we're just reviewing logistics at the moment.

A great website to help with is actually Ninety Minutes from Toronto. The site helps by providing demographic and economic data for cities and communities around the GTA. KW is on that list.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

A move to Ontario and that general area is imminent, we're just reviewing logistics at the moment.

A great website to help with is actually Ninety Minutes from Toronto. The site helps by providing demographic and economic data for cities and communities around the GTA. KW is on that list.

Sorry what does KW stand for?

[Kybosh]

Calgary needs builders (businesses, investors, community champions, restauranteurs etc.). Come spend your money here, Mr. Monopoly Man. I live inner city and also have a baby. Come join the burgeoning Calgary yuppy team where we all fret about money and complain but still live extremely comfortably.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

Sorry what does KW stand for?

Kitchener Waterloo. Two different cities that are connected in your typical southern Ontario style.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Beautiful area and one of the undiscovered gems of central Canada, as well as a growing tech center. Ontario is really hot right now, and rightfully so. It's Canada's hub, the economy there is strong, and there are a lot of options for outside-the-GTA living that are connected with transportation infrastructure (GO Train, VIA, highways). Even Hamilton is seeing a boom, and there are some big projects on deck for that city.

lol, there are like 100 million people there? It's hardly undiscovered.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

Kitchener Waterloo. Two different cities that are connected in your typical southern Ontario style.

oh yeah, I've been there, it was meh.

[burn_this_city]

Coming back to Calgary right now might be pretty good timing on your part. Housing hasn't rocketed like elsewhere and the fundamentals of the economy are improving. If you want to lay down some roots and start a family this is probably one of the best places to do so. Calgary is still cheap relative to incomes and you aren't house poor making lifestyle compromises.

I know people don't really believe it after 6 years of ####, but I genuinely think we're rounding the bend and things will get better on employment over the next year.

[Ozy_Flame]

Follow along a little better, Slava my friend. We're talking about real estate in a hot market and KW is definitely overshadowed when talking about Ontario living, where the conversation usually revolves around the GTA. Not sure if you are familiar with the area or not, but I suspect you may not be.