Steps to Take when Choosing your Canadian Home (for Foreigners)

Everyone knows what to look into when buying a home. Is it in your price range? Does it have a nice school next to it? What’s the neighborhood like? Etc. But, if you are moving to Canada, there are a host of other issues you need to look into, before choosing the home that you want to live in. For you internationals out there, Canada is an entirely different beast than what you are used to (yes, little brothers down south, that includes you), so you need all the help you can get. Welcome to Canada (no, I will not say “eh”); you are going to love it here!

1. Check the Roof Quality

First off, if you didn’t already know, Canada is cold. I mean really cold. There aren’t a lot of places here that don’t get snow, and there are even fewer where isn’t raining a good portion of the year; and, as we all know, with snow/rain comes a need for structural integrity. If the home you are looking at has weak points, is over 20 years old, or just doesn’t seem like it is in great shape structurally, you may want to reevaluate your choices. All it takes is one powerful snow storm for your newly bought home’s roof to simply cave in, and that’s after you go through the “summer” of drop buckets and roof patches. Trust me; the roof should be one of the first things you look at. If you don’t, you may end up regretting it. Bonus Check: Also make sure you check window seals and quality. You do not want a leaky window, as you may end up with property damage and higher electricity bills.

2. Temper your Expectations

This one’s more for our friends out of the Red, White, and Blue, but it can pertain to many other countries, especially those with low property values; don’t expect a beautiful 4,000 square foot home in Toronto on middling salary, because you are going to be disappointed. Though Canada offers citizens incredible health care, beautiful and clean cities, and—of course—a quality of living that isn’t matched almost anywhere else, that all comes with a cost, and the brunt of that cost is found in Canadian Real Estate. Even smaller houses can garner huge prices, particularly if you are close to major living centers (like Calgary or Toronto). On top of that, bills in general are much more expensive than you’ll find in the US, so you will find yourself facing mountainous utility bills if you aren’t careful. Trust me; Canada Real Estate, particularly Toronto and Calgary real estate, is exceedingly expensive, so don’t expect Five Star living in terms of realty if you come from a less than comfortable background. You may have to settle for less.

3. Research the Neighborhood Well

Okay, this might be cheating because you have to do this no matter where you live; but, I include this because many of you might have unrealistic expectations when it comes to living in Canada. Many of the people I talk to always allude to the “sorry” illusion, that everyone in Canada is “so nice” and that, obviously, it’s a great place to live because you never have to worry about walking around at night or keeping your door open. Unfortunately, I’m going to have to break you of that illusion. Canada, contrary to popular belief, isn’t the land of Mana, nor is it the Emerald Kingdom or some other fantasy land where nothing bad happens. We have crime, just like everyone else, just as we have bad neighborhoods; thus, you need to do your own investigation before you get yourself into a terrible situation. Visit your home at all times of the day (especially at night) and walk around the neighborhood a bit. Talk to the people, see the sights, and investigate crime rates; whatever you have to do. The more you know about your prospective neighborhood, the more safe you will be, and the better chance you’ll have of realizing that you’re in a “bad neighborhood” before you mistakenly buy a house there. Like all major city centers, Canada has a host of neighborhoods that you might not want to live in, even if our crime rates are lower than most places.

So, stay informed, make smart decisions, and be careful! Buying a house is a major responsibility, and this is just as true in Canada as it is anywhere else. Good luck!