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It has become unbelievably impossible to find housing in and around HRM. Let me rephrase that…it’s becoming impossible to find reasonably priced housing that isn’t catered to students.
I’m astounded at the expectations of landlords these days, you honestly want $1,700 for a townhouse that doesn’t even have a yard? You cant slap on a little crown moulding and call it Versailles, Halifax. Smarten up. Working full-time and affording to live anywhere these days seems to be impossible, especially when you have animals! Charging western Canada prices with a shit economy, and shittier minimum wage is ridiculous. No wonder people keep leaving this province, they have nowhere to live! —Homeless in Halifax
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Good luck getting that damage deposit back
This article appears in Aug 4-10, 2016.
How many dogs do you have?
So move outside the mainland Halifax area. Landlords gouge anyone living on the peninsula. They can’t seem to stop building crap shacks and expecting ridiculous rents.
If you look in Dartmouth (I know, I know, scary but true) you will have better luck finding an affordable place to rent. I saved at least $200 a month simply moving to the Darkside.
Rubyjane, how much do you now spend on transportation and time spent in transit? I think it’s a consideration for some, depending on lifestyle.
Average rent in 2015 for a two bedroom apartment in Halifax is $1,048.00. (CMHC)
Smarten up…
Transportation is a consideration with some. I don’t live downtown but in Clayton Park.
It’s a good area and a nice building. One bedroom unit now goes for at least $1000.
My friends/family moved 20 to 40 minutes highway drive outside the city to buy a house / rent something bigger for equivalent prices to HRM or less. I didn’t say anything of course but it’s been 2 years now and all I hear is their complaints on how long they have to drive and how much money they’re dumping on transportation. So in reality, it’s expensive no matter how you look at it! You’re just shifting where you’re spending the money!
I think Halifax in general is way too expensive for what it is! A lot of people can barely afford living expenses!
If you`d like to compare the western Canadian economy (at least the prairies) with Halifax right now, you might be surprised who comes out tops…Halifax may be a bit over-priced, but it`s vastly easier to find decent housing here than in most of the country.
Primrose and Pinecrest area in Dartmouth is pretty affordable.
If all you’re finding on the peninsula are apartments running $1500 and up, you’re not looking hard enough or your standards are too high. It is possible to find safe, cozy, older apartments in some very nice, safe neighbourhoods for under $900 for two bedrooms. You need to look at the older buildings, the mutated houses which look as though they go a little too far back into the lot to be for one family, and the houses with basement walkouts and lots of windows along the foundation. You won’t necessarily get a balcony with your apartment, but you might get a place on a couple major bus routes and a central courtyard in which to sit and watch the world go by and get to know your neighbours.
haha primrose/pinecrest is an absolute dump. Affordability isn’t everything, you have to look at what your paying for. I live by the commons on Robie and find my living expenses to be great for what I get 🙂