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| *Travel Tips>>>Edmonton Travel Tips |
Husband has a job in Edmonton Alberta where is the best place to live? |
Travel Info Husband has a job in Edmonton Alberta where is the best place to live? Travel Tips I'm not sure from where you're moving from to Edmonton but I would like to give you some websites to check out first. The following website tells you everything about each neighborhood - population, ethnicity, housing, income levels, about the labor force, the crime rate and education. http://www.edmonton.ca/portal/server.pt?... The next one tells you about the transit system for students. http://www.edmonton.ca/portal/server.pt/... The next site tells you about city services - everything from garbage collection to taxes, pet licenses - everything you need to know. http://www.edmonton.ca/portal/server.pt?... While none of the previous sites have anything to do with "best place" these are all things you may want to take into consideration when looking for a place to live. A little bit of advise I used when I moved here from another province and knew nothing about Edmonton's neighborhoods. Each time I thought about buying a house in a certain neighborhood I would phone the police department and ask questions about it's crime rate - sure helped me. Grill your Realtor about the area, also ask at gas stations and convenience stores in the area and ask questions. As everyone has told you the housing market here is exploding - people coming from other provinces especially those not from bigger communities don't realize just expensive our housing is. Almost any house on the market today is well above the $350,000 mark with most in the $400,000 plus range - and I'm not talking mansions either. Do your research BEFORE deciding to move - get a good map of the city and surrounding area then start checking house prices or apartment prices (vacancy rate is 1%). There are lots of GOOD areas in which to live - most depends on your lifestyle and income level and the ages of your children (I assume you have teen agers) As education is a very important part of your lives I have given you the tools in your other question to locate ones you may find suitable then look for housing nearby. Now for some info on actual areas: You may want to stay from the Chinatown, Boyle, MaCauley areas - what's called the Inner city area even though gradually the area is being cleaned and newer and retrofit condos are moving in. I also wouldn't recommend any of the areas bordered by 137Ave to 111 Ave and 110 St to 34 St (East side) it consists of gangs, prostitutes and you certainly wouldn't bring your family into this area. There are of course many NE communities that are safer than others but generalizing the entire area - many people would prefer to stay away from there. Families would do well to make the Southeast a home - an older area with homes geared to the middle class - lots of schools and community recreational centers and shopping centers especially around the Bonnie Doon. to Capilano areas. The southwest area though generally called a "great" area is getting to be beyond the middle class worker's reach with the home prices skyrocketing. Millwoods though having something of a reputation does have a few areas that are generally not bad. Millwoods is very multicultural both in community groups and shopping. The west side of the city is very busy but is saturated with apts, strip malls and of course West Edmonton mall. You might even want to consider some of what are called "bedroom communities" smaller towns almost attached to Edmonton but are their own municipalities. Ones to consider might be Sherwood Park, St. Albert or Beaumont - little higher tax base and real estate values but still have that smaller town feel and a safer feeling. They also don't have as many rental units therefore finding one might take a bit of energy and extra cash for them. The NE has some newer housing developments especially on the city's fringe. You will be close enough to Londondary Mall, the Superstore, Walmart, Home Depot, etc. I would suggest the newer developments as opposed to some of the older neighborhoods where they tend to have more problems. Remember the city is divided in quadrants: NW, NE, Central, West, SE, South (takes in Millwoods) and SE. Almost all the new communities on the fringes are good - also safe but may be further to shopping (except the South - it has South Commons - very congested but everything there) Most of the high schools are going to be in the older neighborhoods as the city has not built any new high schools in the new communities. I cannot tell you enough times to do your research ahead of time as it will save you a lot of frustration. Find yourself a really good Realtor whom you click with but they are worth it in the long run - they know the city, the neighborhoods, etc. Having kids you may want to make sure there is enough for them to do close by - community centres, sports arenas, etc. If I had to do it all over again I would still move to the community that I purchased my house 10 years ago - Ottewell but would also consider Kenilworth, Bonnie Doon, Capilano, Terrace Heights - not Gold Bar (too close to the refineries) or some of the adjacent bedroom communities. Let your "fingers do the walking" - call for information - check out as much as you can - call some of the schools and talk to them. You could also call the Citizen's Action line at 211 and they can tell you almost anything you want to know about this city and it's services. I would also sugges reading our newpapers online - they are a worth of information. Reading them helps you to get to know what's going in the city - kind of gives you a preview. There also many community weekly papers for some the bedroom communities - just do a search under Alberta newspapers and you'll get an entire list. www.edmontonjournal.com www.edmontonsun.com www.edmontonexaminer.com Hopefully you've got the information you need to make an informed decision. Good Luck Others Housing prices in Edmonton have risen dramatically the last few years. Even the surrounding towns can be very expensive. If you go to mls.ca then click on Alberta, then Edmonton area you can easily check house prices. Morinville is an easy 20 minute commute,(North of city)cheaper than St. Albert. You may check out Spruce Grove to the west, Devon are, SW, or even Leduc area to the south. Good luck with your search but be prepared for very high housing costs. We just moved away from Edmonton but when we were there we were considering Calmar and Thorsby just south west of the city. Leduc was nice too, with prices not as high as the other areas we had searched. In the city wasnt' even worth looking into Living in Edmonton would be the most convienent. If youre looking IN edmonton then... Riverbend is a good neighbourhood, as is Forest/Terrace Heights. DO NOT move downtown. there are lots of rough people down there (im not sayin they all are). Bonnie doon is also a very nice neighbourhood if you can find the right neighbourhood. Ottewell is a good place to live if you are going to be sending kids to school. there is a elementary, jr.high and highschool nearby ottewell (very convienent). But the housing prices here are skyrockting... there are little bungalo houses on my street going for 1.5 million!!!! If youre looking out of Edmonton: Dont look in reddeer, its too far of a commute. Leduc is a reasonable commuting distance. as are St. Albert and Spruce Grove i hope you have good luck finding a house!!! do not live in certain areas of millwoods...in fact avoid it altogether..it is known as the "hood" and people get killed there on a daily occurence (mostly gang realted but stray bullets occur)...southside is very spread out as it is mostly new developments. West end is the place to be everything is very close and convienent...avoid all areas in or around china town. around the southgate malll 101 st is da best mi friend lives there stay away from the downtown area. i would say as far away as possible, and close to WEM are not too good of choices. check out the realty sites, and compare prices. my sister lives in Spruce grove, and it is nice and "safe" out there. far north end or west is what i would choose |
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