FIRE to Canada

[vic]

quote author=ER@40 link=topic=4013.msg68237#msg68237 date=1125112198]
Will be applying from Europe, seems to take about a year from here.
The points system is very generous now, have a degree?, meet the age criteria?, and its reasonably straightforward or so I've been advised (reliable source).

Question for the wise: In Canada :-

1. How far will US$24k go?
(sole yearly pre-tax income, single person basis)

2. Housing wise, how far will US$250k go?
thanks




My application from Europe took 6 weeks. Could not have been easier and it only took 2 hours to fill out the paperwork. I did the skilled points test and I think the points were more difficult at that time a couple of years ago. Virutally anybody who is not too old and has a degree in a fairly useful field combined with a little experience and no serious health issues will get in.

U$24K is very doable. It may be a little tight in a metro like Vancouver. I don't know from which European country you will be applying from but Canada is overall cheaper than the EU. It is beautiful and so many friendly folks. It can get cold in some areas in the winter though. I would love to live there again but I did not find it a good place to make a decent paycheck and unfortunately I am still building the nest egg.

All houses sold through a realtor (and that is the majority of them), are listed on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). Their website is www.mls.ca and is the equivalent of the US site www.realtor.com

Vicky

 

[Calgary_Girl]

Rain, Rain, Rain & More Rain, If not Rain Clouds and More Clouds. wit long enough and you may see the sun 

SWR

That's why I love Calgary - the highest number of sunniest days in the year. Even in the winter, it could be downright cold but bring out the sun and it doesn't feel as bad. Vancouver is just depressing if you ask me.

 

[brewer12345]

That's why I love Calgary - the highest number of sunniest days in the year.  Even in the winter, it could be downright cold but bring out the sun and it doesn't feel as bad.  Vancouver is just depressing if you ask me.

I didn't know that about Calgary. I don't think of Canada as a particularly sunny place, but I 've only been to Toronto (a big, cosmopolitan city) and Niagara (disneyesque, but pleasant to visit). That's what I like about Colorado and New Mexico. I find that the grey weather in the Northeast makes me more and more depressed with each passing winter.

 

[Danny]

... That's what I like about Colorado and New Mexico.

New Mexico ...vaguely recall some discussion about little ol' texas & New Mexico...were there any places in New Mexico people were fond of.....
oops sorry don't want to divert from Canada topic...

 

[brewer12345]

New Mexico ...vaguely recall some discussion about little ol' texas & New Mexico...were there any places in New Mexico people were fond of.....

DW and I both really liked Taos. Its a vibrant place with lots of culture, but hasn't been overdeveloped (yet). The scenery around Taos is spectacular (Gorge Bridge, etc.).

We were disappointed by Santa Fe. It has lots of museums and other interesting stuff, but the place has been overdeveloped (bad sprawl problem) and it seemed to us that the moneyed crowd had arrived and bid the price of everything up. Santa Fe seemed a lot less genuine than Taos.

As I understand it, southern NM is a lot hotter than northern NM. We were in northern NM in April and it was warm during the day yet cooled off nicely at night. Many of the houses in the area don't bother with air conditioning for exactly that reason (plus adobe insulates astonishingly well).

 

[Danny]

Thanks brewer - Are you a home brewer?....good to read your take on Taos..I was hoping it was not yet a high-roller spot such as what I've read about Santa Fe...

 

[brewer12345]

Yes, I am a homebrewer.

Taos hasn't been overdone yet like Santa Fe, but if the real estate boom doesn't pop soon, I suspect its just a matter of time. Right now it is a major bargain to rent in Taos rather than buying. AS lot of that is simply second home buying and speculation.

Hey, you can even buy or rent an earthship near Taos. We ran into the most, um, unique personalities I have met since my college days (and DW and I met in a cooperative dorm that had co-ed cattle showers).

 

[REWahoo]

(and DW and I met in a cooperative dorm that had co-ed cattle showers).

(Sorry Brewer, but I just can't help it...) So, did you bump into her in the shower or did one of your dorm buddies point her out to you?

REW

 

[brewer12345]

(Sorry Brewer, but I just can't help it...)  So, did you bump into her in the shower or did one of your dorm buddies point her out for you?   

REW

Actually, I didn't get a free showing (of DW) until we were already involved.

Frankly, after a few weeks, the cattle showers weren't that big a deal. You just kind of asked the person next to you to pass the shampoo regardless of whether they were male or female. I don't know for sure, but I suspect that external indications of male arousal probably would have been frowned upon. Since I worked through college and my shift started at 6:45 AM, I rarely saw anyone else, at least during the week.

 

[Danny]

Hey, you can even buy or rent an earthship near Taos. We ran into the most, um, unique personalities I have met since my college days (and DW and I met in a cooperative dorm that had co-ed cattle showers).

OK..I'll bite what is an earthship...I'm also being bombarded by all kinds of images having to do with co-ed cattle showers in a dorm...where did you go - Texas A&M?

I brewed but not home...at a brewery..my favorite was Horny Toad Pale Ale
Smooth, crisp character, floral yet somewhat bitter flavor and slightly fruity finish...
Ahhh!...good finish...

 

[brewer12345]

OK..I'll bite what is an earthship...I'm also being bombarded by all kinds of images having to do with co-ed cattle showers in a dorm...where did you go - Texas A&M?

I brewed but not home...at a brewery..my favoraite was Horny Toad Pale Ale
Smooth, crisp character, floral yet somewhat bitter flavor and slightly fruity finish...
Ahhh!...good finish...

Earthships are houses, mostly built nprth of Taos. They are intended to be partially or completely self-sufficient, using some or all of the following: passive solar, active solar, water collecting and recycling, windmills, you name it. They range from spartan to hippie mcmansion (we saw a huge one - like 10k sq ft - with a stretch hummer parked outside). Pretty neat, IMO, if somewhat of a novelty. www.earthship.org

Actually, the house we rented outside of Taos (Dixon, NM) was really cool. It was designed and built by an artist who was trained as an architect. Unique design, built from adibe and strawbale construction, it had all kinds of snazzy features, like a huge geranium planter in the livingroom that was fed with the grey water from the house. It was at the end of a long dirt road and backed up to thousands of acres of BLM land. Really cool.

We both went to Oberlin College. Some of the dorms there are cooperatives. They are owned and run by the students via a mutual corporation. Pretty unique and an interesting institution. Definately showed me how long it takes to do anything by consensus.

 

[brewer12345]

http://oberwiki.net/index.php?title=Harkness_House

Little snippet on where we met at the link above. The climbing wall in the elevator shaft thing is true. There also used to be an annual "bike derby" where the last bike still actually being ridden was the winner (no other rules and no holes barred). My next door neighbor made a bong out of a 5 gallon water jug. The thing had 8 hoses and blew an 1/8 of an ounce at a time. Guess where I made my first homebrew?

Ah, happy days...

 

[REWahoo]

...I'm also being bombarded by all kinds of images having to do with co-ed cattle showers in a dorm...where did you go - Texas A&M?

Dan, is A&M the first that came to mind when you thought of "cow college"?

"Hook 'Em, Horns!"

REW

 

[REWahoo]

... (no other rules and no holes barred).

Thought the term was no "holds" barred, but guess you had to be there...

REW

 

[Danny]

http://oberwiki.net/index.php?title=Harkness_House

Little snippet on where we met at the link above. The climbing wall in the elevator shaft thing is true. There also used to be an annual "bike derby" where the last bike still actually being ridden was the winner (no other rules and no holes barred). My next door neighbor made a bong out of a 5 gallon water jug. The thing had 8 hoses and blew an 1/8 of an ounce at a time. Guess where I made my first homebrew?

Ah, happy days...

Plenty of symbolism any Oberlin English or Psych grad would appreciate with that going up and down in an elevator shaft...that's the kind of bike race I could win... I'm a tough guy to beat when it comes to coming in last...please don't start with the bonging...I'm dating myself...but I'm from the hookah era...

 

[Danny]

Dan, is A&M the first that came to mind when you thought of "cow college"?

"Hook 'Em, Horns!"

REW

Longhorns don't shower!

 

[Danny]

Thought the term was no "holds" barred, but guess you had to be there...

REW

All holes bared at my school..Go Leathernecks

 

[REWahoo]

...I'm dating myself...but I'm from the hookah era...

So...? Since it's the word's oldest profession, what's the big deal?

REW

 

[Danny]

So...? Since it's the word's oldest profession, what's the big deal?

REW

finally someone who understands...

 

[Calgary_Girl]

I didn't know that about Calgary.  I don't think of Canada as a particularly sunny place, but I 've only been to Toronto (a big, cosmopolitan city) and Niagara (disneyesque, but pleasant to visit).  That's what I like about Colorado and New Mexico.  I find that the grey weather in the Northeast makes me more and more depressed with each passing winter.

Yup, Calgary has the highest number of sunny days per year: on average 297. Sorry, but you can't judge the rest of Canada by Toronto, which has pollution, traffic, smog, humidity. You couldn't pay me enough money to live there!

You definitely need to come out to Calgary.

 

[ER@40]

Thanks for the helpful suggestions, especially: Red_y & vic & nfs & Calgary_Girl.

1. Real Estate wise, any guesses on the premium for big city life, perhaps another US$50k-100k?

2. Costs of living premium for a big city?
Assuming one owns and not rents, is not a car owner, wondering what other costs (obvious or stealthy) that may impact ER?

For instance are property taxes a lot higher in places like Toronto and Vancouver versus suburban or rural life? How do these compare with US cities? (Prefer the countryside, but thinking of living in or near a city at first to A. get my bearings, and B. to meet new people - being single)

 

[MJ]

Of course, you can also immigrate if you have relatives here who are willing to sponsor you.

Calgary_Girl,
I have a 1st cousin living in Toronto. It looks like if he sponsored me, he would be financially responsible for me for 10 years. Although we're close enough, I don't see him taking that type of responsibility even though I may be wealthier than him.

 

[ER@40]

All houses sold through a realtor (and that is the majority of them), are listed on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). Their website is www.mls.ca and is the equivalent of the US site www.realtor.com

Anyone know of a US Property site where you can SEARCH based on a specific address, street name or full zip code?

Curious if MLS past price histories are available on the net, or is this restricted to realtors only?

 

[Calgary_Girl]

Calgary_Girl,
I have a 1st cousin living in Toronto. It looks like if he sponsored me, he would be financially responsible for me for 10 years. Although we're close enough, I don't see him taking that type of responsibility even though I may be wealthier than him.

They've actually changed the rules now so that he would only have to sponsor you for 3 years I believe. DH and I missed the cutoff by 1 month so I'm stuck with him for 10 (only 6 to go...)!!! :

 

[Calgary_Girl]

For instance are property taxes a lot higher in places like Toronto and Vancouver versus suburban or rural life? How do these compare with US cities? (Prefer the countryside, but thinking of living in or near a city at first to A. get my bearings, and B. to meet new people - being single)

Property taxes in Calgary are less than 1 percent. They are actually 0.85% I believe.