Moving is hard. Moving to a new province is even harder. Now, imagine moving to a new province with two small kids and coming out the other side saying it’s the best decision you ever made. Four years ago, real estate agent Jenny Celly and her family moved from the Greater Toronto Area to Sackville, New Brunswick, and haven’t looked back since.
Fed up with real estate prices (and we’re talking four years ago!) and ready for a fresh start, Jenny and her husband began looking for their future family home outside of Ontario. When they learned about the type of properties they could afford in Sackville, New Brunswick, just 30 minutes outside of Moncton, they were ready to take a leap of faith. That leap of faith landed them a better quality of life with more time for their kids, a slower day-to-day pace, and she swears a milder winter than in Ontario. While smaller-town living may not be for everyone, the average price in October 2022 in Moncton was $324,400, this is 56% below the national average of $766,000 and 72% below the average price in the GTA. More affordable living might be the push that some folks need to take the leap to a new province. Here are her four tips if you’re making the move.
1. Research the province and the community you’re moving to
Although this seems obvious, it’s essential to learn about the nitty-gritty of the community you’re moving to. If possible, speak to someone in the community or join Facebook groups to learn about the neighbourhood from those who are currently living in it.
Reddit can be a great resource for first hand experience as well. “There was so much we didn’t know until we got to Sackville,” explains Celly. “Kids start kindergarten at the age of 5 in New Brunswick, not 4 years old, like in Ontario. We had to pivot once we got here since we were planning to put our little guy in kindergarten that year.”
Celly wasn’t the only one with her eye on New Brunswick. Zoocasa partnered with MoneySense to publish the 2022 edition of Where to Buy Real Estate in Canada, revealing which real estate markets offer the best price point, value growth, and overall livability. Moncton, New Brunswick earned the #1 spot!
2. Contact city hall
Utilities and by-laws vary from city to city. There can be more changes in home construction than expected when moving to a new province. “When we were looking at homes, we found one we quickly fell in love with. The real estate agent mentioned that it was on well water and septic, but we didn’t take the time to look into what that meant before we moved,” Celly continued.
Although well and septic are very common in New Brunswick, especially outside of Moncton, it wasn’t something Celly and her family were used to. After moving, they also learned that many homes in the province are heated with electric baseboards and mini-splits, and forced air is less common. She recommends calling city hall and asking about utilities, by-laws to be aware of, and even things like transit systems and how they may vary.
3. Visit the city and neighbourhood you’re planning to buy in
At the peak of the pandemic, purchasing a home sight unseen became very common. This is when prospective buyers put an offer on a home they haven’t seen in an effort to secure the home quickly if they don’t have time to go see it (or if it’s in a different province or country). When possible, we always recommend seeing the home you’re planning to buy, and Celly recommends exploring the city and neighbourhood as well. Consider spending a few nights in the city so you can get a feel for it and really take your time to explore it.
“We do miss the food options that were available in Ontario. Moncton is growing quickly and with that, we’re getting more restaurants, but it isn’t quite like the options we had available to us in the GTA,” explains Celly. Make sure the day-to-day aspects you may take for granted but can’t live without are within reach before committing to a new location.
4. Use a local real estate agent
“This is the most important tip I can give anyone looking to move to a new province,” says Celly. A local real estate agent will be able to guide you through the process and will have insights about neighbourhoods and which are best suited for you. If you’re planning a long drive or flight to see homes, your agent should be someone that you trust and that can pre-screen homes for you to make sure they meet your criteria.
Did you know Zoocasa has agents across Canada? They are experienced and ready to help you whether you’re moving within the same neighbourhood or across the country. Download our free buyer’s guide to get you started and check out our five star reviews to see how Zoocasa agents have helped their clients find their dream homes.
