EvoFire might move to Winnipeg and then we're all screwed :lol

So I'll be closer to you? :heckno:

We can be neighbours :hotbaby:

People really are putting money where their mouths are, and leaving Vancouver.

I'm impressed.

12 months later...

Badhobz: "I have news. I've moved to Montreal."

Don't tell me you haven't thought about it. Which areas are on your shortlist? :D

Badhobz = Quebec separatist

Would moving to the states be that much of a shock for everyone?
I've been to Texas a few times and every time it's been great.

I'm pretty immune to racism and discrimination here, is that really bad in the states?

My cousin moved to Florida. He was getting about $80k CAD here, he was head hunted on Linkedin and was offered $120k USD + moving allowance and $5k signing bonus. He said there are no asians out there and he feels out of place there for sure.

The problem he faces now is he wants to come home but the money is too good out there.

You would get raped, PeanutButter.

Big time. Canada is tough though, we don't have many options.

Toronto is too busy, Montreal is too French and cold, Calgary/Edmonton...too cold, among other things. Other than cheap housing, nothing about Calgary is sexy, I'd be depressed as hell living in that city.

Outside of leaving the country entirely, Vancouver Island has been the only spot to peak my interest.

Montreal is beautiful, food is beautiful, and I've heard a thing or two about their strip clubs:accepted: for half the price of Van. Just live there in the summer and come back in the winter?

Montreal is okay. I wouldn’t change Vancouver for MTR though.
Roads conditions are terrible, traffic is pretty bad as there are only a few ways into the city, and the French-ness is ridiculous.

I couldn’t deal with the Quebec language police and all their horseshit.

That's always been the problem with this place isn't it. Can't afford to live here if you work here.

Just spent 10 days a few weeks ago in Toronto visiting friends, both of which live in the Beaches between Queen Street and the Danforth

Honestly, as much as it pains me to say, Toronto shits on Vancouver for dining and bars. It actually pissed me off how much cooler their area felt compared to East Van, which I feel like are direct comparables. So many awesome little hole in the wall bars and restaurants which simply cannot exist in Vancouver due to the greed of landlords and all the other BS.

It’s kind of the story of Canada though, we never live up to our full potential because of all the other BS.

With that said they both own “semi detached” homes which are 2+ mill now, which we would consider a duplex, so housing isn’t exactly a relief there

^^ cactus club bro, earls, browns social house bro

Congrats! I lived in calgary for 3 years, I wrote pros/cons about it here. ultimately I returned to YVR. FYI you can get a refund on the PST (maybe luxury tax?) on your supra once you move and register it in Alberta.

Honestly what I miss about Toronto the most, huge diversity of eating options (and I mean different places to choose from in terms of cuisine, cost, etc. and not 1000x sushi places that are Sushi Garden clones).

I'm not moving right right away. I'm still making pretty good bank in Vancouver but not enough to buy in Vancouver KEKW

I actually started considering an OOP purchase a year ago but started on reddit threads, researching what compels people to make such big moves. Largely it was access to property purchasing, space to raise a family and / or lower costs of livings. Some people took lower paying jobs because the lower living costs offset that.

It reminds me of the Simpsons episode where Homer pays off his debts, quits his job at the Nuclear Plant and goes to work his dream job at the bowling alley.

After spending so much time in Alberta, speaking to people, I discovered that many people there are just like us here in BC. It's usually the stereotypes that end up in the spotlight, because attention.

just like we BC'ers are stereotyped as smoking weed, salmon and dick every chance we get.

But it's so much fun talking to them to hear their perspective on things like what they think of us here and if they'd consider moving here. Most people I spoke to wouldn't move here. Mayyyybe the island but they'd fly right over YVR unless it was for a 2-3 day trip.

I'm not leaving till we do an XLB meet!

Dont worry, hondaracer will live here forever and be complaining in 20 years as well

This is news to me! Tell me more... PM if you want to!!

It makes sense though. Vancouver and Toronto is like san Fran and New York comparisons.
One has value in its outdoor lifestyle and one has its value in its indoor lifestyle. Colder shittier landscapes always have a better arts, food, bar scene than somewhere of comparison that has the warmer, nicer outdoor activities year round.
Food here will never reach places like Toronto and Montreal because people's lifestyles here focus on different activities.

I think it was about 15-18 months ago when interest rates hit its peak that we talked about how folks were doing financially - I recall some folks were just hanging in there, others were waiting on relief etc. How are things now? Interest rates haven't gone down, some job markets are pretty terrible etc. Has your situation gotten better or worse in the past year or so?

It hasn't changed. We are still hanging on for dear life.

We locked it in 2 hikes ago so we will be hanging on for the next 2 years. When we need to renew is probably when the interest rates have measurably dropped, probably, maybe, hopefully. I don't hope for the 1.1% we had before, but something like 3.5% would be nice compared to the 5.07 we are paying.

We did a lump sum awhile back (we kept cash from the sale of our condo with the intent of using it as buffer if interest rates went up) and it's gotten payments down to something more manageable month to month.

Lucked out and have a 5-year fixed from Jan 2021. Grateful that income has gone up enough that renewing at 4-5% will be fine, but apparently we also have our eye on moving into a newer/bigger/better located place by 2025 too...

I agree, I am just looking for 3.5-4% not anything crazy like 2 or even 3%, better than the 7% I'm paying now.