Calgary - Where Will We Live?
Reading an article in the Globe and Mail online today is a bit of a concern.
It looks like there are more jobs available than ever but that it might be hard to find somewhere to rent while we settle in.
“Calgary is desperate to find workers. Once lured here, however, people quickly learn there are few affordable places to live.”
According to the article, the Calgary Apartment Association, which represents the owners of most of the city’s residential rental units has seen the vacancy rate drop to 1.6 percent from 5.1 percent a year earlier. Put another way, there were 259 vacant apartments, compared with 1,050 a year ago.
259 vacant apartments sound as if it might be alright - but in a city of almost 1 million people, it’s hardly any. I imaging the ones in good condition are being snapped up instantly. So that’s a bit of a worry.
“Property managers now have waiting lists and are bombarded with prospective tenants when vacancies arise. One property manager reported 50 calls in one morning after posting an advertisement on a website. And the situation is only expected to get worse for would-be tenants. Net migration is expected to continue to climb. In 2004, 2,253 people moved to the city, according to the CMHC, which predicts 23,000 migrants this year.”
Our current intention is to stay in a motel or B&B for a week or two until we can find somewhere to rent. I hope that’s going to prove do-able.