# Hamilton Ontario



## mark51165 (Sep 27, 2016)

Can anyone assist with the following,

Moving to Hamilton Ontario with work on 1st July 2017, wife and kids to follow a month later.

During this time i need to locate a rental property and have all set up ready for their arrival.

1. Can anyone suggest where in Hamilton is family orientated and would have good access to amenities & schools. Children's ages 1, 3 & 11.

2. My wife doesn't drive so ideally looking for accessibility & transport links.

3. Anyone recommended a real estate agent 

4. How long from identifying a rental property and paying fees? is it before you can move in.

Thank you in advance for any & all assistance


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## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

Hamilton has lots of bad area's. I don't live there, but I know the reputation (live 30 minutes away from Hamilton). So make sure you get some good and reliable advise!

Wife with no driver's license.... that's a big problem in this neck of the woods. Encourage her to get a license!!!


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## colchar (Oct 25, 2011)

mark51165 said:


> Can anyone assist with the following,
> 
> Moving to Hamilton Ontario with work on 1st July 2017, wife and kids to follow a month later.
> 
> ...


Stay away from the university (and the college) so that you are not stuck in a student area.

Depending on where in the Hammer you will be working, and whether you will be driving, you might also want to look at the surrounding areas. Hell, you could live as far away as Burlington and just go into Hamilton for work. If the commute isn't bad you can avoid living in Hamilton itself, which is something you really might want to consider. But also keep in mind that you will be driving in winter weather for the first time (real winter weather, not the British version of winter where everything in the south shuts down over half an inch of snow).



> 2. My wife doesn't drive so ideally looking for accessibility & transport links.



There is public transit but I have no idea how good it is. I hate Hamilton so avoid the place and was only ever there because my PhD program was at the university (McMaster University), but even then I drove.





> 3. Anyone recommended a real estate agent



No, but Remax, Century 21, and Royal LePage are all large and reputable real estate companies.





> 4. How long from identifying a rental property and paying fees? is it before you can move in.


Depends. Once you've paid first and last month's rent you usually move in the first of the following month.


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## Canuck15 (Sep 21, 2016)

Refer to answers below.

Moving to Hamilton Ontario with work on 1st July 2017, wife and kids to follow a month later.

During this time i need to locate a rental property and have all set up ready for their arrival.

1. Can anyone suggest where in Hamilton is family orientated and would have good access to amenities & schools. Children's ages 1, 3 & 11.

Hamilton has some newer areas where you could explore more so it is not as bad as some are saying! Try the areas near Hamilton Mountain.


2. My wife doesn't drive so ideally looking for accessibility & transport links.

Transport in Canada is rubbish! The bus service is non-existent.She will have to get a licence and fast. It is easier to drive here using an automatic. 


3. Anyone recommended a real estate agent 

No, but you can try kijiji.ca which is like the Canadian version of Gumtree. Just plug in the location as Hamilton and search for rentals there - alot of private landlords post there and it works just great!

4. How long from identifying a rental property and paying fees? is it before you can move in.

Usually you have to pay the first and last payment rent payment. No deposit is required. What is great is that the fridge, washer/dryer and dishwasher is included which is wonderful. The property taxes are also paid by the landlord so you are not stuck with lugging appliances not paying for someone elses investment.

Thank you in advance for any & all assistance.


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## colchar (Oct 25, 2011)

Canuck15 said:


> 2. My wife doesn't drive so ideally looking for accessibility & transport links.
> 
> Transport in Canada is rubbish! The bus service is non-existent.She will have to get a licence and fast.


Since public transportation is a municipal and/or provincial responsibility you cannot generalize for the entire country.





> It is easier to drive here using an automatic.


Huh? There are countless manual cars on the road. It is not easier to drive an automatic in any way. Automatics might be more common, but that does not mean it is easier to drive one here.






> 3. Anyone recommended a real estate agent
> 
> No, but you can try kijiji.ca which is like the Canadian version of Gumtree. Just plug in the location as Hamilton and search for rentals there - alot of private landlords post there and it works just great!



Use the agents I mentioned above. Yes, there are rentals on Kijiji but there are also scams on Kijiji and, being new to the country, you are less able to spot a scam than someone who has lived here for a while. Because of that it is safer to use an agent.





> 4. How long from identifying a rental property and paying fees? is it before you can move in.
> 
> Usually you have to pay the first and last payment rent payment. No deposit is required. What is great is that the fridge, washer/dryer and dishwasher is included which is wonderful. The property taxes are also paid by the landlord so you are not stuck with lugging appliances not paying for someone elses investment.



The appliances that are included vary from one rental to the next so you cannot say that fridge, washer.dryer, and dishwasher are included as that is simply not true. Some rental will include those, others will not, and still others will include some appliances (ie. fridge and stove) but not others (ie. dishwasher, washer and dryer).


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## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

We had to pay 4 months up front. And I know, some will say it's illegal. But trying to find a place to rent while you are still abroad, with no job lined up, and within an excellent school catchment area, while having a dog... Not a lot of choice, so you take what you can get. (and it turned out perfect for the couple of months we rented that place before buying our house after landing a job)

In my opinion (as someone who drove manual all her life), learning how to drive an automatic car is much easier. But driving shift stick is safer, as you are more attuned to the car and have more control over the car when it's slippery because of snow, ice or rain. But that is just my 2 cents!


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## colchar (Oct 25, 2011)

EVHB said:


> In my opinion (as someone who drove manual all her life), learning how to drive an automatic car is much easier. But driving shift stick is safer, as you are more attuned to the car and have more control over the car when it's slippery because of snow, ice or rain. But that is just my 2 cents!



I don't think either is safer than the other as both are easy to control.


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## Canuck15 (Sep 21, 2016)

colchar said:


> Since public transportation is a municipal and/or provincial responsibility you cannot generalize for the entire country.
> 
> True that; however having been to Hamilton countless times, and witnessed it there really is no comparison to the UK. Two separate family members have recently brought in Hamilton and hence speak from direct experience.
> 
> ...


Generally that is the case (appliances are included), real estate agents have also indicated that is the norm here.


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## colchar (Oct 25, 2011)

Canuck15 said:


> Generally that is the case (appliances are included), real estate agents have also indicated that is the norm here.


But as I said, which appliances are included will vary. Some will include fridge and stove and nothing more. Some will also include a washer and dryer while others won't. Some will include a dishwasher, others won't. And very, very few will include a microwave.


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## Habbey (Oct 11, 2016)

*Hi*

Hello,
Hope you get a good advice by experience colleagues here in the forum.
I need information on how to secure job also in Canada.I am a Laboratory Analyst with a Bachelor degree in Chemistry,living in Germany from Nigeria.
I will appreciate if you can dish out some advice and how to go about it.
Thanks.






mark51165 said:


> Can anyone assist with the following,
> 
> Moving to Hamilton Ontario with work on 1st July 2017, wife and kids to follow a month later.
> 
> ...


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## colchar (Oct 25, 2011)

Habbey said:


> Hello,
> Hope you get a good advice by experience colleagues here in the forum.
> I need information on how to secure job also in Canada.I am a Laboratory Analyst with a Bachelor degree in Chemistry,living in Germany from Nigeria.
> I will appreciate if you can dish out some advice and how to go about it.
> Thanks.



This is hardly relevant to the thread at hand is it?


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## MarylandNed (May 11, 2010)

colchar said:


> Huh? There are countless manual cars on the road. It is not easier to drive an automatic in any way. Automatics might be more common, but that does not mean it is easier to drive one here.


The shift from manual: Why the demise of stick shift is accelerating - The Globe and Mail

The vast majority of cars in Canada are automatic transmission. The number of manual transmission cars has actually decreased considerably to the point where only 3.6% of new car buyers opt for a manual transmission. 

Whether an automatic is easier to drive or not is a matter of personal opinion. For some people coming from the UK, driving a manual car in Canada can take some getting used to because suddenly you have to start changing gears with your right hand rather than your left - while still using your left foot to operate the clutch. Some people pick this up quicker than others. Some just find automatics easier to drive.

Also, the technology behind automatic transmissions has improved considerably. They are now more efficient and economical than manual transmissions.


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## MarylandNed (May 11, 2010)

mark51165 said:


> Can anyone assist with the following,
> 
> Moving to Hamilton Ontario with work on 1st July 2017, wife and kids to follow a month later.
> 
> ...


This might be useful:

https://www.zoocasa.com/blog/top-6-family-friendly-neighbourhoods-in-hamilton/

See if your employer can put you in touch with a reputable real estate agent.


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