Moving to Waterloo...

[wanton007]

Can anyone recommend some nice neighbourhoods around the Waterloo area?

Some criteria:
House ~$250,000
close to shopping
low crime area
private lots
newer houses (6 yrs old or newer preferred)
lower traffic area, for easier commuting

I have never been to Waterloo and am just wondering if the people that live there could point out some of the better areas. For the commute, I would prefer something within 20 min or so from the RIM offices but I am flexible on the commuting part as well as pricing for housing is the most important part.

Links to new housing developments would also be greatly appreciated.

How is Waterloo as a place to live?

Cheers!!

[Drthorne]

a guy at my work is selling his house, but it's only 2 bedroom... just went on the market. It's on a corner lot and about 10-15minutes from RIM. Quiet street and relatively close to shopping (just opened a new Canadian Tire about 5minutes away and there's more shopping malls being built in the same area) here's the mls listing (http://www.mls.ca/PropertyDetails.aspx?vd=&SearchURL=%3fMode%3d0%26Page%3d1%26vs%3d1%26rlt%3d %26cp%3d%26pt%3d0%26mp%3d0-300000-0%26mrt%3d-1-0-0%26Beds%3d0-0%26Baths%3d0-0%26f%3d%26ft%3dall%26o%3dA%26of%3d1%26ps%3d10%26p tgid%3d1%26aid%3d1151%26MapURL%3d%253fAreaID%253d1 146&Mode=0&PropertyID=5608415)

[brendonp]

I'm not sure if prices have come down or leveled, but I sold my semi-detached in Kitchener which was in a relatively busy traffic area for $210k last year... For $250k I'd think you'd be looking at an older house, or perhaps a semi (I could be wrong, though!). BTW 10-15 mins from RIM park actually allows you to live in Kitchener or Waterloo - it really isn't a huge area. I can hit RIM park in under 20 minutes with good traffic and I live pretty close to the 401...

Waterloo can be a nice place to live; I prefer it to suburbs of TO, but you still may find yourself wandering to downtown Toronto for major sporting events / concerts / etc...

[don242]

I lived in Waterloo for quite awhile growing up. It is a nice area but as you are finding, it is getting pricier (like everywhere). As was mentioned you could go almost anywhere in Waterloo (and even into Kitchener) and still be within 15 minutes of RIM. You will want to be at least 5 minutes away since RIM is close to the universities so housing around there can be in rough shape as they are often rentals.

A lot of newer homes in Laurelwood, Erbsville area, all of which are within your 15 minute limit. I would start searching around there. I am not certain how developed it is in that area as far as commercial necessities (maybe 5 minutes to a grocery store) but residentially it is doing well. Shopping would probably be a little further to get to a mall but still not that far away.

Westvale area, Beechwood are also nice but the homes are getting a little older now (~15-20yrs). You can also try the other end of Waterloo as I am sure there is new development there as well but I haven't been in that area in awhile.

[roguechameleon]

I live in Waterloo, and work at RIM... hopefully I can help you out here.

Based on your criteria:

House ~$250,000

- You should be able to get a small single house for this price, or a semi.

close to shopping

- Waterloo is not a big place... it'll take you 20 mins to get anywhere :)

low crime area

- Waterloo is pretty low crime in general

private lots

- as opposed to public lots? I don't understand what you're looking for here.

newer houses (6 yrs old or newer preferred)

- What you want to look at is Clair Hills, Columbia and Erbsville area

lower traffic area, for easier commuting

- take Columbia all the way to RIM. 10 minutes.

[JWL]

I live in Waterloo, and work at RIM... hopefully I can help you out here.

Based on your criteria:

House ~$250,000

- You should be able to get a small single house for this price, or a semi.

close to shopping

- Waterloo is not a big place... it'll take you 20 mins to get anywhere :)

low crime area

- Waterloo is pretty low crime in general

private lots

- as opposed to public lots? I don't understand what you're looking for here.

newer houses (6 yrs old or newer preferred)

- What you want to look at is Clair Hills, Columbia and Erbsville area

lower traffic area, for easier commuting

- take Columbia all the way to RIM. 10 minutes.

+1 on all those comments. The area referred to is the North-West side of Waterloo.

Welcome to Waterloo!

[wanton007]

a guy at my work is selling his house, but it's only 2 bedroom... just went on the market. It's on a corner lot and about 10-15minutes from RIM. Quiet street and relatively close to shopping (just opened a new Canadian Tire about 5minutes away and there's more shopping malls being built in the same area) here's the mls listing (http://www.mls.ca/PropertyDetails.aspx?vd=&SearchURL=%3fMode%3d0%26Page%3d1%26vs%3d1%26rlt%3d %26cp%3d%26pt%3d0%26mp%3d0-300000-0%26mrt%3d-1-0-0%26Beds%3d0-0%26Baths%3d0-0%26f%3d%26ft%3dall%26o%3dA%26of%3d1%26ps%3d10%26p tgid%3d1%26aid%3d1151%26MapURL%3d%253fAreaID%253d1 146&Mode=0&PropertyID=5608415)

I actually saw that MLS listing and was really intrigued. I went to the realtor's site hoping to find more pictures of the interior but unfortunately didn't find any.

[wanton007]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I'd love to hear more still but it sure seems that Waterloo is a nice city (like Victoria BC).

Nothing is even close to final yet, but I'm hoping that RIM works out for me. From what I understand, it's an awesome place to work so even if this one doesn't pan out, I'll keep trying to get in somehow :)

[sixer]

First of all, people need to know that Kitchener and Waterloo are essentially the same city. It's not like you need to drive 10 mins to get from one to the other. Borders are within the city, one second in kitchener, next in Waterloo.

The bad things about the north west of Waterloo is it's overpriced for what you get, it's crowded in terms of lots of traffic at rush hour, further from main center and the expressway then say for example the west side of Kitchener which will still keep you close to Rim, but get you faster to the express, especially one ira needles blvd has been completed.

Furthermore, Waterloo has higher taxes because of Rim Park screwup, Kitchener has lower taxes. Waterloo has no parking overnight on city streets at ANY time of the year, Kitchener, you can park on city streets from April to November, no restrictions.

Check out the West side of Kitchener for a better bang for your buck.
Closer to shopping, close to downtown, universties, rim park and the expressway. Just my 2 cents.
http://www.mls.ca/PropertyResults.aspx?Mode=0&Page=1&vs=1&rlt=&cp=&pt=1&mp=0-0-0&mrt=-1-0-0&Beds=0-0&Baths=0-0&f=&ft=all&o=A&of=1&ps=50&ptgid=1&aid=1156&MapURL=%3fAreaID%3d1155

[Drthorne]

I actually saw that MLS listing and was really intrigued. I went to the realtor's site hoping to find more pictures of the interior but unfortunately didn't find any.

yeah, he just got divorced a few weeks ago and put the house on the market.

[JWL]

First of all, people need to know that Kitchener and Waterloo are essentially the same city. It's not like you need to drive 10 mins to get from one to the other. Borders are within the city, one second in kitchener, next in Waterloo.

Ya, I used to work in Waterloo and park on the other side of the street in Kitchener!

The bad things about the north west of Waterloo is it's overpriced for what you get, it's crowded in terms of lots of traffic at rush hour, further from main center and the expressway then say for example the west side of Kitchener which will still keep you close to Rim, but get you faster to the express, especially one ira needles blvd has been completed..

Also true that prices are higher, largely because of the proximity to RIM, but also due to lower property taxes (see more below). One area called Laurelwood has been nicknamed RIMwood because so many RIM employees live there.

Furthermore, Waterloo has higher taxes because of Rim Park screwup, Kitchener has lower taxes. Waterloo has no parking overnight on city streets at ANY time of the year, Kitchener, you can park on city streets from April to November, no restrictions..

Kitchener tax rates are actually higher than Waterloo's and have been for many years (I double-checked the rates on each city's website). The gap has narrowed because of the RIM Park financing. However, the actual taxes may be higher in Waterloo because of the higher property values.

Waterloo does have some restrictions on parking on the street: If you want to park on the street, you have to call in to inform the city and you can only do this a certain number of times. If you want to park on the street this is not good. If you prefer that the street not be lined with parked cars this is a good thing.