Where's a good place to buy property in Halifax?

March 31, 2006 10:28 AM

Where's a good place to buy property in Halifax?

I'm considering purchasing a condo or maybe a single family house in Halifax -- it's been about 8 years since I lived there and I was mostly in the south end and am not sure how much it's changed. I'm looking at places in that area and closer to downtown near the Citadel but I'm not locked to those areas and was wondering if there are any burgeoning areas or locations to avoid?

posted by Big Fat Tycoon to work & money (3 comments total)

I'm from Clayton Park, myself. Downtown would be good for you. The North End always has a delicious bombed out feel to it on rainy days. Gottingen street is rejuvenating itself in a really exciting way. Too bad the Marquee is gone.

Only, I beg of you, you have to understand that you are moving to a lively downtown core with lots of noise and people drinking and carrying on. If you don't like that, don't move there.

I've been in a battle with Montreal city planning to get them to let up on restrictions placed on outdoor festivals due to new condo developments. It's just not right.
posted by jon_kill at 10:49 AM on March 31, 2006

Too bad the Marquee is gone.

Not to topic hijack for a moment, but it's not so bad if you really think about. Having worked with people in management at that place, what's sad is that it didn't close earlier. I can only imagine how much un-needed debt the owners got themselves into trying to pump life into what had been a corpse of a club for the last few years.

Now if the Palace would close, that would be nice.

I found that Halifax proper is the way to go - Bedford and Dartmouth are nice, but just a little too suburban for my wife and I.

The area around Quinpool Rd, near the top of the hill after the Citadel is great - real near Dalhousie Campus, nice school district, not a bad neighborhood.

I don't want to sound like an ass and contradict jon_kill, but avoid Gottigen St. at all costs unless you are brave, single, and like being edgy.

Downtown is for the condos - in which case, there is a really awesome condos around the Lower Water street. However, much like the last poster said, it's loud, loud, loud. People like to yell at 2 in the morning. In the winter, whatever. The summer, though, with the windows open = horrid. Luckily, we got used to it, and eventually missed it when we left. (I know, sounds crazy.)
posted by plaidrabbit at 2:03 PM on March 31, 2006

I haven't lived in Halifax in a couple years, and I never owned when I was there, but here's my 2 cents.

For a single-family house, I'd second the North End recommendation. There are lots of nice places in that area, and not all of them are right on Gottingen Street or anything. I think plaidrabbit is making it out to be worse than it actually is. If you want a house, and you want to live in Halifax (vs Clayton Park or Timberlea, say) I think you'll get your best value in the North End.

As for condos... When I lived in Halifax, I always used to think the new condos being built down along the waterfront were way overpriced, but now that I'm living in Vancouver the Halifax condo pric actually seem quite reasonable. Heh.

My (probably somewhat unrealistic) dream is to move back there when I finish my PhD and buy a big 'ol house in the South End. *sigh*
posted by sanitycheck at 4:02 PM on March 31, 2006