A Mississauga Condo Search for My Parents

Posted on May 10th, 2012

Last week I looked for a Mississauga Condominium as my parents are interested in moving near me and I discussed looking at a condominium for them. My parents liked this idea because they did not want to deal with yard maintenance any longer. Other than being closer to me, and being free from maintenance like yard work or dealing with snow, a condo in Mississauga offers many other advantages for my parents to enjoy.

Since my parents are getting a little older, living in a big home is getting quite tiring for them, as they have to go up and down the stairs of their house several times a day. Living in a condo apartment would be a better option for them now, since everything in their home would be on the same floor, and an elevator would be there to take care of the rest. Little fixes like these are the kind that make living in a condo a much better option for my parents.

Being closer to me also allows me to help them out faster in case of an emergency, as well as gives them a chance to help me out, and bond with their grandchildren. Living in the City of Mississauga, my parents would also always have something to do, whether it is going down to the mall, the recreation center, the library, or taking their grand kids to the park, the city provides plenty of opportunities for them to stay active, and keep enjoying life as they want to. This idea and lifestyle, of course, sounded quite appealing to my parents, so I knew I had to take the initiative and help them find a place in the city that they can call home.

I knew that there were some condos near me, so I called a Mississauga real estate agent to look at condos in four different buildings. The agent set up the tours and I ended up looking at ten different styles of condos. I loved one of the condo buildings because the condos were spacious. Also, there was an activity area to work out and go swimming in a heated indoor pool.

I took some pictures of the condo I liked and I sent all of the condo information to my parents. My parents loved the condo as much as I did and they are going to put a down payment on a condo next month. If you are in a similar position as I was, and have parents who you would like to move closer to you, while giving them their own independent space, consider suggesting to them how living in a Mississauga condo can work for them.

Posted in People

Find a Perfect Condo in Mississauga

Posted on April 30th, 2012

Are you looking to buy a condominium in Mississauga? Are you looking for the perfect place, but you are not entirely sure where to look because you are not familiar with the area? Mississauga is a great place to live. As the sixth largest city in Canada, this city has plenty to offer both its residents and its visitors. Most of the condos in Mississauga are in the downtown Mississauga area and if you are someone who loves being in the center of it all, you are sure to love living in the area.

You will be within a short distance to the Living Arts Centre, where you can go to enjoy world-class theatre, dance, and music from both local and international art companies. You will also be close to world-class restaurants and plenty of museums and art galleries. Additionally, you will be right by Square One, the one stop shopping mall for anything you need. Square One also includes a bus terminal, so whether you need to get to work, or just want to travel around town, transportation will be no problem for you.

Additionally, the Square One area also offers loads of movie theaters, offices, parks and recreational areas such as the Community Centre, the YMCA, and of course, a library. Recently, the City of Mississauga has also introduced Sheridan College, and a Celebration Square to celebrate all sorts of festivities throughout the year just in front of Square One. So whether you want to grab a great book to read, take part in a hot yoga class, go go-karting, or just enjoy a peaceful walk, you will be able to do just that, and so much more when living in a condo in Mississauga.

No matter who you are, what you like, what you want to do, who you’re with, or how old you are, Mississauga offers an abundance of entertainment, living, and lifestyle options for you. If you are new in the area, and looking for that perfect place, theres nothing that can help you more than an experienced Mississauga real estate agent to ensure that you are getting the exact lifestyle that you’re looking for, alongside that perfect place to stay. If this sounds like the place you want to live, be sure to get in contact with a local real estate agency to help you find the perfect Condo in Mississauga.

If this location and environment seems like a place you may be interested to live in, it’s definately in your best interest to contact a local Mississauga real estate agent and find out what condominium options there are avaliable in the area. If this location seems like the right environment for you, with the right help, you will be able to find the perfect Mississauga condo.

Posted in Places

Homes in Mississauga

Posted on March 24th, 2012

Different types of home choices in Mississauga

Sometimes inexperienced and first time home buyers willingly settle for a home based on just one or two selling points- the quality and features of their home, the bargain price and the geographical location.

Mississauga, Canada’s sixth largest city has something for every taste and budget. Certain neighborhoods in the city like homes (singe detached or semi detached homes), townhouses (freehold of condominiums) and condos (townhouses or apartments) around the Square One area attract new immigrants and young couples who value convenience over everything else.

Middle-aged couples with tweenagers and teenagers may prefer larger homes in quieter neighborhoods, preferably closer to schools.

It is a popular belief that older couples look at homes in older areas of the city populated by seniors their own age and where there are few if any kids running around the streets. On the contrary, many older couples are flocking to vibrant Downtown Mississauga. Seniors spend quality time in walk friendly Downtown Mississauga and enjoy year around festivities. Some seniors also opt to live in the retirement living residences at Mississauga City Centre.

People with medical conditions may consider one of the many apartments, houses and retirement centres in the vicinity of hospitals like Credit Valley and Trillium Medical Centre.

And ofcourse the religious-minded would buy homes in and around the vicinity of their places of worship. And although having these conveniences that appeal to our respective tastes, buyers should be prepared for what it might cost to have these conveniences. It might sometimes make better sense to buy a smaller or less attractive home in a convenient place rather than be saddled with a dream home in a neighborhood that is far from everything and everyone important to you.

In home ownership, you can’t have it all, but you sure can and should decide on priorities before you buy that home of your dreams.

 

Posted in Homes

Choosing Mississauga neighbourhoods

Posted on March 22nd, 2012

Neighborhoods with the most appeal are those that have a mixed population

Mississauga is known for its extremely diverse population, ethnic enclaves flourish alongside more mainstream neighborhoods filled with people every racial background. Dozens of foreign languages apart from English and French are spoken and all cultures co-exist mostly in harmony.

That being said, home buyers need to figure out just what they are looking for besides the home in the neighborhood.

  • Will they fit in?
  • Does it matter if their neighbors do not communicate in languages they understand?
  • What about religious beliefs?
  • If the home buyer is highly westernized, will he be okay living among deeply conservative people? Or vice-versa?

These are uncomfortable questions rarely discussed but these are factors that should determine the Mississauga real estate choices made buy buyers. One couple with no kids made the mistake of buying a gorgeous home in a court location where every one of the eleven other homes had two or three kids. Not only were they out of place, they felt totally left out when the neighbors held court parties and other kiddie events. Needless to say, they quickly moved out into a more appropriate neighborhood.

Usually neighborhoods with the most appeal are those that have a mixed population rather than one that is totally dominated by one group. One ethnic minority recently sold his home in his neighborhood after he realised that every home on his street was filled with people from a particular community. Not that he had anything against that community, it was just that he felt like an outsider. Needless to say, his home sold in a day and no prizes for guessing which community ended up buying his house.

Posted in Places

Mississauga-Nature Lover’s Paradise

Posted on March 20th, 2012

Nature lovers-Mississauga living is for you!

It is not just  geography that has transformed Mississauga into Canada’s 6 largest city but also is its planning of subdivisions by a network of trails, parks and conservation areas that make it among the greenest cities in north America. Large swaths of countryside and woods adjoining the credit river are protected and there to be enjoyed by the residents, Mississauga homes and condo dwellers as well.

You could simply walk or bicycle  into any one of these major trails: Cooksville Creek Trail, Etobicoke Creek Trail, David J Culham Trail and Waterfront Trail.

These are just trails, besides you have parks that run along the Mississauga waterfront, notably Jack Darling park, a beautiful park that is on Lake Ontario. In many of the city’s sprawling parks, families can often be seen picnicking and enjoying themselves on weekends during good weather.  Walking along these trails you cannot tell that you are actually bang in the middle of a bustling city, especially when you see a deer munching on leaves and birds singing a medley in the deep woods of places like Erindale Park.

Mississauga is easily a nature lover’s paradise. Many nature-loving Mississauga residents continue to live and work in the city because it has such a choice insofar as parks, trails and bodies of water are concerned.  Many other emerging cities and towns that are being built up do not have anything resembling the network of parks and trails in Mississauga. Moreover, the trails are continually being expanded and improved and tree-plantation drives happen all over the city leading to a greater forest cover, cleaner air, leafier suburbs and the number of birds attracted to the area.

Apart from the area around the airport that don’t have much tree cover for obvious reasons (planes hitting birds cause expensive damages and can be dangerous) the rest of the city now has more trees today than it did a hundred years ago. Thanks to the environmentally conscious citizens and a responsive and pro-active City Hall.

Posted in Places

Housing for New Immigrants Mississauga

Posted on March 20th, 2012

Renting is popular in Mississauga

The booming real estate market in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver is fantastic news for investors and home owners, but not for new immigrants who find it impossible to own a bit of the action. Rentals in the big cities like Toronto are often beyond the reach of newcomers, so with the result more and more immigrants are looking to places like Markham, Brampton and mostly Mississauga because of the number of companies that have their headquarters and manufacturing units in and around the city. Furthermore with more and more smaller companies being sqeezed out by Toronto’s ever increasing rents and traffic gridlock, they are opting to relocate to places like Mississauga which is relatively closer and well connected to Toronto.

Companies tend to locate based on where their employees and potential employees live.

Mississauga is filled with thousands of young people and families that tend to be better educated, upwardly mobile and very tech savvy.

Rental properties in and around the Mississauga Square One get snapped up fast because of its network of GO and Mississauga Transit routes. Furthermore Islington subway is a mere 20 minute bus ride while the highways connecting to the 401, 427 and QEW are minutes away.

The new Sheridan college campus that opened this year is also attracting thousands of students from all over and many of them are looking to rent in the vicinity so as to cut their travel time.

 

Posted in People

Newcomers in Mississauga

Posted on January 17th, 2012

Newcomers flock to Mississauga

Newcomers are drawn to Mississauga for a variety of reasons, not just the point that it is home to well-established immigrant groups from around the world as well as a solid mix of native born Canadians who’ve lived here several generations and have deep roots in the community.

The infrastructure to help newcomers is pretty strong in Mississauga and furthermore, public transportation has gotten better and better with each passing year. The truth of the matter is that housing is barely keeping up with the growth in population.

Thousands of newcomers live in basement apartments or rent rooms in the homes of other immigrants. But while it is cheaper to rent a basement for struggling immigrants, those immigrants choosing to spend a little more and live in a decent apartment around Square One for example are at a distinct advantage when it comes to getting to jobs or interviews because often the bus stop is steps away from their buildings. Priceless during winter and bad weather.

Buyers investing in condos in such central locations have little or no trouble finding decent and hard working renters who’ve come into the country all set to make a go of it and find jobs as soon as possible. Many of these immigrants end up buying condos or homes in Mississauga as they find themselves well served by everything they need- a large community from their old countries, ethnic grocery stores, places of worship, state-of-the-art hospitals, good schools and house taxes that are reasonable compared to many other cities.

The fact that Pearson airport is located in the city isn’t lost on many choosing to make Mississauga their home. Most of all, housing is not just a necessity but a great investment that is safe as well.

Posted in People