I have to ask you hali87 which part of HRM do you live in if you would ever recommend Sackville/eastern passage as options in replacement for the BLT area in proximity to the down town core. both during slow and high traffic times and offers you the safeness of the smaller "suburb" community feeling one would want to bring child into.
if you live in Sackville or similar places sometimes depending on where your home is bayers lake is just as close as it to smaller commercial/businesses in the mentioned parts of Halifax.
as a person who has lived in the northend, eastern passage and lakeside I would stop any one who has yet to make the mistakes of moving to those places like Sackville, Hammond planes, Cole harbour, eastern passage and such
and as for the school systems you are so wrong.
as a younger more professional male who has been and seen several schools and what goes on with in the school systems and as well as the staff and students being on several meetings for the schools as a student body rep. for 6plus years while attending the school systems there's a few above and beyond reasons why the school systems out that way especially in the school/age rang of elementary and junior high.
I am all for living in the north end as being a great place to call home and maybe plant some roots for a while.
for having a child in the inner city school systems and neighbour hoods there are some real benefits in the matter of personal growth while at a age where a child is building life lessons and values in life.
your more exposed to diversity and different walks of life along with arts and cultures and are not raised what I call (under a rock) which is maybe what some people want for their kids but it does no good when those kids turn to young adults and don't know what this world is really all about.
the north end is really a great and strong place to start in our city of Halifax with all the main amenities I think a person could want and need
(besides Costco) hahah
the only reason I think a person wouldn't move there is price of real-estate because its a very beautiful spot to call home.
depending on which part the north end is very tight knit and when the community's get together you can just feel all the love of home because they will just welcome you in.
as for Bedford I wouldn't want to live any past larry uteck or else its starting to become to high in price for what its really worth if your going to spend that kind of money more in town.
clayton park is honestly just as inconvenient because its all so n spread out. for me its great
I am young and ill walk all day if need be but others and with a family you wants to need to walk kms to get some where's. and for your dollar what you get is also not truly worth it the homes have been made like milk cans and development for quick reseal and little to no detail on style/quality of materials and bones of the homes.
even when looking in the BLT aera I wouldn't by in beechville estates because same thing with quality of bulid.
its a big move and big choice. I hope you make the right move.
this is a city that is slowly moving in possible the right direction and the home market right now is a buyers market with all the condo/luxury apartments on the rise.
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Originally Posted by Hali87
The BLT area is nice, but be aware that it's staunchly suburban and not remotely within walking distance of anything. If that is the kind of environment that you want to live in then I would also recommend checking out Spryfield/Armdale, Clayton Park, Bedford, Dartmouth and Eastern Passage.
If you want something urban/walkable/bikable, the North/West/South Ends are your best bet, along with Downtown Dartmouth*. North and West tend to run a bit cheaper than South, but there are a wide range of price points in each. Something to be aware of is how student-heavy the Peninsula can be. If you want a quieter neighbourhood with minimal risks of being disrupted by loud, drunk 20-somethings late at night, you'll probably want to avoid the areas closest to Downtown and to Dal - if looking in the West End, go west of Oxford, in the South End go south of Morris, in the North End go north of Young St. (of course none of this really matters if you're not bothered by noise). Also be aware that there will be an abundance of places available for the next couple weeks, but as the students start moving back your options will become increasingly sparse, as September approaches. Just perusing Kijiji would give you a good sense of prices/availability. Be careful about utilities - try to get a place with at least heat included because many buildings here are not insulated very well so heating bills can be out of control over the winter. Also if you drive, make sure you arrange parking because on-street parking is often banned during winter storms (even parking streetside in front of your own house).
Honestly all of the public schools in Halifax are reasonably good and it wouldn't make sense to me to live in a specific area "because of the school system".
*Downtown Dartmouth is also a nice area, reasonably affordable (probably comparable to the North End, or better deals) and close to downtown (by ferry), unfortunately one of the main bridges to Dartmouth is undergoing maintenance for the next year or so and is closed all the time which really makes getting around quite difficult.
Fairview is another area you might want to consider, it's a bit further from downtown but still within easy busing/cycling distance. It's more of a streetcar suburb type place, reasonably affordable, and most of my local friends who have bought property have bought in Fairview.
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