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Location: Montreal -> CT -> MA -> Montreal -> Ottawa
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Also a clue: "I can't show it to you yet because [insert stupid excuse here]." Sometimes they will even tell you that you can drive by to see the outside. Um, yeah, because the person doesn't own the place, so even he/she can't see the inside." Really stupid stuff out there.
I am finding good apts in Mississauga for under $1000 on craigslist and wondering why prices are so reasonable compared to the rest of Toronto?
That does sound too good to be true. If it is a scam they'll likely request a deposit before a showing or find a reason why you can't see the place yet. Insist on a showing before you talk money and if they say anything other than yes, then you know it's a scam.
I am finding good apts in Mississauga for under $1000 on craigslist and wondering why prices are so reasonable compared to the rest of Toronto?
A few of my students were scammed through Craigslist like this. They are newcomers to Canada - many of them refugees - so it was a really disheartening early experience for them.
My advice is to search for a place here, not through the Web, and definitely not Craigslist. If you want to rent an apartment, find an area that suits you, do a Google / Google Maps search to find out where the rental buildings in the area are, and then get the phone number for the rental office.
I found all my best places in Toronto this way, and would do it the same way in Sauga if I had to rent. I would suggest the area around Stavebank and Lakeshore (Stavebank east to Hurontario, and the Lakeshore north to the GO tracks). Lots of buildings, a great area within walking distance to shops and businesses (not common in Sauga), and a short drive or bus ride from Square One.
Depending on what you're looking for, there are some great areas to rent in in Mississauga and some really awful ones. It all depends what you're looking for. What's great for me might be awful for you and vice-versa. Violent crime is very low in Mississauga, so the main concerns are things like accessibility to shopping and services, budget, distance to work, family-friendliness, traffic, etc. Mississauga is a suburb on steroids. It's close to a million people living mainly in subdivisions. Not my kind of place, even though I grew up here and am living here right now. Families seem to love it.
Anyhow, be careful setting up a rental agreement long-distance. Follow my advice if you can, even if it means getting a short-term rental while you find a place. Areas with lots of rentals are: Meadowvale, Cooksville, Port Credit, Mississauga Valley, Dundas and Dixie, some parts of Clarkson.
1k will get you a basement apartment at best, in Milton... lol. And people will pounce on that because of the housing shortage.
$1,500 seems the best rate for a bachelor or one bedroom and if you get that, consider yourself lucky.
It's insane these days. Not to mention landlords have so many applications and pick who they like best.
I've been to numerous viewings and bumped into the same people looking for a place multiple times.
The complete and utter insanity that landlords demand is enough to make you pull your hair out.
A rental application is more like a novel these days.
Stoke is right. Rental prices and practices have become ridiculous lately. For some mysterious reason, prices in Mississauga are about the same as Toronto and the scrutiny is just as heavy when dealing with some property management companies.
Unless you can find a family subletting a basement apartment somewhere in Sauga, the price will almost definitely be more than $1000/month for a bachelor. If you're looking at a spiffy place in one of the newer glass boxes, you'll likely have to have a credit check done, show proof of income, pay a deposit for last month's rent, complete an application, and supply references. Most of those things will be necessary to rent an apartment anywhere, but the scrutiny and criteria vary from building to building. Sometimes it can feel like interviewing for a job.
There are still lots of older buildings that look kind of old and dated from the outside but have much bigger apartments than the new glass boxes, cheaper rents, balconies, and less stringent property management companies running them. That's why it's good to cruise an area, apply at as many buildings as possible in a day, and check a place out in person before renting. Some buildings look old and worn on the outside, but are great on the inside. Others are pretty bad inside and out. Some look deceptively nice on the outside but are dumpy inside. Some buildings also have more relaxed management offices that will be happy to rent to you if you can cough up first and last and reassure them you have a regular income.
Pounding the pavement is the best way to find a decent place in your desired neighborhood, IMO.
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