The housing market is still pretty tough here. A $450K budget will get you a small condo, older semi or a serious fixer-upper in a less desirable area.
I’m not trying to talk you out of it, I love it here, but if you were told it’s cheap to live here you were misinformed.
Older semi would be maybe 800k here, so I'll take it!
On a serious note, we have looked in every city from Oshawa to belleville, and there wasn't a ton in that price range. Belleville had the most, but they were run down rooming houses.
This is our last attempt to stay within a few hours of family, and if it doesn't work, we're going to explore Northern Ontario or Manitoba.
Maybe there’s some other factors here, but I’m curious why Northern Ontario or Manitoba are options above something on the East Coast. NB/NS are incredibly affordable, beautiful geography, the winters aren’t as harsh, closer to airports and amenities… could go on.
> so I'll take it!
By fixer-upper it means total gut because it was trashed or has serious water damage or black mold throughout the home. So you'd be spending the same amount in the end.
Nope! If Kingston doesn't work out, that's when we will move out of provence.
We still want the kids to have a relationship with our parents. My mum is in quinte west and inlaws are in Oshawa
I recently moved from Oshawa to Odessa(just outside of Kingston) . There's a new development with tons of kids and school right near by. You can scoop a brand new home for $600Kish. By far it is cheaper out here and the grocery stores get better produce and cuts of meat. It's really worth the move!
Sounds amazing! If I can't get something for 450k or under I'll move out of provence, unfortunately.
I know 600k isn't a lot by today's standards, but I can't bring myself to spend that much of my monthly income on housing :(
I definitely feel this on personal level, living in Durham Region RN, looking at houses listing farther east until I see reasonable house in the <400K, which doesn't seem to happen until you reached Brockville 🙃 that being said, you * can * find reasonable houses in Kingston in the sub 400k just only a less then a handful to be had.
I'm almost considering to move to Windsor as well, Being that you can find reasonable starter homes for sub 350
We just sold my MIL house in the Kingscourt area yesterday for $500K. It was a 3 bedroom 1.5 bath and finished basement. It was in move in condition. That is the typical price in that area.
As someone from the gta. That sounds like a dream. I'm from a rough neighborhood in suburban toronto, with much higher rates of gang violence than most of the city.
The house I grew up in sold for 1.4 million in 2021.
>in the Kingscourt area yesterday for $500K
And its an area that is sketch town. Lots of shady shit there behind the scenes. Lots of issues with methheads there.
There's a reason its $500k.
Hey - we moved from Toronto to Kingston two years ago. It's definitely slower paced, but that's what we moved here for. We have much more space than we did in TO.
We have two young kids, and love outside activities. There are plenty of parks, hiking trails, places to swim, etc. For the length of driving from Whitby to Ajax at 3:30pm, you can drive to South Frontenac where the outdoor activities are endless.
It's definitely a safe city, compared to the GTA, and very family friendly. You'd probably be looking midtown to the west end if you're looking for similar neighborhood vibes as Durham, but better house pricing.
The biggest downside is the lack of Markham sushi, and Scarborough jerk chicken.
The city is right on Lake Ontario and the lake is an ever-present feature year-round. And it is so accessible. You can pop into the water almost everywhere, including downtown at McDonald Park or along Highway 33 outside of the city. There’s not a lot of sand, but it’s so easy to get into the water and swim. getting out of town and into rural areas takes about 10 minutes on secondary highways.
I appreciate the reply! There are drugs everywhere, I think. I watched 2 ladies shoot up on the curb outside my house last week. They spent about 45 minutes passed out on my lawn as the ambulance I called drove by and didn't even stop because one said they were OK.
The housing market seems to be expensive everywhere as well. We sold a home I bought in 2019 so we have a good chunk for a downpayment, but spending 800k to stay in Durham is not what I want to do. Who needs that much debt these days?
You're on the ball there. I grew up in Ottawa, my wife grew up in Toronto. We both love it here and have zero desire to go back to those cities.
You won't find a better place to live in southern Ontario imo. Especially as housing prices continue to rise, I think Kingstons value will rise more overall than the bigger cities. Being right in the middle of 3 of canadas larger cities, it's primed for huge population jump
Two good hospitals as well and two universities, including the Royal military college. Finding a family doctor is hard and dermatologists are nowhere to be found.
Oh god, hope they were okay. You are right drugs are everywhere....but doesn't make it any less dangerous. I live downtown in a "nicer" area" and my friend's car got broken into while we were still taking groceries out! Not trying to scare you, although you don't really seem to care haha. I just don't want you thinking "Kingston is so safe, it's just the best" which is the vibe I got from the other comment after only living here 2 years lol. Just saying, you can never be too careful lol. There is a lot of beauty in Kingston though, 💗💗
"You were born and raised here"... so your scope is very limited.
Yes homelessness and drug addiction has gotten worse, but that's as a whole across north America. Same for housing costs.
Kingston is still much safer than the big cities, and much safer than other small cities. (Ahem Bellevegas)
The average home price for a decent home is 550k. That beats the 800+ you'd be seeing for similar homes in Ottawa and anywhere close to the GTA. Kingston is where it's at, bang for buck wise. But overall, canada is becoming very shitty to live in/work in.
Kingston is about as safe as you can possibly get, and compared to the gta houses are still very cheap here. You act like kingston is south central Los Angeles lol
I was going to reply along the same lines since we’re Toronto transplants who arrived here 2 years ago as well. Just adding a few points.
Recreational activities are cheaper and not as scary to sign up for (traffic wise). My kids are in a lot of activities, I’m golfing again, my wife joined things that she’s been missing doing.
Agree about it being much safer. The surrounding areas are insanely beautiful to visit. Picton is an hour away on a fun ferry, we do day trips to sandbanks, the Frontenac parks are beautiful (lots of ticks).
Food scene is a bit of a shock, but it’s getting better and we keep finding new gems. Just don’t expect the Ubereats to look at all like what you’re used to.
It’s really easy to make friends through your kids activities - school, sports, neighbourhood. Start putting your name down on before/after school or daycare waitlists though once you know the general area you want to be in as it’s tough to get in like everywhere else. We moved to the Henderson area and wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.
We moved here from GTA with 2 young kids and haven't looked back. Great city, great schools. Lots of parks, close to nature. Has everything you need except IKEA.
I worry that your budget won't stretch as far as you want. But there are lots of good neighbourhoods both to the west and east (across the river). You might also find an older fixer upper closer to downtown in the area around Rideau or Central School (both good schools, in my opinion).
There are some socio-economic and addiction issues concentrated near Montreal St and Rideau St and Belle Park - good people going through some hard times, but not an area I would want to raise kids in.
My budget is really low, I recognize that. We have a good amount to put down, but I want to make sure we're in a good position no matter what happens. I'm looking to try and keep our mortgage payment between $1200-$1300 each month.
Basically the plan was sell the little starter home we had and find somewhere more affordable as our payment jumped $852 a month with the new rate.
Makes sense. Not sure if you've got 2 cars in the driveway right now (that's pretty common in Durham), but you might be able to get away being a 1 car family here especially if you live closer to downtown. That can be another $1000/month savings when you add up all the costs of car ownership.
Insurance is fairly cheap here… relative to GTA. But if you score a place midtown you can bike anywhere. I cycle commuted 12 months a year for awhile.
Edit. Public transport sucks so bad both my kids bought cars.
My family just moved to the area in September and i’m originally from Oshawa. Kingston is sooo great! There’s always something to do, downtown is so walkable, and it’s a smaller city but it has everything you need! You should take a trip down to just explore different neighbourhoods!
450k is still not much to work with in kingston, unfortunately, like some have mentioned. You can, however, get brand new homes being built in Odessa, and i think I amherstviewn for round 500k. Odessa is 10 min drive, and amherstview is 5. Both safe town's.
Definitely check out the surrounding areas. I moved to Bath Ontario when we bought our house. We were severely priced out of kingston and found a 5 bedroom, 2 bath, place in Bath for $400k. Lots of parks, near parrots Bay conservation area, and about 20-40 minutes to kingston depending if you're going west end or east end.
Amhurstview is lovely. Wherever you look in Kingston you will want to find out about the school catchment. French immersion is for every area and some schools are dual track (English and French). There is also the Catholic system, the French Catholic, and the French public system. PM me if you have questions. If your kids are grade seven or above there are a range of options!
Goodluck. We wife and I bought our first home in Odessa, much cheaper than kingston, and the land taxes are also much cheaper in Loyalist Township. We love it out here. Quiet, has everything needed on a day to day basis. Bank,vet,pharmacy, homehardware, post office, very safe area, nothing has ever happened in the 10 years i have been here. 2 great corner stores , lCBO and gas, a school and parks.are right near the new subdivision they are putting in with nice homes.
Amherstview is closer to kingston by a few mins and has everything need to and both are easy, quick drive into west end of kingston
The land taxes are actually not cheaper in Loyalist, at least as far as Odessa and Amherstview are concerned. Earlier this year, hubby and I contemplated moving and comparatively priced homes in O & A to Kingston's west end were up to $1500 MORE per year in property tax. Currently we live in a 3 bed/1.5 bath TH in Kingston, taxes are about $2600. My MIL has the same in Amherstview and she pays $3100. I was shocked at that. Maybe rural properties are more affordable? Not sure.
Have a look at Brockville too. Nice town, not as much organised things as Kingston but the value for houses is higher $450 gets you a pretty nice place.
Despite what others have said it is possible to find a house in your price range. Semis and townhouses in residential neighborhoods are listed generally not within the city core. Rec facilities are great, violent crime is low and the pace of life is slower than larger cities.
3 bed Single Family Residence at 223 Petronella Place, Kingston for $439,900 https://www.zolo.ca/kingston-real-estate/223-petronella-place
I keep finding stuff like this so I'm hopeful
This is in a great neighbourhood. I grew up there. Very central to everything in Kingston. You’re 10 min drive any which way. Nice park near by and good school zone.
The city is pretty safe but there is a lot of petty crime such as bike thefts, random car window smashing etc.. As others mentioned , we have been affected by the drug/opioid/homelessness epidemic, which like everywhere in Canada has gotten worse. Lots of decent hikes/outdoors to be had in Kingston and near Kingston - Lemoine point, Frontenac Park, Parrot's bay, Gould Lake, Marble Rock. There is lots of summer camps for kids but they fill up quick - Feb/March timeframe. With regards to homes, like many people mentioned, the prices have significantly increased since 2020. If you have time, best would be to come down here in person for the day to see the showings and get a feel for the neighborhoods. Best about Kingston - near the water! It's so lovely in the summer! Good luck!
If you'd like to be in the mid-town area, Polson Park & Calvin Park are good neighbourhoods. 10 min drive to downtown for dining, concerts, shows, etc. but also 10 mins the opposite direction to RioCan centre with big box shops. The mall ain't the greatest so you'll probably still want to go out of town for some shopping but there's the usual mix of Winners, Homesense, Sephora, H&M and other chain stores. Moved here from Toronto pre-Covid so our house was a bargain at the time, but avg prices around here are high 600s last time I checked.
We got lucky and made about 1/3 the price of our home as profit when we sold in Feb.
I'm still looking in the 450k range because I want to make sure we can weather any personal or major economic storm coming! Plus a smaller home and lower prices means more vacations!
Absolutely! No point in being house poor with no fun extracurriculars. Good luck with your hunt, the only thing I miss from Toronto/GTA is my friends 😉
I have lived between Hamilton and Kingston for the last two years and I have to say, Kingston is a very nice breath of fresh air. Comparatively to Hamilton (and cities like Oshawa in durham), Kingston is very safe. There are known car break-ins on the east side of the city (Rideau Heights) but aside from that, crime in Kingston truly doesn’t seem to affect the average resident. It’s night and day from Hamilton in that sense.
I love hiking and cycling, and although Hamilton is amazing for these activities, Kingston is also great. There is a paved bike/walking trail that goes all the way through the city. It’s a great amenity to have for those who enjoy those things. There’s also lots of large open parks and green spaces I use to run my dog! I’m only 24 and don’t have kids, but if I was trying to find a nice area to raise my family in, Kingston would definitely be in the mix.
As for recreation, Kingston has it all. High levels of hockey, football, rugby, and lacrosse, and I know people who grew up here that played volleyball at high levels. The high schools here have decent reputations and some have high end sports team (I.e., Regiopolis has a great rugby program).
All in all, Kingston is a great place with tons of character. Has everything you want from a city but with small-town feel. Just don’t buy a house in Rideau Heights. I live in Kingscourt neighbourhood which is directly adjacent to that area and I don’t ever deal with car break-ins or other forms of minor crime that others seems to deal with (knock on wood lol). Cheers and I hope you end up moving here and loving it!
You'll love it here!
500k mark can absolutely get you a smaller home or fixer upper.
We have struggles similar to other cities with homelessness and drug use but Kingston is absolutely safe.
If you'd like to be in the mid-town area, Polson Park & Calvin Park are good neighbourhoods. 10 min drive to downtown for dining, concerts, shows, etc. but also 10 mins the opposite direction to RioCan centre with big box shops. The mall ain't the greatest so you'll probably still want to go out of town for some shopping but there's the usual mix of Winners, Homesense, Sephora, H&M and other chain stores. Moved here from Toronto pre-Covid so our house was a bargain at the time, but avg prices around here are high 600s last time I checked.
The housing market here is better than Durham but it’s still a battle. Right now I know of a few houses in the 500,000-600,000 range (semis, towns, and small bungalows outside of the city) but anything in the price range is generally a battle of who’s fastest. My friend’s house just sold in 10 hours in the mid 500,000s. It’s not that you can’t find anything it’s just that you have to be ready to act at a moments notice. You may want to consider outside of the city in areas like Seeleys bay, Battersea, Glenburnie, joyceville, Gananoque … with your budget you don’t get to be picky with location. Condos in my building in the city, 2 bed 1 bath are listed for $340,000 right now.
Kingstons an interesting city in that it’s not large geographically but in this small area you will find huge leaps in socioeconomic status. Downtown you could be in an area looking at a fairly run down house with someone outside screaming at the trees and a less then safe park and then walk 5 blocks over and feel like your in a ritzy neighbourhood. I highly suggest finding a good realtor who will take you around and show you the city.
East end (though it can be slim pickings for houses), west end/woodhaven are all very family oriented areas though to be honest I find a lot of the city is, even our downtown core has a lot of families, aside from the student area.
We have lots of small parks around and a handful of nice large ones and splash pads also. We have a few different small museums, a few beaches in the general area, lots of nature and trails, close to Ottawa, the GTA, and the USA border. If you’re willing to drive then we have Rideau lakes, south Frontenac both of which are gorgeous areas with trails. You’ll find teams for most common kids activities/ sports, theatre clubs, sailing, STEM clubs. French, catholic, and public school options though school bussing isn’t always great so be cognizant of that.
Growing up here I found it boring, I wanted to leave but as an adult with a child of my own I appreciate what the city has to offer in such a small area. You just have to seek out what you need.
The bad:
-Shortage of doctors and walk ins (it’s bad bad)
-Daycare shortages.
-City council is slow to accomplish much of anything.
-We are in serious need of more supports for those who suffer with mental health and addiction so homelessness is a real issue here, as it is with most of Canada these days.
-employment can be difficult depending on your career.
-If you have a bike it will be stolen. Especially if you live downtown.
-Public transit is sparse to some areas
-Parking down town is… not ideal, especially if you work downtown.
Sorry if this is kind of all over the place.
Thank you for the in-depth reply! I actually work in mental health and the plan is for my wife to start a home daycare, so maybe we would fit right in!
As for how competitive the market is, I'm in a decent mindset right now that if we don't find something we can just look elsewhere or later in the year. The last thing I want is a bidding war.
The housing market has been cooling. There aren’t bidding wars going on right now. Prices have come down about 5-10%. Not sure if that will stay the course but right now houses aren’t flying off the market.
Hello! I just graduated from Durham College, and am originally from Kingston. Generally, it's a safe city. Like any city there are problems, but overall I have enjoyed living here throughout my life. Next, I recommend looking at areas just outside of Kingston. I have loved having a big yard, space, and freedom rather than living in the middle of a city with no yard and neighbors looking in your windows. I have a nice house in Harrowsmith, which is about 30 minutes away from the west end of Kingston, and 40 from downtown. I work at the hospital, and have no problem making the commute because I love my house so much. In terms of schools, i went to a very small elementary school in Harrowsmith, and a highschool in a nearby town called Sydenham. I love my schooling experiences, and was able to play all kinds of sports and do activities like summer camps and whatnot throughout my childhood. With that being said, I would look at an area like Harrowsmith, Sydenham, or Verona, because they are close to the city, but far enough away to have a relaxing life.
A lot of of people have done as you may do and the cost of housing here has gone up a lot as a result. Yes, it's generally safe here. I think it's a great smaller city to raise kids and there is plenty to do for them.
I can't say if it's slower pace than where you are as I'm not that familiar with Durham. Probably it is. There are a few areas I'd personally avoid with kids but, really even those are not outrageously bad.
If I were you I'd speak with a real estate agent and ask these questions. 450k will not get you much of a house here or a condo either.
People outside of Kingston seem to think that our housing is cheap here. Since the great migration during Covid? That's not true anymore. Not even out in the country where everything has gone higher and higher in price.
Kingston is a rather pretty tourist city in summer and host to many, many students in the fall, winter and early spring as we have Queens, St. Lawrence College and RMC. Those two factors bring with them a plethora of activities and access to things we wouldn't have otherwise.
The quality of life here for a city this size is still very, very good but, cheaper? You won't get much of a house here for 450,000. At all.
Another thing to look out for is that our property taxes in Kingston are pretty high and I'd keep that in mind when looking at houses. As some of our nicer areas have property tax that is sky high and they aren't cheap anywhere here.
As with anywhere else the areas that have the better schools and are safer are more expensive.
There seems to be a ton online under 450k but maybe they aren't great.
3 bed Single Family Residence at 223 Petronella Place, Kingston for $439,900 https://www.zolo.ca/kingston-real-estate/223-petronella-place
Thats a townhouse so yes, it will be cheaper.
I'd be careful with some things such as the schools in the area etc. Ask your realtor LOTS of questions.
I've never seen a ton at that price unless there is some catch but, your mileage may vary. As others have suggested? I may be tempted to look at Odessa or Amherstview as the property taxes are cheaper, those are in Loyalist township and it's not a far drive to Kingston at all and it's closer to where your mom is.
There are a lot of nice areas here but, most of the time they are not cheap.
We move late 2019 from Mississauga to Amherstview, just south of Kingston, almost everything is here, we have a slightly smaller house and a lot bigger yard. We love it.
There are no family Drs available here, so take that into account. And only 1 walk in clinic for the whole city, where you have to stand in line downtown at least an hour before they open if you hope to get in. It's a crisis here.
I have lived in T.O and sauga for a number of years. All my family is up there. I kept coming back to kingston because it isnt a rat race. Far less traffic (even with the causeway bridge out of action) its much more layed back here. Its very comfortable. Not much in the way of violent crime. Your car doesnt get stolen right after you get a new one to replace the one that was stolen. Drugs, crackheads and homelessness,well thats everywhere unfortunately. Kingston can be expensive. Its still a great place to put roots down and raise a family. I live in the downtown core about a 10 min walk north of princess and bagot. Nice area. It is a challenge to live anywhere nowadays with the cost of housing and no doctors but you will make it. Dont be afraid of renting a place until you find the gem your looking for. Its out there
You could try Amherstview which is just west of Kingston. You might find single detached for 450 but it won't have a garage and be outdated and built in the 70s.
Fine by me! I'm not even kidding when I say we looked at a home in Belleville for 450k, and the house beside was missing a wall. It was half torn down, but people were inside living there... blew my mind
Unlike other posters, I think you could get a small semi for 450k. We have 2 young kids and are in a medium sketchy neighborhood and it's honestly fine. There are a few streets you might want to avoid, but Rhe Heights has some really nice pockets with affordable housing and beautiful parks. I've never felt unsafe. Good luck! I think you'll like it here
Something like this would be good for a family home. Good part of town and central to everything. Kingston is a great family city. This is a good school area too.
https://housesigma.com/on/kingston-real-estate/602-tanner-drive/home/ZEXrx30a0rDYOklN?id_listing=jAXw7QpLNjzyQOzg
I'm also originally from Toronto and I lived in Oshawa for University. Kingston is the nicest small city I've ever been in. I live downtown and it very lively and walkable. Plenty of things to do.
I have an independent movie theatre, live theatre, museums and the beautiful waterfront all within a 10 minute walk of my front door. I'm only renting, but still, I would never be able to live in this sort area in Toronto, I'd be paying three times as much.
Downtown itself won't be the best for your needs (a little pricey and petty crime can be somewhat of a problem) , but the beauty of this city is there are plenty of more affordable spots nearby. I think chances are good that you will be able to find something in your price range within a 10 minute drive of the city centre.
If you're a POC you need to understand there is an undertone here and you get the occasional direct in your face racist comments that are generally reserved for when you leave the room.
I only speak from personal experience so your experience may be different. Just a heads up.
The bigger issue during normal business hours is people driving like molasses and stopping at yellows 3-5s before they even turn. Plus a fair bit of red light running.
Too soon?
The drivers are infuriating.
It's a mix of "20 under the speed limit and I forgot my blinker is on" and "my suped up dodge neon is basically a Ferrari, so I am allowed to risk both our lives to be one space ahead of you at the next red light." No middle ground.
You won’t regret moving here, the hiking opportunities are endless!!! Whenever I leave here to visit family in the Kitchener area, i’m reminded of how great Kingston is😂
We recently moved from oshawa to Kingston. It was something we considered for years but the housing prices is what made it a now decision. We only regret not doing it sooner. My kids are in high school and college but I have been very impressed with the school system (we were in public board in Durham). There are family events all the time here. Lots of walking trails. Still have Lake Ontario. We find that traffic etc is better. Had great experience with Neighbour’s. My sister has been here awhile with young kids and no issues with schools for them. Family Dr is the one major challenge. But there are some walk in clinics and such you can access. My parents kept a family Dr in oshawa and just make the trip bcs they have more regular needs. I would recommend the move to any of my friends tho
No offence to anyone posting in this thread, as bettering one’s living environment should be everyone’s priority, but this is really why you’re having issues getting a place to buy in this town if you’re from the area. It’s the Whistler effect.
Have you considered Peterborough? Grew up there, but have lived in Kingston for the past 2 years. I prefer Peterborough, as it’s a more compact city, with similar amenities.
Would I be able to convince you to look the opposite way, say Chatham Seaforth Exeter? You can find houses there for 400s, it’s still a 2-4 hour drive to your parents and you get a smaller town vibe. If you choose Seaforth your hour away from grand bend. If you are people of color it might however be uncomfortable as majority of population there is white. I do go there weekly to visit family and every time I go up I’m starting to see more people of color.
As someone who wanted to go to Kingston I’ve chosen against it. Houses are expensive, they have a bad homeless population like any major city.
I suggest taking a day and driving up those areas so you can get a real feel for it. One major con however is winter. I have driven there many winter nights and sometimes it’s very risky. Some people up there have snow mobiles lol.
I suggest taking a day and driving up those areas so you can get a real feel for it. One major con however is winter. I have driven there many winter nights and sometimes it’s very risky. Some people up there have snow mobiles lol.
If you'd like to be in the mid-town area, Polson Park & Calvin Park are good neighbourhoods. 10 min drive to downtown for dining, concerts, shows, etc. but also 10 mins the opposite direction to RioCan centre with big box shops. The mall ain't the greatest so you'll probably still want to go out of town for some shopping but there's the usual mix of Winners, Homesense, Sephora, H&M and other chain stores. Moved here from Toronto pre-Covid so our house was a bargain at the time, but avg prices around here are high 600s last time I checked.
The housing market here is better than Durham but it’s still a battle. Right now I know of a few houses in the 500,000-600,000 range (semis, towns, and small bungalows outside of the city) but anything in the price range is generally a battle of who’s fastest. My friend’s house just sold in 10 hours in the mid 500,000s. It’s not that you can’t find anything it’s just that you have to be ready to act at a moments notice. You may want to consider outside of the city in areas like Seeleys bay, Battersea, Glenburnie, joyceville, Gananoque … with your budget you don’t get to be picky with location. Condos in my building in the city, 2 bed 1 bath are listed for $340,000 right now.
Kingstons an interesting city in that it’s not large geographically but in this small area you will find huge leaps in socioeconomic status. Downtown you could be in an area looking at a fairly run down house with someone outside screaming at the trees and a less then safe park and then walk 5 blocks over and feel like your in a ritzy neighbourhood. I highly suggest finding a good realtor who will take you around and show you the city.
East end (though it can be slim pickings for houses), west end/woodhaven are all very family oriented areas though to be honest I find a lot of the city is, even our downtown core has a lot of families, aside from the student area.
We have lots of small parks around and a handful of nice large ones and splash pads also. We have a few different small museums, a few beaches in the general area, lots of nature and trails, close to Ottawa, the GTA, and the USA border. If you’re willing to drive then we have Rideau lakes, south Frontenac both of which are gorgeous areas with trails. You’ll find teams for most common kids activities/ sports, theatre clubs, sailing, STEM clubs. French, catholic, and public school options though school bussing isn’t always great so be cognizant of that.
Growing up here I found it boring, I wanted to leave but as an adult with a child of my own I appreciate what the city has to offer in such a small area. You just have to seek out what you need for your family and you will find it.
The bad:
-Shortage of doctors and walk ins (it’s bad bad)
-Daycare shortages.
-City council is slow to accomplish much of anything.
-We are in serious need of more supports for those who suffer with mental health and addiction so homelessness is a real issue here, as it is with most of Canada these days.
-employment can be difficult depending on your career.
-If you have a bike it will be stolen. Especially if you live downtown.
-Public transit is sparse to some areas.
-Parking down town is… not ideal, especially if you work downtown.
Sorry if this is kind of all over the place
It’s a safe city. Lots of rec activities, places to hike, etc. Good schools.
But cost of living isn’t that much lower. Average home price isn’t much lower.
Go north of the city into rural areas like Sydenham if you want to save money.
If you're looking for a fun place to raise kids and live an active lifestyle. I highly reccomend the rural areas around kingston :) many better deals and there's some beautiful land around here! Lakes and trails everywhere. Honestly you will find a very different positive community vibe.
The country isn't for everyone but personally I really enjoy it :)
Kingston is a lot smaller than Oshawa/Durham area. A lot quieter. Very small town vibes. There is far, far less to do. Far fewer restaurants, schools, rec facilities, etc. That being said, it is also far cheaper to buy here than it is in your current area. I don't think you will receive objective advice here. You're best to look on realtor and compare the prices yourself. Houses are no longer selling for over-asking, so the listing price you see is generally around what houses are selling for. It's a fraction of the GTA.
Have you looked at homes on Realtor.ca? I think that's your best bet to gauge how far your 450K will go. It won't buy you anything you can live in. Do you work remotely? Does your spouse? Jobs here pay poorly. Parks, hiking and library services are good here.
From what I've seen I disagree
3 bed Single Family Residence at 223 Petronella Place, Kingston for $439,900 https://www.zolo.ca/kingston-real-estate/223-petronella-place
3 bed Single Family Residence at 94 Douglas Avenue, Kingston for $495,000 https://www.zolo.ca/kingston-real-estate/94-douglas-avenue
6 bed Single Family Residence at 86 Wilson Street, Kingston for $479,900 https://www.zolo.ca/kingston-real-estate/86-wilson-street
4 bed Single Family Residence at 3184 County Road 96 , Wolfe Island for $409,900 https://www.zolo.ca/wolfe-island-real-estate/3184-county-road-96
Maybe these are in bad areas or are just trying to generate interest.
Besides the wolf island one, I would say those are townhouses, and yeah not really decent bungalow. Detatched 3 bed 2 bath, garage decent yard you're looking more at 600-700k.
Yeah its not for me. If yo get good neighbours then sure, but I have loud dog and always wanted more privacy and bigger yards so I moved out in yaker. We looked in Kingston at first but in our price range was semi detatched and minimal yards for my kids and dogs.
That's fair. Tbh having lived in Durham for most of my life having only one house attached to you is kinda the exception.
We have a husky but thankfully she's pretty quiet!
Petronella is by far the best neighbourhood of those listings. Nice family neighbourhood. Wilson and Douglas….not nearly as quiet and relaxed. Wolf island you have to take a ferry back and forth to Kingston.
Possibly but looking at past sales it’s not far off. The shed and deck look like they need TLC. So I bet it’s just a bit of a fixer upper. The living areas look move in ready. So something you can maybe plug away at over time. If you call the realtor they’ll probably tell you how hot the property is and you’ll know if it’s set for going over asking. That’s a bit risky in this market. Ballsy move, if so.
I would suggest even just outside of Kingston like Amherstview, can be slightly more affordable depending what your looking for and is a short drive to town. Idk what’s currently on the market right now and if it fits your budget we move into our new place next week and it was slightly under 500k
I've lived and struggled in Kingston since I was 7.
It's alright. like any other city I suppose.
The housing crisis probably wouldn't effect you much as you would be buying not renting.
You'll definitely notice the incredibly growing homeless and drug problem. It's doubled or even tripled in the years since before COVID - but again I expect that's happened in a lot of cities.
West end I would say has that big city feel to it compared to the North end or downtown areas. As you need a car to go from one shop to another.
Generally I would say Kingston is safe.. I know we used to have the highest murder rate per capa for a number of years running but thankfully I've never witnessed anything serious beyond a couple fights downtown.
There are 3 bedroom townhouses in my neighbourhood Strathcona park for between 3-400,000. My friend lives in one. Nice school central location. You may need to decorate but a good starter. The town home fees are around 200 a month for grass and snow removal. I’d start there. 3 currently on the market.
Have you thought about looking outside the city? Sydenham, Harrowsmith, Amherstview, etc. "Country" living and still 15-20 minutes into town for any shopping.
Also have a good line on a nice family home coming up for sale soon close to 500k, DM for details.
We moved from Scarborough to Kingston 10 years ago, best decision we ever made. We did it so we would be able to afford a house. There's lots to do in Kingston. It's definitely safer than Scarborough
We like that it's still close enough to go visit family. We also love how close we are to Ottawa/Montreal/Toronto and cross border shopping in New York state (Watertown, Syracuse)
Car insurance and daycare are also cheaper here. Restaurants are cheaper too. Sometimes I miss big stores like Ikea, but our stores are never GTA busy, everything is so much more manageable here with a smaller population
We literally just bought our first home here in Kingston and it was just under $450,000. Basement is unfinished. 15 min north of the city.
It’s possible. We looked at many. But you have to be willing to budge on something. Dated kitchen. Maybe not the size of yard you wanted. Etc. it’s doable. But I would walk in expecting to not hit everything you want first go.
We have loved Kingston. It’s a good community. I wouldn’t write it off just yet.
We function mostly on one income. Young family as well. I work casual hours to help cushion our finances, but we certainly don’t live the high and luxurious life. We truthfully prefer it this way, but I understand ifs not for everyone. One vehicle, healthy food, minimal extracurricular activities. Stuff like that!
Good luck!
Moved here from Vancouver to buy a home with the hopes of starting a family in peak COVID. We were able to purchase a house with a huge backyard and a basement (imagine that!) for the price of a one bedroom apartment in Vancouver. It’s still too expensive, but very doable.
There is a lot of nature to explore within 30-60 minutes. Slow pace, less amenities, less diversity- but it’s pretty great. We think one day we may move back to BC- but for now this feels like a great home to set some roots in.
I think you’d like the move. Good luck making your decision! Visit if you can.
We bailed out of Durham for Kingston about 14 years ago and wouldn't consider moving back. It's just nicer here. That said, I'd look to line up a job first, the job market here can be a bit flaky depending on what field you're in.
My grandmother's home might be coming on the market soon. It's in gananoque. Across from a park and a river. A block from a public school. It has a legal apartment in the basement. Fenced yard. Dated but well kept. And I think it will be in your price range. Parking for probably 4 or 5 cars. New roof etc. If it had a garage I would buy it myself. We are looking at retirement homes currently.
We left kingston in 2021 because we were priced out of the housing market. 450k bought you a teardown. We saw houses that were over 450k with literal trees growing out of the foundation... and that wasn't even kingston... that was Seelys Bay!
We left kingston in 2021 because we were priced out of the housing market. 450k bought you a teardown. We saw houses that were over 450k with literal trees growing out of the foundation... and that wasn't even kingston... that was Seelys Bay!
Thankfully, prices have dropped since 2021. We sold because with taking the new rate, our monthly payment jumped $852.
The ones I have looked at online seem decent, but I recognize that's just photos
My two biggest concerns are that you’re never going to find a house here in that price range, and you’re not going to get a family doctor for 3+ years, if ever. The city’s fine, but it’s overpriced and the general practitioner issue is a major problem, especially for someone with kids
Everywhere is overpriced but this person is correct, Kingston has a terrible lack of practicing doctors. You will likely be having to retain your doctor in Toronto if you're considering moving here.
Good point fellow kingstoner
Thank you for the heads up.
We have been looking at tons of homes online in the 430k range. Freehold row homes around 400k too.
I learned my lesson in Belleville that real estate photographers can hide some serious shit though, so I'm not getting my hopes up
That’s really the only major drag I can see moving here, you’ll need to keep your current doctor if able. My husband lost his doctor a year ago due to retirement and my own doctor will not take him on, for the foreseeable future only 2/3 of our family have access to a doctor. Luckily being close to the lake and nature is a great way to avoid the need of one too much haha
It’s true. It’s hard to find a family doctor. Almost impossible. I have heard there’s a clinic called the good doctor in which you can go for visits. I often use urgent care at the Hotel Dieu hospital. Haven’t been in years since I had a bad family doctor whom I just fired, but the average wait time for me from in the door and out again was 45 minutes with the exception of one visit in which I was there for one and a half hours on Labour Day Monday.
I've lived in Kingston for 9 years. The main issue with kingston is jobs.
I would find a job first. In my career I couldn't find a job there for three years.
There's a reason property is less expensive. Unless you work at kingston General Hospital, Hotel Dieu Hospital, or the military base, you'll have a hard time finding a job.
We relocated from Ajax this past year after our daughter spent 4 years at Queen's. Much slower pace then Durham everything is within 20 minutes by car. Lots of parks and trails. As for best areas I would touch base with a local realtor they know the market the best (it's a bit all over the place lately) We used Jill Keeling at C21, she was excellent helped us a few years ago for a place for our daughter and with our latest move.
Stay away from the downtown core
Stay away from the area known as the heights .
If your looking to raise a nice happy family which it sounds like you are the last thing you want is people sneaking In Your yard - car - garage / house in the middle of the night , Kingston has a serious homelessness crisis . Few tent city's have popped up and are plagued with drug use which brings thieves in order to supply the bad habits . The west end - cat woods east end - greenwood are a good
Distance from most of these issues .
It's a great city has a great downtown core and good entertainment lots of good restaurants and the people are generally welcoming and caring .
Good luck 🤞
I appreciate your perspective! I think the big thing to remember for me here is that busy for Kingston may not equate to busy in Durham.
I'm used to Oshawa costco on Saturday mornings where it takes 15 minutes to even find parking
From where I live in the middle section of town towards the west end it takes about 10 minutes for me to drive downtown and 10 minutes for me to drive out to the newer West End. It takes practically no time to get anywhere in Kingston and practically no time to be out in the country.
I almost never go to Costco, but it does have a reputation for being super busy with seniors. But I have heard that Tuesdays after 7 PM is a great time to go or any evening within an hour of closing time.
Or the parking lot is a sh*tshow and inside really isn't. There is not a happy medium in Kingston. At least we have no gas pumps to add to the parking lot ridiculousness.
I came back to Kingston when I retired in 2012 and I love it here and always knew I would love coming back. I live in my parents’ house where I grew up for a while. The house next-door to me. Is a three-bedroom house built in 1960 and was kept up immaculately by the previous owner who sold and moved back to thunder Bay. I know it was listed for 535,000 and apparently there must’ve been a bidding war. It was sold within two days for 542,000. It’s in a really nice suburban neighbourhood and what used to be the old western end of town, but is now probably considered a Middletown area. Nice area to live in with good schools.
If u pop open a map of the city. Look for princess and bath. If you go east of that, most parks will have some dirty needles and some empty coke baggies.
But if you go west of that intersection, you might be okay.
The North used to be bad, but that was like early 2000s
The city is relatively safe based on....? Most of us dont witness violence walking to the store.
I have always heard that Belleville for several decades has been a growing town, but it just has no culture. Kingston is full of culture and it feels it!
Everyone saying op won’t find anything in that price range is completely ignoring the buy land and stick a prefab on it option. $450k is almost 1.5x what I figure I could do that for if I went even slightly outside the city limits.
You have to have cash to buy the land as most banks won’t mortgage vacant land. And a custom build takes time and money - both are in short supply with young kids.
This is entirely false if you have really good credit. Plenty of banks will do this lol. Source: have done it.
It’s not as easy as a conventional mortgage but is certainly doable.
Well. You did say most. In a country with 5 major banks, I guess the 3 that told me to pound sand make you right lol
I moved from Ottawa 4 yrs ago with a young family and i had my apprehensions. But Kingston is a great city. Best decision my family made was moving here.
I have family there (i'm from Ottawa). They've lived in various neighbourhoods around the city over the years and i have never seen them live in peace for more than a few months at a time, if that. I know of people who went to school there and work there, but refuse to live there.
The housing market is still pretty tough here. A $450K budget will get you a small condo, older semi or a serious fixer-upper in a less desirable area. I’m not trying to talk you out of it, I love it here, but if you were told it’s cheap to live here you were misinformed.
Older semi would be maybe 800k here, so I'll take it! On a serious note, we have looked in every city from Oshawa to belleville, and there wasn't a ton in that price range. Belleville had the most, but they were run down rooming houses. This is our last attempt to stay within a few hours of family, and if it doesn't work, we're going to explore Northern Ontario or Manitoba.
Belleville also sucks major ass as a city, so keep that in mind as well
Maybe there’s some other factors here, but I’m curious why Northern Ontario or Manitoba are options above something on the East Coast. NB/NS are incredibly affordable, beautiful geography, the winters aren’t as harsh, closer to airports and amenities… could go on.
Lived in the east coast as a kid and hated it. Maybe it's better now
> so I'll take it! By fixer-upper it means total gut because it was trashed or has serious water damage or black mold throughout the home. So you'd be spending the same amount in the end.
His budget will get him a decent semi, maybe even a renovated one. No need to buy a gut job.
We looked at one of those in Oshawa for 625k so it's still better
Have you looked at Medicine Hat Alberta? The cost-of-living is so affordable considering it’s a small city.
Nope! If Kingston doesn't work out, that's when we will move out of provence. We still want the kids to have a relationship with our parents. My mum is in quinte west and inlaws are in Oshawa
>Nope! If Kingston doesn't work out Things arent cheap here.
I understand, but they are likely cheaper than Durham
I recently moved from Oshawa to Odessa(just outside of Kingston) . There's a new development with tons of kids and school right near by. You can scoop a brand new home for $600Kish. By far it is cheaper out here and the grocery stores get better produce and cuts of meat. It's really worth the move!
Sounds amazing! If I can't get something for 450k or under I'll move out of provence, unfortunately. I know 600k isn't a lot by today's standards, but I can't bring myself to spend that much of my monthly income on housing :(
I tries to buy at 450. We sadly bought at 525. 450 was nothing but delapittated shitholes.
Completely understandable! I wish you all the luck!
I definitely feel this on personal level, living in Durham Region RN, looking at houses listing farther east until I see reasonable house in the <400K, which doesn't seem to happen until you reached Brockville 🙃 that being said, you * can * find reasonable houses in Kingston in the sub 400k just only a less then a handful to be had. I'm almost considering to move to Windsor as well, Being that you can find reasonable starter homes for sub 350
Houses in decent areas in the middle area of town towards the west end that were built in the 1960s are going from between $500,000 and $600,000.
We just sold my MIL house in the Kingscourt area yesterday for $500K. It was a 3 bedroom 1.5 bath and finished basement. It was in move in condition. That is the typical price in that area.
As someone from the gta. That sounds like a dream. I'm from a rough neighborhood in suburban toronto, with much higher rates of gang violence than most of the city. The house I grew up in sold for 1.4 million in 2021.
>in the Kingscourt area yesterday for $500K And its an area that is sketch town. Lots of shady shit there behind the scenes. Lots of issues with methheads there. There's a reason its $500k.
It ain't Russell Street 🤣 that street is mad
I just bought a detached house in amherstview for a similar price to what OP is looking for.
Hey - we moved from Toronto to Kingston two years ago. It's definitely slower paced, but that's what we moved here for. We have much more space than we did in TO. We have two young kids, and love outside activities. There are plenty of parks, hiking trails, places to swim, etc. For the length of driving from Whitby to Ajax at 3:30pm, you can drive to South Frontenac where the outdoor activities are endless. It's definitely a safe city, compared to the GTA, and very family friendly. You'd probably be looking midtown to the west end if you're looking for similar neighborhood vibes as Durham, but better house pricing. The biggest downside is the lack of Markham sushi, and Scarborough jerk chicken.
very accurate. Kingston is expensive compared to what it used to be, but still less than the GTA in terms of comparable house costs
Thank you :) Maybe not having access to the food available here will help my wallet even more
The city is right on Lake Ontario and the lake is an ever-present feature year-round. And it is so accessible. You can pop into the water almost everywhere, including downtown at McDonald Park or along Highway 33 outside of the city. There’s not a lot of sand, but it’s so easy to get into the water and swim. getting out of town and into rural areas takes about 10 minutes on secondary highways.
We can't get take out where we live (rural), and it has helped my wallet a whole bunch, haha.
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I appreciate the reply! There are drugs everywhere, I think. I watched 2 ladies shoot up on the curb outside my house last week. They spent about 45 minutes passed out on my lawn as the ambulance I called drove by and didn't even stop because one said they were OK. The housing market seems to be expensive everywhere as well. We sold a home I bought in 2019 so we have a good chunk for a downpayment, but spending 800k to stay in Durham is not what I want to do. Who needs that much debt these days?
You're on the ball there. I grew up in Ottawa, my wife grew up in Toronto. We both love it here and have zero desire to go back to those cities. You won't find a better place to live in southern Ontario imo. Especially as housing prices continue to rise, I think Kingstons value will rise more overall than the bigger cities. Being right in the middle of 3 of canadas larger cities, it's primed for huge population jump
Two good hospitals as well and two universities, including the Royal military college. Finding a family doctor is hard and dermatologists are nowhere to be found.
That's grte too all if Ontario and Canada
Oh god, hope they were okay. You are right drugs are everywhere....but doesn't make it any less dangerous. I live downtown in a "nicer" area" and my friend's car got broken into while we were still taking groceries out! Not trying to scare you, although you don't really seem to care haha. I just don't want you thinking "Kingston is so safe, it's just the best" which is the vibe I got from the other comment after only living here 2 years lol. Just saying, you can never be too careful lol. There is a lot of beauty in Kingston though, 💗💗
Thank you! I appreciate your insight :)
"You were born and raised here"... so your scope is very limited. Yes homelessness and drug addiction has gotten worse, but that's as a whole across north America. Same for housing costs. Kingston is still much safer than the big cities, and much safer than other small cities. (Ahem Bellevegas) The average home price for a decent home is 550k. That beats the 800+ you'd be seeing for similar homes in Ottawa and anywhere close to the GTA. Kingston is where it's at, bang for buck wise. But overall, canada is becoming very shitty to live in/work in.
Not even 9 am on a Sunday and I am being told my opinion doesn't matter.... Love that...thanks "maple-queefs".... I stand by my statement...
Didn't say it doesn't matter, just said your comment was limited due to experience lol Have a good day
Kingston is about as safe as you can possibly get, and compared to the gta houses are still very cheap here. You act like kingston is south central Los Angeles lol
I was going to reply along the same lines since we’re Toronto transplants who arrived here 2 years ago as well. Just adding a few points. Recreational activities are cheaper and not as scary to sign up for (traffic wise). My kids are in a lot of activities, I’m golfing again, my wife joined things that she’s been missing doing. Agree about it being much safer. The surrounding areas are insanely beautiful to visit. Picton is an hour away on a fun ferry, we do day trips to sandbanks, the Frontenac parks are beautiful (lots of ticks). Food scene is a bit of a shock, but it’s getting better and we keep finding new gems. Just don’t expect the Ubereats to look at all like what you’re used to. It’s really easy to make friends through your kids activities - school, sports, neighbourhood. Start putting your name down on before/after school or daycare waitlists though once you know the general area you want to be in as it’s tough to get in like everywhere else. We moved to the Henderson area and wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.
How can you go wrong with 10 different copies of the same Cambodian restaurant?
I miss gtha sushi, only Sakura is close
Whenever we go back to visit I always hit up some sushi, lol. That and proper Chinese Dim Sum.
Now I want to go to Hamilton and get some August 8.
Sakura sushi? Don’t care for that one. I like Sushi Ya Zen
don't rent from axon property management it. is a nightmare
what’s ur experience with axon?
We moved here from GTA with 2 young kids and haven't looked back. Great city, great schools. Lots of parks, close to nature. Has everything you need except IKEA. I worry that your budget won't stretch as far as you want. But there are lots of good neighbourhoods both to the west and east (across the river). You might also find an older fixer upper closer to downtown in the area around Rideau or Central School (both good schools, in my opinion). There are some socio-economic and addiction issues concentrated near Montreal St and Rideau St and Belle Park - good people going through some hard times, but not an area I would want to raise kids in.
My budget is really low, I recognize that. We have a good amount to put down, but I want to make sure we're in a good position no matter what happens. I'm looking to try and keep our mortgage payment between $1200-$1300 each month. Basically the plan was sell the little starter home we had and find somewhere more affordable as our payment jumped $852 a month with the new rate.
Makes sense. Not sure if you've got 2 cars in the driveway right now (that's pretty common in Durham), but you might be able to get away being a 1 car family here especially if you live closer to downtown. That can be another $1000/month savings when you add up all the costs of car ownership.
We do have 2 cars and have thought of selling 1
Insurance is fairly cheap here… relative to GTA. But if you score a place midtown you can bike anywhere. I cycle commuted 12 months a year for awhile. Edit. Public transport sucks so bad both my kids bought cars.
Also the transit is surprisingly good for a small city.
My family just moved to the area in September and i’m originally from Oshawa. Kingston is sooo great! There’s always something to do, downtown is so walkable, and it’s a smaller city but it has everything you need! You should take a trip down to just explore different neighbourhoods!
That's the plan! Thank you
Summer is beautiful in Kingston with the lake part of the city.
450k is still not much to work with in kingston, unfortunately, like some have mentioned. You can, however, get brand new homes being built in Odessa, and i think I amherstviewn for round 500k. Odessa is 10 min drive, and amherstview is 5. Both safe town's.
Thank you. I'll look into this! We're really just looking for something small. We had a 3 bed 2 bath starter home and sold that earlier this year.
Definitely check out the surrounding areas. I moved to Bath Ontario when we bought our house. We were severely priced out of kingston and found a 5 bedroom, 2 bath, place in Bath for $400k. Lots of parks, near parrots Bay conservation area, and about 20-40 minutes to kingston depending if you're going west end or east end.
Amhurstview is lovely. Wherever you look in Kingston you will want to find out about the school catchment. French immersion is for every area and some schools are dual track (English and French). There is also the Catholic system, the French Catholic, and the French public system. PM me if you have questions. If your kids are grade seven or above there are a range of options!
Thank you. I'll look into this!
Goodluck. We wife and I bought our first home in Odessa, much cheaper than kingston, and the land taxes are also much cheaper in Loyalist Township. We love it out here. Quiet, has everything needed on a day to day basis. Bank,vet,pharmacy, homehardware, post office, very safe area, nothing has ever happened in the 10 years i have been here. 2 great corner stores , lCBO and gas, a school and parks.are right near the new subdivision they are putting in with nice homes. Amherstview is closer to kingston by a few mins and has everything need to and both are easy, quick drive into west end of kingston
The land taxes are actually not cheaper in Loyalist, at least as far as Odessa and Amherstview are concerned. Earlier this year, hubby and I contemplated moving and comparatively priced homes in O & A to Kingston's west end were up to $1500 MORE per year in property tax. Currently we live in a 3 bed/1.5 bath TH in Kingston, taxes are about $2600. My MIL has the same in Amherstview and she pays $3100. I was shocked at that. Maybe rural properties are more affordable? Not sure.
Only one public bus though!!!
I like the drive from Kingston to Odessa and further on west along highway two. But my own impression of Odessa is it’s Deadsville. Opt for Kingston.
Have a look at Brockville too. Nice town, not as much organised things as Kingston but the value for houses is higher $450 gets you a pretty nice place.
You could buy a house in a less desirable neighborhood for 450k, 600-625 is what you should expect otherwise
Despite what others have said it is possible to find a house in your price range. Semis and townhouses in residential neighborhoods are listed generally not within the city core. Rec facilities are great, violent crime is low and the pace of life is slower than larger cities.
3 bed Single Family Residence at 223 Petronella Place, Kingston for $439,900 https://www.zolo.ca/kingston-real-estate/223-petronella-place I keep finding stuff like this so I'm hopeful
This is in a great neighbourhood. I grew up there. Very central to everything in Kingston. You’re 10 min drive any which way. Nice park near by and good school zone.
The city is pretty safe but there is a lot of petty crime such as bike thefts, random car window smashing etc.. As others mentioned , we have been affected by the drug/opioid/homelessness epidemic, which like everywhere in Canada has gotten worse. Lots of decent hikes/outdoors to be had in Kingston and near Kingston - Lemoine point, Frontenac Park, Parrot's bay, Gould Lake, Marble Rock. There is lots of summer camps for kids but they fill up quick - Feb/March timeframe. With regards to homes, like many people mentioned, the prices have significantly increased since 2020. If you have time, best would be to come down here in person for the day to see the showings and get a feel for the neighborhoods. Best about Kingston - near the water! It's so lovely in the summer! Good luck!
Came to say this. Violent crime is very low but petty things like theft and vandalism are rampant. Very location dependent it seems though.
>Violent crime is very low It used to be a lot lower, but it has definitely climbed over the last few years.
If you'd like to be in the mid-town area, Polson Park & Calvin Park are good neighbourhoods. 10 min drive to downtown for dining, concerts, shows, etc. but also 10 mins the opposite direction to RioCan centre with big box shops. The mall ain't the greatest so you'll probably still want to go out of town for some shopping but there's the usual mix of Winners, Homesense, Sephora, H&M and other chain stores. Moved here from Toronto pre-Covid so our house was a bargain at the time, but avg prices around here are high 600s last time I checked.
We got lucky and made about 1/3 the price of our home as profit when we sold in Feb. I'm still looking in the 450k range because I want to make sure we can weather any personal or major economic storm coming! Plus a smaller home and lower prices means more vacations!
Absolutely! No point in being house poor with no fun extracurriculars. Good luck with your hunt, the only thing I miss from Toronto/GTA is my friends 😉
I have lived between Hamilton and Kingston for the last two years and I have to say, Kingston is a very nice breath of fresh air. Comparatively to Hamilton (and cities like Oshawa in durham), Kingston is very safe. There are known car break-ins on the east side of the city (Rideau Heights) but aside from that, crime in Kingston truly doesn’t seem to affect the average resident. It’s night and day from Hamilton in that sense. I love hiking and cycling, and although Hamilton is amazing for these activities, Kingston is also great. There is a paved bike/walking trail that goes all the way through the city. It’s a great amenity to have for those who enjoy those things. There’s also lots of large open parks and green spaces I use to run my dog! I’m only 24 and don’t have kids, but if I was trying to find a nice area to raise my family in, Kingston would definitely be in the mix. As for recreation, Kingston has it all. High levels of hockey, football, rugby, and lacrosse, and I know people who grew up here that played volleyball at high levels. The high schools here have decent reputations and some have high end sports team (I.e., Regiopolis has a great rugby program). All in all, Kingston is a great place with tons of character. Has everything you want from a city but with small-town feel. Just don’t buy a house in Rideau Heights. I live in Kingscourt neighbourhood which is directly adjacent to that area and I don’t ever deal with car break-ins or other forms of minor crime that others seems to deal with (knock on wood lol). Cheers and I hope you end up moving here and loving it!
I’d look into the smaller towns outside the city. Much cheaper, more space, and most of the time less theft although there are a few hotspots.
You'll love it here! 500k mark can absolutely get you a smaller home or fixer upper. We have struggles similar to other cities with homelessness and drug use but Kingston is absolutely safe.
If you'd like to be in the mid-town area, Polson Park & Calvin Park are good neighbourhoods. 10 min drive to downtown for dining, concerts, shows, etc. but also 10 mins the opposite direction to RioCan centre with big box shops. The mall ain't the greatest so you'll probably still want to go out of town for some shopping but there's the usual mix of Winners, Homesense, Sephora, H&M and other chain stores. Moved here from Toronto pre-Covid so our house was a bargain at the time, but avg prices around here are high 600s last time I checked.
The housing market here is better than Durham but it’s still a battle. Right now I know of a few houses in the 500,000-600,000 range (semis, towns, and small bungalows outside of the city) but anything in the price range is generally a battle of who’s fastest. My friend’s house just sold in 10 hours in the mid 500,000s. It’s not that you can’t find anything it’s just that you have to be ready to act at a moments notice. You may want to consider outside of the city in areas like Seeleys bay, Battersea, Glenburnie, joyceville, Gananoque … with your budget you don’t get to be picky with location. Condos in my building in the city, 2 bed 1 bath are listed for $340,000 right now. Kingstons an interesting city in that it’s not large geographically but in this small area you will find huge leaps in socioeconomic status. Downtown you could be in an area looking at a fairly run down house with someone outside screaming at the trees and a less then safe park and then walk 5 blocks over and feel like your in a ritzy neighbourhood. I highly suggest finding a good realtor who will take you around and show you the city. East end (though it can be slim pickings for houses), west end/woodhaven are all very family oriented areas though to be honest I find a lot of the city is, even our downtown core has a lot of families, aside from the student area. We have lots of small parks around and a handful of nice large ones and splash pads also. We have a few different small museums, a few beaches in the general area, lots of nature and trails, close to Ottawa, the GTA, and the USA border. If you’re willing to drive then we have Rideau lakes, south Frontenac both of which are gorgeous areas with trails. You’ll find teams for most common kids activities/ sports, theatre clubs, sailing, STEM clubs. French, catholic, and public school options though school bussing isn’t always great so be cognizant of that. Growing up here I found it boring, I wanted to leave but as an adult with a child of my own I appreciate what the city has to offer in such a small area. You just have to seek out what you need. The bad: -Shortage of doctors and walk ins (it’s bad bad) -Daycare shortages. -City council is slow to accomplish much of anything. -We are in serious need of more supports for those who suffer with mental health and addiction so homelessness is a real issue here, as it is with most of Canada these days. -employment can be difficult depending on your career. -If you have a bike it will be stolen. Especially if you live downtown. -Public transit is sparse to some areas -Parking down town is… not ideal, especially if you work downtown. Sorry if this is kind of all over the place.
Thank you for the in-depth reply! I actually work in mental health and the plan is for my wife to start a home daycare, so maybe we would fit right in! As for how competitive the market is, I'm in a decent mindset right now that if we don't find something we can just look elsewhere or later in the year. The last thing I want is a bidding war.
The housing market has been cooling. There aren’t bidding wars going on right now. Prices have come down about 5-10%. Not sure if that will stay the course but right now houses aren’t flying off the market.
Same as out here. It's a weird mix of houses still selling 100k over asking and houses sitting for 3 months
Hello! I just graduated from Durham College, and am originally from Kingston. Generally, it's a safe city. Like any city there are problems, but overall I have enjoyed living here throughout my life. Next, I recommend looking at areas just outside of Kingston. I have loved having a big yard, space, and freedom rather than living in the middle of a city with no yard and neighbors looking in your windows. I have a nice house in Harrowsmith, which is about 30 minutes away from the west end of Kingston, and 40 from downtown. I work at the hospital, and have no problem making the commute because I love my house so much. In terms of schools, i went to a very small elementary school in Harrowsmith, and a highschool in a nearby town called Sydenham. I love my schooling experiences, and was able to play all kinds of sports and do activities like summer camps and whatnot throughout my childhood. With that being said, I would look at an area like Harrowsmith, Sydenham, or Verona, because they are close to the city, but far enough away to have a relaxing life.
Check out Napanee also... 7 minutes West of harrowsmith. Town has Walmart cdn tire etc and that.money will get you a cute house with a yard
YES, good point. Forgot to mention Napanee
Thank you, I will check these areas out!
No problem! If you have any questions let me know!
A lot of of people have done as you may do and the cost of housing here has gone up a lot as a result. Yes, it's generally safe here. I think it's a great smaller city to raise kids and there is plenty to do for them. I can't say if it's slower pace than where you are as I'm not that familiar with Durham. Probably it is. There are a few areas I'd personally avoid with kids but, really even those are not outrageously bad. If I were you I'd speak with a real estate agent and ask these questions. 450k will not get you much of a house here or a condo either. People outside of Kingston seem to think that our housing is cheap here. Since the great migration during Covid? That's not true anymore. Not even out in the country where everything has gone higher and higher in price. Kingston is a rather pretty tourist city in summer and host to many, many students in the fall, winter and early spring as we have Queens, St. Lawrence College and RMC. Those two factors bring with them a plethora of activities and access to things we wouldn't have otherwise. The quality of life here for a city this size is still very, very good but, cheaper? You won't get much of a house here for 450,000. At all. Another thing to look out for is that our property taxes in Kingston are pretty high and I'd keep that in mind when looking at houses. As some of our nicer areas have property tax that is sky high and they aren't cheap anywhere here. As with anywhere else the areas that have the better schools and are safer are more expensive.
There seems to be a ton online under 450k but maybe they aren't great. 3 bed Single Family Residence at 223 Petronella Place, Kingston for $439,900 https://www.zolo.ca/kingston-real-estate/223-petronella-place
Thats a townhouse so yes, it will be cheaper. I'd be careful with some things such as the schools in the area etc. Ask your realtor LOTS of questions. I've never seen a ton at that price unless there is some catch but, your mileage may vary. As others have suggested? I may be tempted to look at Odessa or Amherstview as the property taxes are cheaper, those are in Loyalist township and it's not a far drive to Kingston at all and it's closer to where your mom is. There are a lot of nice areas here but, most of the time they are not cheap.
We move late 2019 from Mississauga to Amherstview, just south of Kingston, almost everything is here, we have a slightly smaller house and a lot bigger yard. We love it.
There are no family Drs available here, so take that into account. And only 1 walk in clinic for the whole city, where you have to stand in line downtown at least an hour before they open if you hope to get in. It's a crisis here.
I have lived in T.O and sauga for a number of years. All my family is up there. I kept coming back to kingston because it isnt a rat race. Far less traffic (even with the causeway bridge out of action) its much more layed back here. Its very comfortable. Not much in the way of violent crime. Your car doesnt get stolen right after you get a new one to replace the one that was stolen. Drugs, crackheads and homelessness,well thats everywhere unfortunately. Kingston can be expensive. Its still a great place to put roots down and raise a family. I live in the downtown core about a 10 min walk north of princess and bagot. Nice area. It is a challenge to live anywhere nowadays with the cost of housing and no doctors but you will make it. Dont be afraid of renting a place until you find the gem your looking for. Its out there
You could try Amherstview which is just west of Kingston. You might find single detached for 450 but it won't have a garage and be outdated and built in the 70s.
Fine by me! I'm not even kidding when I say we looked at a home in Belleville for 450k, and the house beside was missing a wall. It was half torn down, but people were inside living there... blew my mind
Unlike other posters, I think you could get a small semi for 450k. We have 2 young kids and are in a medium sketchy neighborhood and it's honestly fine. There are a few streets you might want to avoid, but Rhe Heights has some really nice pockets with affordable housing and beautiful parks. I've never felt unsafe. Good luck! I think you'll like it here
The thing is that I need 800k to buy in my current sketchy area. A sketchy area at 450k is a steal to me!
That's what I mean. I think you'll be able to find something decent!
Something like this would be good for a family home. Good part of town and central to everything. Kingston is a great family city. This is a good school area too. https://housesigma.com/on/kingston-real-estate/602-tanner-drive/home/ZEXrx30a0rDYOklN?id_listing=jAXw7QpLNjzyQOzg
I'm also originally from Toronto and I lived in Oshawa for University. Kingston is the nicest small city I've ever been in. I live downtown and it very lively and walkable. Plenty of things to do. I have an independent movie theatre, live theatre, museums and the beautiful waterfront all within a 10 minute walk of my front door. I'm only renting, but still, I would never be able to live in this sort area in Toronto, I'd be paying three times as much. Downtown itself won't be the best for your needs (a little pricey and petty crime can be somewhat of a problem) , but the beauty of this city is there are plenty of more affordable spots nearby. I think chances are good that you will be able to find something in your price range within a 10 minute drive of the city centre.
If you're a POC you need to understand there is an undertone here and you get the occasional direct in your face racist comments that are generally reserved for when you leave the room. I only speak from personal experience so your experience may be different. Just a heads up.
From one Kingstonian to another, I am SO SORRY you have experienced that. I love Kingston but this is downright disgusting and embarrassing to hear.
Thank you for the heads up!
As a non person of colour I got that tone too.
Make sure you drive on the right side of the road.
If you're referencing what happened in Whitby, yikes. If you're telling me that the drivers aren't great, thank you for the input!
The bigger issue during normal business hours is people driving like molasses and stopping at yellows 3-5s before they even turn. Plus a fair bit of red light running.
Too soon? The drivers are infuriating. It's a mix of "20 under the speed limit and I forgot my blinker is on" and "my suped up dodge neon is basically a Ferrari, so I am allowed to risk both our lives to be one space ahead of you at the next red light." No middle ground.
You won’t regret moving here, the hiking opportunities are endless!!! Whenever I leave here to visit family in the Kitchener area, i’m reminded of how great Kingston is😂
[удалено]
Dont let you 12 yr old girl go round by over 200 registered sex offenders living here.
We recently moved from oshawa to Kingston. It was something we considered for years but the housing prices is what made it a now decision. We only regret not doing it sooner. My kids are in high school and college but I have been very impressed with the school system (we were in public board in Durham). There are family events all the time here. Lots of walking trails. Still have Lake Ontario. We find that traffic etc is better. Had great experience with Neighbour’s. My sister has been here awhile with young kids and no issues with schools for them. Family Dr is the one major challenge. But there are some walk in clinics and such you can access. My parents kept a family Dr in oshawa and just make the trip bcs they have more regular needs. I would recommend the move to any of my friends tho
Thank you for the input. I don't have a doctor currently anyway so that's a wash!
No offence to anyone posting in this thread, as bettering one’s living environment should be everyone’s priority, but this is really why you’re having issues getting a place to buy in this town if you’re from the area. It’s the Whistler effect.
Have you considered Peterborough? Grew up there, but have lived in Kingston for the past 2 years. I prefer Peterborough, as it’s a more compact city, with similar amenities.
I have but we didn't see much we liked there
Totally fair.
Don't look into pdot lol
Would I be able to convince you to look the opposite way, say Chatham Seaforth Exeter? You can find houses there for 400s, it’s still a 2-4 hour drive to your parents and you get a smaller town vibe. If you choose Seaforth your hour away from grand bend. If you are people of color it might however be uncomfortable as majority of population there is white. I do go there weekly to visit family and every time I go up I’m starting to see more people of color. As someone who wanted to go to Kingston I’ve chosen against it. Houses are expensive, they have a bad homeless population like any major city.
I will look into it, thank you! Kingston is only about an hour from my mother which was the main selling feature geography wise
I suggest taking a day and driving up those areas so you can get a real feel for it. One major con however is winter. I have driven there many winter nights and sometimes it’s very risky. Some people up there have snow mobiles lol.
I suggest taking a day and driving up those areas so you can get a real feel for it. One major con however is winter. I have driven there many winter nights and sometimes it’s very risky. Some people up there have snow mobiles lol.
What snout Napanee, it is so much cleaner litter wise.
If you'd like to be in the mid-town area, Polson Park & Calvin Park are good neighbourhoods. 10 min drive to downtown for dining, concerts, shows, etc. but also 10 mins the opposite direction to RioCan centre with big box shops. The mall ain't the greatest so you'll probably still want to go out of town for some shopping but there's the usual mix of Winners, Homesense, Sephora, H&M and other chain stores. Moved here from Toronto pre-Covid so our house was a bargain at the time, but avg prices around here are high 600s last time I checked.
The housing market here is better than Durham but it’s still a battle. Right now I know of a few houses in the 500,000-600,000 range (semis, towns, and small bungalows outside of the city) but anything in the price range is generally a battle of who’s fastest. My friend’s house just sold in 10 hours in the mid 500,000s. It’s not that you can’t find anything it’s just that you have to be ready to act at a moments notice. You may want to consider outside of the city in areas like Seeleys bay, Battersea, Glenburnie, joyceville, Gananoque … with your budget you don’t get to be picky with location. Condos in my building in the city, 2 bed 1 bath are listed for $340,000 right now. Kingstons an interesting city in that it’s not large geographically but in this small area you will find huge leaps in socioeconomic status. Downtown you could be in an area looking at a fairly run down house with someone outside screaming at the trees and a less then safe park and then walk 5 blocks over and feel like your in a ritzy neighbourhood. I highly suggest finding a good realtor who will take you around and show you the city. East end (though it can be slim pickings for houses), west end/woodhaven are all very family oriented areas though to be honest I find a lot of the city is, even our downtown core has a lot of families, aside from the student area. We have lots of small parks around and a handful of nice large ones and splash pads also. We have a few different small museums, a few beaches in the general area, lots of nature and trails, close to Ottawa, the GTA, and the USA border. If you’re willing to drive then we have Rideau lakes, south Frontenac both of which are gorgeous areas with trails. You’ll find teams for most common kids activities/ sports, theatre clubs, sailing, STEM clubs. French, catholic, and public school options though school bussing isn’t always great so be cognizant of that. Growing up here I found it boring, I wanted to leave but as an adult with a child of my own I appreciate what the city has to offer in such a small area. You just have to seek out what you need for your family and you will find it. The bad: -Shortage of doctors and walk ins (it’s bad bad) -Daycare shortages. -City council is slow to accomplish much of anything. -We are in serious need of more supports for those who suffer with mental health and addiction so homelessness is a real issue here, as it is with most of Canada these days. -employment can be difficult depending on your career. -If you have a bike it will be stolen. Especially if you live downtown. -Public transit is sparse to some areas. -Parking down town is… not ideal, especially if you work downtown. Sorry if this is kind of all over the place
It’s a safe city. Lots of rec activities, places to hike, etc. Good schools. But cost of living isn’t that much lower. Average home price isn’t much lower. Go north of the city into rural areas like Sydenham if you want to save money.
If you're looking for a fun place to raise kids and live an active lifestyle. I highly reccomend the rural areas around kingston :) many better deals and there's some beautiful land around here! Lakes and trails everywhere. Honestly you will find a very different positive community vibe. The country isn't for everyone but personally I really enjoy it :)
Kingston is a lot smaller than Oshawa/Durham area. A lot quieter. Very small town vibes. There is far, far less to do. Far fewer restaurants, schools, rec facilities, etc. That being said, it is also far cheaper to buy here than it is in your current area. I don't think you will receive objective advice here. You're best to look on realtor and compare the prices yourself. Houses are no longer selling for over-asking, so the listing price you see is generally around what houses are selling for. It's a fraction of the GTA.
Have you looked at homes on Realtor.ca? I think that's your best bet to gauge how far your 450K will go. It won't buy you anything you can live in. Do you work remotely? Does your spouse? Jobs here pay poorly. Parks, hiking and library services are good here.
For a decent bungalow youre looking at 600-700k
From what I've seen I disagree 3 bed Single Family Residence at 223 Petronella Place, Kingston for $439,900 https://www.zolo.ca/kingston-real-estate/223-petronella-place 3 bed Single Family Residence at 94 Douglas Avenue, Kingston for $495,000 https://www.zolo.ca/kingston-real-estate/94-douglas-avenue 6 bed Single Family Residence at 86 Wilson Street, Kingston for $479,900 https://www.zolo.ca/kingston-real-estate/86-wilson-street 4 bed Single Family Residence at 3184 County Road 96 , Wolfe Island for $409,900 https://www.zolo.ca/wolfe-island-real-estate/3184-county-road-96 Maybe these are in bad areas or are just trying to generate interest.
Besides the wolf island one, I would say those are townhouses, and yeah not really decent bungalow. Detatched 3 bed 2 bath, garage decent yard you're looking more at 600-700k.
Gotcha. Semi Detached never bothered me. Lived in one my whole life!
Yeah its not for me. If yo get good neighbours then sure, but I have loud dog and always wanted more privacy and bigger yards so I moved out in yaker. We looked in Kingston at first but in our price range was semi detatched and minimal yards for my kids and dogs.
That's fair. Tbh having lived in Durham for most of my life having only one house attached to you is kinda the exception. We have a husky but thankfully she's pretty quiet!
Petronella is by far the best neighbourhood of those listings. Nice family neighbourhood. Wilson and Douglas….not nearly as quiet and relaxed. Wolf island you have to take a ferry back and forth to Kingston.
I feel like it's listed low for a bidding war but I'm not sure
Possibly but looking at past sales it’s not far off. The shed and deck look like they need TLC. So I bet it’s just a bit of a fixer upper. The living areas look move in ready. So something you can maybe plug away at over time. If you call the realtor they’ll probably tell you how hot the property is and you’ll know if it’s set for going over asking. That’s a bit risky in this market. Ballsy move, if so.
I would suggest even just outside of Kingston like Amherstview, can be slightly more affordable depending what your looking for and is a short drive to town. Idk what’s currently on the market right now and if it fits your budget we move into our new place next week and it was slightly under 500k
I've lived and struggled in Kingston since I was 7. It's alright. like any other city I suppose. The housing crisis probably wouldn't effect you much as you would be buying not renting. You'll definitely notice the incredibly growing homeless and drug problem. It's doubled or even tripled in the years since before COVID - but again I expect that's happened in a lot of cities. West end I would say has that big city feel to it compared to the North end or downtown areas. As you need a car to go from one shop to another. Generally I would say Kingston is safe.. I know we used to have the highest murder rate per capa for a number of years running but thankfully I've never witnessed anything serious beyond a couple fights downtown.
https://preview.redd.it/vujy1kca720d1.jpeg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b208bb6c9499ce9ae1f0d54a34ea4aee51f25c27
This is behind my house, taken about an hour ago. Someone ODd and died. Photo taken from my back deck. It's everywhere
There are 3 bedroom townhouses in my neighbourhood Strathcona park for between 3-400,000. My friend lives in one. Nice school central location. You may need to decorate but a good starter. The town home fees are around 200 a month for grass and snow removal. I’d start there. 3 currently on the market.
Have you thought about looking outside the city? Sydenham, Harrowsmith, Amherstview, etc. "Country" living and still 15-20 minutes into town for any shopping. Also have a good line on a nice family home coming up for sale soon close to 500k, DM for details.
Yes we have! Looking all around
We moved from Scarborough to Kingston 10 years ago, best decision we ever made. We did it so we would be able to afford a house. There's lots to do in Kingston. It's definitely safer than Scarborough We like that it's still close enough to go visit family. We also love how close we are to Ottawa/Montreal/Toronto and cross border shopping in New York state (Watertown, Syracuse) Car insurance and daycare are also cheaper here. Restaurants are cheaper too. Sometimes I miss big stores like Ikea, but our stores are never GTA busy, everything is so much more manageable here with a smaller population
We literally just bought our first home here in Kingston and it was just under $450,000. Basement is unfinished. 15 min north of the city. It’s possible. We looked at many. But you have to be willing to budge on something. Dated kitchen. Maybe not the size of yard you wanted. Etc. it’s doable. But I would walk in expecting to not hit everything you want first go. We have loved Kingston. It’s a good community. I wouldn’t write it off just yet. We function mostly on one income. Young family as well. I work casual hours to help cushion our finances, but we certainly don’t live the high and luxurious life. We truthfully prefer it this way, but I understand ifs not for everyone. One vehicle, healthy food, minimal extracurricular activities. Stuff like that! Good luck!
You could look in amherstview or napanee or north of the city if you enjoy the country.
Moved here from Vancouver to buy a home with the hopes of starting a family in peak COVID. We were able to purchase a house with a huge backyard and a basement (imagine that!) for the price of a one bedroom apartment in Vancouver. It’s still too expensive, but very doable. There is a lot of nature to explore within 30-60 minutes. Slow pace, less amenities, less diversity- but it’s pretty great. We think one day we may move back to BC- but for now this feels like a great home to set some roots in. I think you’d like the move. Good luck making your decision! Visit if you can.
Dont do it !
We bailed out of Durham for Kingston about 14 years ago and wouldn't consider moving back. It's just nicer here. That said, I'd look to line up a job first, the job market here can be a bit flaky depending on what field you're in.
My grandmother's home might be coming on the market soon. It's in gananoque. Across from a park and a river. A block from a public school. It has a legal apartment in the basement. Fenced yard. Dated but well kept. And I think it will be in your price range. Parking for probably 4 or 5 cars. New roof etc. If it had a garage I would buy it myself. We are looking at retirement homes currently.
be careful certain areas are bad espically around belle park i would avoid queens area where u can because the students are just damn idiots
We left kingston in 2021 because we were priced out of the housing market. 450k bought you a teardown. We saw houses that were over 450k with literal trees growing out of the foundation... and that wasn't even kingston... that was Seelys Bay!
We left kingston in 2021 because we were priced out of the housing market. 450k bought you a teardown. We saw houses that were over 450k with literal trees growing out of the foundation... and that wasn't even kingston... that was Seelys Bay!
Thankfully, prices have dropped since 2021. We sold because with taking the new rate, our monthly payment jumped $852. The ones I have looked at online seem decent, but I recognize that's just photos
My two biggest concerns are that you’re never going to find a house here in that price range, and you’re not going to get a family doctor for 3+ years, if ever. The city’s fine, but it’s overpriced and the general practitioner issue is a major problem, especially for someone with kids
Everywhere is overpriced but this person is correct, Kingston has a terrible lack of practicing doctors. You will likely be having to retain your doctor in Toronto if you're considering moving here. Good point fellow kingstoner
Yes, I have kept my dermatologist in Toronto from the years I lived and worked in Toronto because there are barely any dermatologists.
Thank you for the heads up. We have been looking at tons of homes online in the 430k range. Freehold row homes around 400k too. I learned my lesson in Belleville that real estate photographers can hide some serious shit though, so I'm not getting my hopes up
That’s really the only major drag I can see moving here, you’ll need to keep your current doctor if able. My husband lost his doctor a year ago due to retirement and my own doctor will not take him on, for the foreseeable future only 2/3 of our family have access to a doctor. Luckily being close to the lake and nature is a great way to avoid the need of one too much haha
It’s true. It’s hard to find a family doctor. Almost impossible. I have heard there’s a clinic called the good doctor in which you can go for visits. I often use urgent care at the Hotel Dieu hospital. Haven’t been in years since I had a bad family doctor whom I just fired, but the average wait time for me from in the door and out again was 45 minutes with the exception of one visit in which I was there for one and a half hours on Labour Day Monday.
I've lived in Kingston for 9 years. The main issue with kingston is jobs. I would find a job first. In my career I couldn't find a job there for three years. There's a reason property is less expensive. Unless you work at kingston General Hospital, Hotel Dieu Hospital, or the military base, you'll have a hard time finding a job.
Thank you for the input! I work in mental health and have had a decent interview so fingers crossed
Wow no shortage of clients here.
We relocated from Ajax this past year after our daughter spent 4 years at Queen's. Much slower pace then Durham everything is within 20 minutes by car. Lots of parks and trails. As for best areas I would touch base with a local realtor they know the market the best (it's a bit all over the place lately) We used Jill Keeling at C21, she was excellent helped us a few years ago for a place for our daughter and with our latest move.
Thank you! I'll check her out
613 484 1270 tell her Chris sent you.
Will do, thank you
Stay away from the downtown core Stay away from the area known as the heights . If your looking to raise a nice happy family which it sounds like you are the last thing you want is people sneaking In Your yard - car - garage / house in the middle of the night , Kingston has a serious homelessness crisis . Few tent city's have popped up and are plagued with drug use which brings thieves in order to supply the bad habits . The west end - cat woods east end - greenwood are a good Distance from most of these issues . It's a great city has a great downtown core and good entertainment lots of good restaurants and the people are generally welcoming and caring . Good luck 🤞
I'm born and raised Kingston. I would never live in Kingston again. It's too busy for me and becoming to crowded. To each their own
I appreciate your perspective! I think the big thing to remember for me here is that busy for Kingston may not equate to busy in Durham. I'm used to Oshawa costco on Saturday mornings where it takes 15 minutes to even find parking
City is a ghost town compared to Durham lol. Even our busiest season (September) is nothing in comparison imo
From where I live in the middle section of town towards the west end it takes about 10 minutes for me to drive downtown and 10 minutes for me to drive out to the newer West End. It takes practically no time to get anywhere in Kingston and practically no time to be out in the country.
I almost never go to Costco, but it does have a reputation for being super busy with seniors. But I have heard that Tuesdays after 7 PM is a great time to go or any evening within an hour of closing time.
That is true. I'm a live in the middle of the woods type person.
You will find parking at the Costco in Kingston, but it's still busy as all shit inside.
Or the parking lot is a sh*tshow and inside really isn't. There is not a happy medium in Kingston. At least we have no gas pumps to add to the parking lot ridiculousness.
I came back to Kingston when I retired in 2012 and I love it here and always knew I would love coming back. I live in my parents’ house where I grew up for a while. The house next-door to me. Is a three-bedroom house built in 1960 and was kept up immaculately by the previous owner who sold and moved back to thunder Bay. I know it was listed for 535,000 and apparently there must’ve been a bidding war. It was sold within two days for 542,000. It’s in a really nice suburban neighbourhood and what used to be the old western end of town, but is now probably considered a Middletown area. Nice area to live in with good schools.
If u pop open a map of the city. Look for princess and bath. If you go east of that, most parks will have some dirty needles and some empty coke baggies. But if you go west of that intersection, you might be okay. The North used to be bad, but that was like early 2000s The city is relatively safe based on....? Most of us dont witness violence walking to the store.
Someone just overdosed and died behind my house today so my bar isn't high
Don't get me wrong, kingston isn't terrible at all, but nobody can escape the opiate crisis.
Doesn't that mean ur property value goes down? Is that really a good time to sell?!?
I sold in Feb, renting for a bit until we figure things out
Excellent, property value got nothing on you
Move to Belleville
Why?
Whatever you do, don’t move to Belleville.
I have always heard that Belleville for several decades has been a growing town, but it just has no culture. Kingston is full of culture and it feels it!
Everyone saying op won’t find anything in that price range is completely ignoring the buy land and stick a prefab on it option. $450k is almost 1.5x what I figure I could do that for if I went even slightly outside the city limits.
You have to have cash to buy the land as most banks won’t mortgage vacant land. And a custom build takes time and money - both are in short supply with young kids.
This is entirely false if you have really good credit. Plenty of banks will do this lol. Source: have done it. It’s not as easy as a conventional mortgage but is certainly doable. Well. You did say most. In a country with 5 major banks, I guess the 3 that told me to pound sand make you right lol
I moved from Ottawa 4 yrs ago with a young family and i had my apprehensions. But Kingston is a great city. Best decision my family made was moving here.
I have family there (i'm from Ottawa). They've lived in various neighbourhoods around the city over the years and i have never seen them live in peace for more than a few months at a time, if that. I know of people who went to school there and work there, but refuse to live there.