When you work in Niagara, but live in the Greater Toronto Area, our team at Newbigging-Pearson Real Estate knows you have only so many choices for how to get to work.
You can drive yourself, or carpool. Alternatively you can take the GO train, bus, or you can take a different rail service, like VIA Rail. There’s also private transportation options, like Megabus.
The downfall to taking public or private transportation is the hassle of getting to your bus stop or train station. Some commuters end up with a drive, then pay for parking, plus additional public transportation once they arrive in Niagara. On the return trip (and you had better be on time!), it’s more of the same before they can walk in their front door.
For those who drive, you may encounter slow-moving traffic heading into Niagara due to volume or a fender-bender.
Commuters know that getting to work isn’t always going to be easy, especially on winter days when weather reduces visibility and therefore, speed. They are aware they could be missing out on family dinners and children’s activities, suffering strain on relationships, burning out quickly every week, and spending a good chunk of their earnings on travel costs and keeping their car in perfect running order.
Of course, many people will continue commuting until they can afford a down payment in a different community. Planning ahead like this and carefully budgeting is a good exercise for families who are looking forward to home ownership in the near future.
If you are approaching commuter burnout, and you are ready to take on the financial responsibility of buying a home in St. Catharines or elsewhere in Niagara, our Newbigging-Pearson Real Estate team has some questions for you!
What if you could save all the hard-earned money you spend on your commute – like a good portion of your Highway 407 transponder costs; a reduction in your car’s fuel bill; wear and tear on your tires and other maintenance costs, like frequent oil changes – and drastically reduce your travel time by living in Niagara, close to where you work? What if you could attend every single one of your daughter’s baseball games this year? What if you could help coach your son’s hockey team?
Would you look into buying a home in St. Catharines or one of Niagara’s other municipalities? (we have 12!) Would you look into available services, like schools and health care? Would you start looking for your new home in a casual way, by checking the Multiple Listings Service once a week or so? Would you visit the Canadian Real Estate Association’s website to view recent statistics on home prices in Niagara? Would you talk to your financial institution, to see if you qualify for their mortgage program?
If you would do all these things, in the anticipation that you will qualify for a mortgage, find a home you can afford in one of Niagara’s many great areas, and find a great school in which to enroll your children… maybe it’s time to get in touch with our team at NP Real Estate!
In addition to fulfilling your wish list and helping you locate a home you love in St. Catharines or another community that suits you, our NP Real Estate team will stay in touch to regularly provide information about new listings, open houses, tips on how to declutter and pack, suggestions for planning visits to make a day of house hunting… and so much more!
We offer assistance with any aspect of a home purchase you may need, from weighing out pros and cons of a purchase, to offering our advice during the offer presentation process, to suggesting the name of a local real estate lawyer; to even dropping in on moving day, just to say “Hi!”
If you are ready to end the commute to Niagara, the Newbigging-Pearson Real Estate team is ready to help bring you home!
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Want to know more facts about commuting from the GTA? Check out this Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation article on driving until you qualify, right HERE.
Are you ready to end the commute and begin your search for a new home in St. Catharines or Niagara? Reach our Newbigging-Pearson team of real estate experts by calling 289-686-1552, or send us a message via our website contact page, HERE.