”说书唱戏劝人方，三条大路走中央。善恶到头终有报。人间正道是沧桑“
Previously, we have mentioned some tips for international students staying with homestay families in Canada for those who have not yet reached the legal age and have come to Toronto to study. Now, we will give you some insights on how to choose a suitable home if you have reached the legal age and want to rent a home alone or with friends.
In addition to studying, renting a house is one of the most important matters for international students in Canada, because it involves thinking about money for rent, finding a convenient location, ease of transportation, finding a comfortable environment, and maintaining a good relationship with the landlord. Let's take a look at life studying abroad in Toronto. We will talk about where to rent and what kind of home to rent. In this video, Scott talks about Toronto, as an example, to list a few important matters.
Toronto's General Geographic Regions.
If you want to rent a good home, you must first understand the local geographic location to narrow down your choices. The city of Toronto includes six districts: Old Toronto, Scarborough, North York, East York, York and Etobicoke. As for the Greater Toronto Area, some surrounding cities are included.
In general, the better residential areas are generally located in the east of Yonge Street in North York, the north and west of Scarborough, and parts of Etobicoke. The Old Toronto area is relatively older and more crowded because of its early development.
After understanding the general areas of Toronto, let's talk about how to rent a home in Toronto. Every year from June to August is the peak period of the Toronto rental market. Not only do students who start school in September need to rent a home, but also many tenants have to move out of their rentals when they complete their leases. Therefore, this is the time to be actively looking for a home.
How do international students find a home in Canada?
There are generally two ways to rent a house in Toronto: through a real estate agent or directly with the homeowner. The former means you will need to go online to find an agent or ask a friend to refer you to a reliable one. The latter means you will only need to go to kijiji.com, York BBS or 51.ca(this website provides a “find housing" map function, which can help you conveniently to find a listing based on location) to find property listings by homeowners.
About entrusting a professional real estate agent
Professional real estate agents can help you find listings, generally for apartments, condos and other proper homes. The first advantage of working with an agent is that they will find the right property for you in your desired area according to your specific needs and budget. They can take you to see the house, which can save you a lot of time. However, there is commission to be paid by the lessor to the real estate agent, which will be collected from your rent.
Another advantage of finding a real estate agent is that the entire lease process is handled in accordance with legal procedures, and the law protects your rights as a tenant.
Dealing directly with your landlord
If you are directly dealing with the landlord yourself, there is no need to pay the landlord any extra fees. However, some landlords do not provide a standard and formal lease. The two parties may communicate matters over oral agreements that are not legally binding.
Before finding a house, be sure to define a desired location. The main universities and colleges in Toronto are: University of Toronto, York University, Ryerson University, Queen's University, etc. The main colleges are Seneca College, George Brown College, and Centennial College. When looking for a home, you must consider the convenience of transportation to and from school, the safety of the area, and the amenities available. Through these requirements, you can narrow down your choices of homes. For example, among the areas near Bay and Bloor, Yonge and Sheppard, Yonge and Finch, Sheppard and Bayview, and Scarborough Town Centre, most students of Seneca College live at Yonge and Finch, whereas the majority of Centennial College’s students live near Scarborough Town Centre.
几点要求可以缩小自己找房子的范围。其中BAY街附近，BLOOR街附近，YONGE/SHEPPARD、YONGE/FINCH、SHEPPARD/BAYVIEW、STC，比如说，Seneca的学生们大多数住在Yonge/Finch 附近，而Centennial College的学生们多数住在STC附近。
Types of Housing in Canada
In terms of housing, types of homes can roughly divided into houses and apartments. More upscale serviced apartments, or “condos”, are generally equipped with gyms and swimming pools. So, there is a choice that and ordinary apartment apartments. On the other hand, there are many types of houses:
- A bungalow refers to a low house with only one floor on the ground;
- A detached is a multi-storey house, which is not connected to other buildings;
- A semi-detached is a so-called “two-family house” in China, which shares one common wall with the next house;
- A link house is type of house, which is attached to the houses next to it by a shared wall in the foundation or basement, but the other parts are separated;
- When more than three houses are connected, they would be referred to as town houses.
In general, renting in Toronto is not a small expense. Students can choose to rent alone if their personal economic conditions permit, so that safety, freedom and privacy are guaranteed. If you happen to have a few friends who are willing to share rent, living together in an apartment or a detached house with multiple rooms may be more ideal. At the end of the day, everyone’s purpose of going to Toronto is to study, not just to enjoy life. So, before renting a home, consider your current situation, and proceed with caution.
10 Tips for Renting a Home in Canada
The more prepared you are, the greater the chances of finding a suitable rental home. Things you need to prepare include proof of your credit history, guarantor's information, school's proof of enrollment, transcripts, and rent for the first and last month.
- When choosing an apartment, try to avoid choosing a room that faces the sun, because these rooms will be very hot in the summer because of direct sunlight.
- If you are renting a lower floor unit, you should check whether there is dumpster near the window. It may smell bad in summer, but the price of such a room is relatively cheaper.
- Canada is a country that respects privacy. Generally, the landlord cannot enter the home without authorization from the tenant, so the first thing after renting the house is to ask the landlord to give you the keys. It is important to have a strong sense of self-protection.
- Unfurnished apartments do not come with furniture other than a kitchen stove and refrigerator. Students who want to save money should avoid this kind of rental, because before moving in, a lot of required household appliances and furniture will need to be purchased.
- When sharing rent with roommates, clearly establish how the rent is going to be divided. For example, the one who gets the bigger room in the house pays a bigger chunk of the rent;
- Also, assignment of household chores such as cooking and cleaning need to be fair and agreed upon among roommates;
- Rent is a tax-exempt item for those studying in Canada. The government will refund the tax to the person signing the lease every year. So make sure to get a receipt from your landlord every month;
- In some provinces, the landlord can renew the lease automatically within the first three months. If you do not take the initiative to inform your landlord that you do not intend to renew, your lease will continue by default. So before signing the contract, you should ask about the details. For example: Is the last month’s rent free? Do I have to pay a deposit? Is the owner responsible for electricity? Can I sublet the apartment?
- The rent tends to be more expensive in the areas near universities, while it is cheaper in the areas that are further away, but that also means you will need to spend more time commuting to school.
- In Canada, there is a more economical rental option – a basement (which will keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer). The rent for a basement is generally very low ($350-550 CAD per month). However, since half of the space is generally underground, the lighting is not particularly sufficient.
