'We just want to stay': N.S. family struggling to find affordable home may be forced to leave the province
A Nova Scotia family says they may be forced to leave the province due to the lack of affordable housing units on the market.
Steph McNamara has lived in an apartment in Dartmouth, N.S., for the last two years and says she loves it, but can't stay.
“I just wanted to start off by saying we love our landlords. They have been amazing to us,” McNamara says.
McNamara's landlords live downstairs below her. A family member of the landlord, who can’t find a place to stay, will soon be moving in, which means the McNamaras have to move.
They were hoping to stay within the Halifax Regional Municipality, but housing prices are outside their budget.
Now, they’re not even sure they can stay in the province.
“I think when you know you want your roots to be here in Nova Scotia and you just can’t quite make that a reality, it's really hard,” says McNamara.
However, there could be hope on the horizon. The real-estate market is showing signs of evening out in the last month-and-a-half.
“Buyers have a little more leverage. There’s a bit more inventory, so an extra couple hundred houses on the market as compared to a month ago, so there’s a little more choice,” says the president of Royal Lepage Atlantic, Matt Honsberger.
It’s the same story in New Brunswick.
“The fever pitch seems to have lessened,” says New Brunswick realtor Danielle Johnson.
Johnson says the market is cooling across the country where many of the buyers were coming from, adding that is playing a roll to the slowdown in the Maritimes.
“In the past, we could’ve gotten 14 offers, 20 offers. Now, maybe we’re getting two or three,” Johnson says.
But it might be too little, too late for the McNamaras, who had big plans in their future.
“We are community-minded people; we want to build a retreat for autistic kids. We have a daughter who is autistic and we just feel like Nova Scotia is where she needs to be. There are amazing resources here and we just want to stay here," she said.
Meanwhile, they have put out a plea on social media, hoping to find a way to stay in the place they call home.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.
Keeping these exotic pets is 'cruel' and 'dangerous,' Canadian animal advocates say
Canadian pet owners are finding companionship beyond dogs and cats. Tigers, alligators, scorpions and tarantulas are among some of the exotic pets they are keeping in private homes, which pose risks to public safety and animal welfare, advocates say.
WATCH LIVE Toronto police to release updated list of most wanted fugitives in Canada
Toronto police and law enforcement partners will be releasing the BOLO program’s updated list of the top 25 most wanted fugitives in Canada at a news conference on Tuesday morning.
Prince William and wife Kate thank public for birthday messages for son Louis
Prince William and his wife Kate thanked the public for their messages which had been sent to mark the sixth birthday of their youngest son Louis on Tuesday.
She was the closest she'd ever been to meeting her biological father. Then life dealt her a blow
Anne Marie Cavner was the closest she'd ever been to meeting her biological father, but then life dealt her a blow. From an unexpected loss to a host of new relationships, a DNA test changed her life, and she doesn't regret a thing.
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Fire engulfs old Edmonton municipal airport hangar
A historical hangar at the former Edmonton municipal airport beside the NAIT main campus was on fire Monday night.
RCMP uncovers plot to sell drones and equipment to Libya
The RCMP says it has uncovered a ploy to sell Chinese drones and military equipment to Libya illegally.
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
'How much plastic will you have for dinner, sir? And you, ma'am?' While that may seem like a line from a satirical skit on Saturday Night Live, research is showing it's much too close to reality.