buying vacation property in Canada
 

I understand that property is very affordable in parts of Canada now. Does anyone have any ideas on what the best part of Canada would be to look at wilderness, fishing hunting type places with houses on them? How about some websites, etc.? Are condos around ski resorts reasonable? There was an article in the Wall Sstreet Journal about Canadian property recently.

well I just bought a place in Canada and as an American, one of the reasons why it's so cheap is because the USA dollar is strong against the Canandian dollar.<BR><BR>My suggestion would be to vacation in various spots in Canada, decide what town or city you like the most, then contact the local Realtor.<BR><BR>We bought a place in Quebec City and the transaction was easier than when we bought in NYC and New Jersey. They don't have so many laws as we do I guess.<BR><BR>Everybody from the realtor to the banker were extremely fast and efficient.

I would also think you should determine where is easiest for you to get to Canada. If you live on the east coast it doesn't make a lot of sense flying out to BC, so you would want to consider the Maritimes or Quebec, or maybe Ontario, and if you live on the West then maybe BC or Alberta would be perfect.<BR><BR>We have the 2nd largest country in the world, there is a lot of land, and a lot of wilderness. I think pretty much any where would be a great spot.

Thanks for the info. Does anyone have any more specific info re: websites with listings? I read in several websites that Canada restricts foreigners from owning over 20 acres of agricultural land. I wonder what the definition of agricultural land is. Does it have to be actively farmed/ranched? I am looking for an area that has the best deals for the best climate, outdoor life, etc. I am so far away from Canada (New Orleans)that distance is not a factor. Being in the mountains (but accessible) would also be a big plus. Any more suggestions?

Try www.mls.ca ; this is a real estate listing that will have photos, descriptions,prices, etc... You can search for exactly what you want: vacation properties, near water, mountain views, and so on.

As for condos around ski resorts, I would recommend taking a look at Fernie in British Columbia. While on the rise, property values are still nowhere near those of, say, Whistler or Aspen. It's a beautiful area with absolutely phenomenal skiing and the town itself is quaint, historic, and quite sophisticated for its size. It's a bit off the beaten path, three hours by car from Calgary, but that can be one of its charms as well... Anyway, I hope this helps...