Daily commute (Detroit-Windsor) (H1b and Canada PR)

[VOBuckeye]

Hi, moving in three weeks with Family. Could you please share where you found the place? Any other tips in finding a place will be very helpful.

Hi,
I used kijiji.ca to look for places. I found a place right downtown on Ouellette Ave not too far from the Tunnel. I made sure to ask around if the area was safe. There's a police station close by and it's in the business district. Viewed the place and loved it. I wanted most covered parking because I'm tired of dealing with snow.
I also noticed a lot of high rises which I didn't like but if you're fine with 15 or so floors in a building then you should be good. Most of them looked overcrowded to me.

I found it easier to rent from owners rather than property management sites. I would identify a place and go to see it. Most places would have open houses over the weekends so that worked for me.

A lot of landlords will ask for your bank statements or paystubs for last 6 months, credit report (US report is fine with most of them), and first and last month rent deposit. You can get a free report of your credit online.

Walkerville seems to be a nice area from my research and what I've seen viewing places. You'll find duplex or triplex style houses which are owned privately and owner rents out. It's easily accessible to border crossings as well.

Will you be commuting daily? You can look up Valente homes, it's closer to the bridge so you would be using that to cross over.

Hope that helps

 

[VOBuckeye]

Do you know if the coverage is good for T-Mobile in Windsor area? And what is the catch with data/text being free? I mean if they find out that the primary location of the user is in Canada and they are not just visiting, would they just terminate the connection?

I have T-Mobile and service works great in Windsor when I've used it over there. Sometimes I'll have to restart my phone so it can get on the right network. I noticed it uses Telus network when I'm over in Canada. I used data for my GPS through my phone. Although you get unlimited data in US, I think you're only allowed 5GB/ month when in Canada. Don't know how this will work out; I'm moving in a couple weeks so I'll find out if this holds true.

 

[greencard14]

Hi,
I used kijiji.ca to look for places. I found a place right downtown on Ouellette Ave not too far from the Tunnel. I made sure to ask around if the area was safe. There's a police station close by and it's in the business district. Viewed the place and loved it. I wanted most covered parking because I'm tired of dealing with snow.
I also noticed a lot of high rises which I didn't like but if you're fine with 15 or so floors in a building then you should be good. Most of them looked overcrowded to me.

I found it easier to rent from owners rather than property management sites. I would identify a place and go to see it. Most places would have open houses over the weekends so that worked for me.

A lot of landlords will ask for your bank statements or paystubs for last 6 months, credit report (US report is fine with most of them), and first and last month rent deposit. You can get a free report of your credit online.

Walkerville seems to be a nice area from my research and what I've seen viewing places. You'll find duplex or triplex style houses which are owned privately and owner rents out. It's easily accessible to border crossings as well.

Will you be commuting daily? You can look up Valente homes, it's closer to the bridge so you would be using that to cross over.

Hope that helps

Thank you! I can definitely provide credit reports and paystubs. But I heard it is difficult to rent in Canada if we don't have any tenant history. What is your experience? So, they prefer Canadian history but would also accept U.S. history? I own a house here in the U.S. so can maybe also show mortgage history.

 

[greencard14]

Hi,
I used kijiji.ca to look for places. I found a place right downtown on Ouellette Ave not too far from the Tunnel. I made sure to ask around if the area was safe. There's a police station close by and it's in the business district. Viewed the place and loved it. I wanted most covered parking because I'm tired of dealing with snow.
I also noticed a lot of high rises which I didn't like but if you're fine with 15 or so floors in a building then you should be good. Most of them looked overcrowded to me.

I found it easier to rent from owners rather than property management sites. I would identify a place and go to see it. Most places would have open houses over the weekends so that worked for me.

A lot of landlords will ask for your bank statements or paystubs for last 6 months, credit report (US report is fine with most of them), and first and last month rent deposit. You can get a free report of your credit online.

Walkerville seems to be a nice area from my research and what I've seen viewing places. You'll find duplex or triplex style houses which are owned privately and owner rents out. It's easily accessible to border crossings as well.

Will you be commuting daily? You can look up Valente homes, it's closer to the bridge so you would be using that to cross over.

Hope that helps

Also, looks like you traveled to Windsor to do all the research. Did you use your H1b to enter back into the U.S.? Do you work in Michigan now?

 

[VOBuckeye]

Thank you! I can definitely provide credit reports and paystubs. But I heard it is difficult to rent in Canada if we don't have any tenant history. What is your experience? So, they prefer Canadian history but would also accept U.S. history? I own a house here in the U.S. so can maybe also show mortgage history.

My experience has been positive so far. It helped that I was able to go view the place and meet the owners face to face. I let them know upfront that I wouldn't have any credit history in Canada and they were all ok with US history.
I would provide mortgage info if you have it. I forgot to mention they'll need past landord info as well, and some ask for references.

 

[VOBuckeye]

Also, looks like you traveled to Windsor to do all the research. Did you use your H1b to enter back into the U.S.? Do you work in Michigan now?

Yes, I used my h1b visa. I haven' received my PR card yet, so I've been using COPR. I work in Detroit area do it' convenient to cross over to look at apartments. Where are you moving from?

 

[greencard14]

My experience has been positive so far. It helped that I was able to go view the place and meet the owners face to face. I let them know upfront that I wouldn't have any credit history in Canada and they were all ok with US history.
I would provide mortgage info if you have it. I forgot to mention they'll need past landord info as well, and some ask for references.

Thank you! I owned this house since 2013, so would they need landlord information before 2013 which is 5 years?

 

[greencard14]

Yes, I used my h1b visa. I haven' received my PR card yet, so I've been using COPR. I work in Detroit area do it' convenient to cross over to look at apartments. Where are you moving from?

Moving from Indiana. How long is your lease that you signed up in Windsor? I'm thinking of renting Airbnb for now because the plan is to sell most of the stuff and start over in Canada. Need to export/import two cars which would be a pain I guess.

 

[VOBuckeye]

Thank you! I owned this house since 2013, so would they need landlord information before 2013 which is 5 years?

I was only asked for last 2 years. I guess it depends on owner but 5 years should be enough.

 

[VOBuckeye]

Moving from Indiana. How long is your lease that you signed up in Windsor? I'm thinking of renting Airbnb for now because the plan is to sell most of the stuff and start over in Canada. Need to export/import two cars which would be a pain I guess.

Its 1 year lease. I saw the ads on Air bnb were a bit pricy. I guess it works short term while you look for places and youd be able to view them.
Someone suggested using realtors to help with housing search.

 

[greencard14]

Its 1 year lease. I saw the ads on Air bnb were a bit pricy. I guess it works short term while you look for places and youd be able to view them.
Someone suggested using realtors to help with housing search.

Ok, thank you!

 

[rakakatoofaan]

Do you know if the coverage is good for T-Mobile in Windsor area? And what is the catch with data/text being free? I mean if they find out that the primary location of the user is in Canada and they are not just visiting, would they just terminate the connection?

It is pretty good. Roaming is free in the Canada, so I have no problems.

 

[greencard14]

It is pretty good. Roaming is free in the Canada, so I have no problems.

did you get any warning message from T-mobile about the international usage? There is a fine print in the agreement that 50% of the usage should be in the U.S. in a three month period.
I used to have Verizon service and had no issues with coverage, but after switching to T-Mobile, no coverage in places like Malls. Not a big deal but just noticed it.

 

[rakakatoofaan]

did you get any warning message from T-mobile about the international usage? There is a fine print in the agreement that 50% of the usage should be in the U.S. in a three month period.
I used to have Verizon service and had no issues with coverage, but after switching to T-Mobile, no coverage in places like Malls. Not a big deal but just noticed it.

So far so good.

 

[VOBuckeye]

Hello folks!

I have a question for the daily commuters. If you get Nexus pass, are you obligated to use the nexus lane only when crossing borders? The reason I ask is that over the last 2 weekends, I've observed the nexus lane much busier than the regular lanes and i wondered why they wouldn't just join the short lanes.