With an offer of care, maintenance and a watchful eye on a potential client’s home, a rural Ontario couple are hoping they’ll be able to save some money and keep warm by connecting with a GTA or Hamilton-area snowbird couple.
Shannon Hardy and husband Brad, who currently own a luxury trailer on 16 acres in Haldimand County, say their unique search for a “safe and confidential” house-sitting arrangement is part of a multi-year plan to put aside needed cash for a mortgage.
“In about two years, we want to acquire a mortgage and have a baby, so we’re saving up as fast as we can,” Hardy explained.
“The plan is to eventually build ourselves a house on the property, and we are currently saving for the mortgage to do so.”
The hobby farmers from Cayuga, who take care of multiple animals on an acreage during the summer, have learned through previous cold spells that limited space and multiple windows in their accommodation aren’t ideal.
The couple’s plight highlights the housing crunch in the Greater Toronto-Hamilton Area (GTHA), which has seen rents rise as much as 10 to 15 per cent year over year.
Last month Rentals.ca estimated a single-bed dwelling in Toronto ran around $2,620 a month, while the same space went for $1,900 in Hamilton.
In July, research firm Urbanation said numbers had hit nothing seen in Canada’s history as the average asking rent reached $2,078, just shy of nine per cent above the same time last year.
The analysts, who also track condo development across Canada, suggested the current rental crunch is connected to how much investment there is in rental stock.
It’s estimated the biggest market, Toronto, has only about 39 per cent of its apartment-style stock geared for rental.
Unwilling to pay some $2,000 a month, the Hardys discovered communal living wasn’t for them after a cheaper stint with a single mom and her sons last winter.
“Though everyone was clean, quiet and respectful, you’ve still got two busy families trying to live under one roof at the same time,” Hardy explained.
“But it was pretty crowded. So we’re looking for a little more privacy this year. We don’t mind paying a little more money if we have to.”
The couple’s unique pitch to warm-weather migrants includes a dedicated website pledging to present references and even criminal record checks upon request.
Stephen Fine, president and managing editor at Snowbirdadvisor.ca, suggests the couple may have a challenge ahead since most snowbirds are facing similar financial constraints in the current economy.
Members say they’re also experiencing high rental prices at the “most desirable” snowbird destinations with demand continuing to soar in recent years as pandemic conditions subside.
“I think last year was more of a shock because you saw that big spike,” Fine said.
“And this year it’s kind of stayed the same as last season from what we’re seeing so far.”
Snowbirds typically vacate their homes for between three and six months during the cold season, with over 50 per cent choosing to stay away for three months or more.
That number is a bit lower compared with the pre-pandemic world, according to Fine, with many shortening stays in recent times.
“We don’t really see a downturn in the number of snowbirds going away … but some of them are going for shorter periods or changing their spending habits,” he said.
When they do depart, most rely on family to take care of their homes and are generally reluctant to seek out house-sitters they don’t know.
“First of all, they’ll prepare to winterize their homes so they don’t have issues like water pipes bursting and other things like that,” Fine said.
“They also turn down the heat to try to save money and either have friends, family or a handyman to come and check in.”
Hardy says the couple are willing to kick in some cash to cover some of their own incidental costs, like hydro.
They’re also encouraging people to come meet them at their home on the farm to meet and see how meticulously they keep their trailer.
House Sitters Canada, which has a database of members, concurs with that option when seeking a caretaker.
“Reach out to your potential house sitter to set up an interview,” the agency recommends.
“If they’re local, consider inviting them to your home to get to know them face to face.”
It also suggests investigating prior experience, as well as any relevant references or reviews.
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