This is an advice post for those searching for affordable housing in high profile North American ski resorts. My top tips are…
- Set a cut off date, be realistic, and have a Plan B. As winter approaches the affordable housing stock dwindles from already dire levels. October is really late, November is really really late, and once the lifts are open you’ve got no chance. The head needs to over-rule the heart on this matter.
- If you don’t secure a spot this winter, go work and ski somewhere not so famous this season, and come back in May. Spend the summer in town, build your social networks and try again next winter.
- Search for housing in ones or twos.
- Don’t search for housing online. Anything affordable goes to people in towns, not to those thousands of kilometres away.
- If you ignore tip 4, don’t put up a room mate wanted post with a photo of you being a drunken idiot or looking like a deranged serial killer. (I know this sounds obvious but you’d be surprised how often it happens)
- Don’t bring a dog, two cars or a trailer with your snowmobile.
- Use contraception so you don’t get knocked up or knock someone else up. Babies and share houses don’t mix.
- Look for a job where employers need you badly when things go wrong. eg Maintenance, patrol, security, medical. If people get hurt when you can’t get to work quickly, you’re more likely to get employee housing. Upskill with advanced first aid, technical training, or on-the-job experience.
- Get a summer job with employers that have plenty of affordable housing in winter.
- You can’t underestimate how hard finding affordable housing is post covid.
Good luck, and don’t be one of those people who shows up late looking for housing, and leaves before Christmas completely broke.
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