Downsizing in Barrie

Downsizing in Barrie: the city at a glance

Barrie is a single-tier city on Kempenfelt Bay, an arm of Lake Simcoe, and one of four featured places in the Simcoe and Muskoka region. The City runs its own services, from transit to property tax, through barrie.ca. Because the city is large, streets a few kilometres apart can differ in age of housing, lot size and distance to the lake, so look at a block rather than a city name.

Messages on this site go to agents on the operating team at eXp Realty. If you are still deciding whether to move at all, start with aging in place or moving and the step-by-step downsizing guide.

Condos and townhouses in Barrie for downsizers

Downsizers in Barrie usually compare condominium apartments, condominium or freehold townhouses and smaller detached homes such as bungalows. This site names no building or subdivision it has not confirmed, and it quotes no prices, because what is for sale changes weekly. Your agent can show you what is listed and what has sold recently.

The trade-offs are the ones in condo, townhouse or house. A condominium trades yard work and snow clearing for monthly fees and shared rules, while a townhouse or bungalow keeps more control but more upkeep. If you consider a condominium, read buying a condo in Ontario and ask for the status certificate, reserve fund study and budget before you make an offer. Land lease and life lease homes work differently again, as described in the life lease and land lease guide.

Getting around Barrie: transit and roads

The City says Barrie Transit operates conventional service on fixed routes and schedules, specialized transit for people with mobility restrictions, and Transit ON Demand, a service with no fixed schedule or route that operates in different zones. The City also keeps a GO Transit page and a Barrie Transit page with trip planning and notices. Use those pages for current routes, since service changes. This site gives no drive times.

If you plan to give up a car, test the trips you make every week, such as pharmacy, groceries and medical appointments, with the trip planner before you commit. Our guide to getting around Ontario after 65 covers other options.

Hospitals near Barrie: Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre

Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre, known as RVH, is at 201 Georgian Drive in Barrie. Its website posts emergency wait times and a directory of services. Specialist clinics and community supports vary, so ask your doctor which hospital your care is based at, and check whether your specialists are in Barrie or elsewhere.

Everyday life in Barrie

The City lists outdoor fields, courts and rinks, arts programmes, a seniors' recreation page and an active transportation page on its website. Browse those lists, then visit at the hours you would actually use a place. Walkability is a street-by-street question here, so walk a route to the shops from any address you are serious about.

Flood and storm risk in Barrie

Conservation authorities map flood hazards and regulated areas in Ontario. The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority says its jurisdiction covers the Lake Simcoe watershed apart from the City of Orillia and the Upper Talbot River subwatershed, and it offers regulation maps and a flooding information page. Look up any address there and ask the City whether a property sits in a regulated area. Do not assume a whole neighbourhood is in or out.

Barrie also has storm history. The Northern Tornadoes Project lists the July 15, 2021 tornado as an EF2 with winds of 210 km/h. Standard Ontario home insurance typically does not cover overland flooding, and sewer backup is optional coverage, so read flood and storm insurance when downsizing and get a quote for the specific address.

Barrie property tax deferral and land transfer tax

The City of Barrie says its Property Tax Deferral Program is available to owners aged 65 or older, or anyone receiving Ontario Disability Support Program benefits. All taxes must be paid up to date, deferrals are interest free, the total must be repaid in full when the property is sold, and a new application is due each year by August 31. The City also points to the province's Senior Homeowners' Property Tax Grant, which the federal tax agency describes as the lesser of $500 and the eligible tax paid, with income limits. Details are on the City's application page and our costs and money page.

On a sale, the seller pays no land transfer tax. The buyer does, at the provincial rates in the land transfer tax guide. A principal residence is generally exempt from tax on the gain, but ask a lawyer or accountant, and read capital gains and selling your principal residence. The net proceeds calculator puts rough numbers on a sale.

Questions to ask before you buy in Barrie

• Is this address inside a regulated area on the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority maps?
• What do overland flood and sewer backup coverage cost for this address?
• Which Barrie Transit route or Transit ON Demand zone serves the home, and when does it run?
• For a condominium, what do the reserve fund study and the budget say?
• If the home is a land lease or life lease, who owns the land and what happens at resale?
• Do I meet the City's deferral rules, and when is the August 31 deadline?
• How far is the home from the hospital and my family doctor?

When you are ready, contact us to an agent on the eXp Realty operating team. For sellers clearing a home first, see clearing out your home and moving day.