HALIFAX, N.S. — This September, landlords have been busier than ever as students begin to search for their accommodations for the 2025/26 school year. Local landlord, Brian Anderson, reported working 20 hours per week solely on coming up with excuses to avoid hiring an exterminator. “I can barely pay my mortgage,” Anderson says, lamenting the state of the economy, “I’m going to have to get a proper job!”
Eager students got their start on the 2025/26 housing hunt in January, but Anderson assures us at Mackerel that there’s still plenty available for those last minute searchers. He took us on a tour of one of his more desirable rentals, a two-or-four bed ( on if you count bunk beds as one or two), zero bath (but fear not, there’s a Tim Hortons just across the street), located just a 56 minute drive from campus, going for $2000. If you’re interested in this apartment, don’t wait to apply! Anderson already has 12 possible candidates, carefully picked from the 153 applications he received. When asked how he planned to choose between candidates, Anderson said he was debating strategies, but was leaning towards a fight-club-esque battle inside of the apartment.
Mackerel spoke to one of said candidates, Greg Perry, who said he was grateful for the opportunity to participate after applying to 31 apartments with no response. “I waited too long to find housing for this year, so I knew I had to get a head start now,” he says, revealing that he has been switching between classrooms for the last two weeks (“If you can sleep sitting up they’re quite nice,” Perry says about the comfort of his current situation”).
We wish Perry the best in finding an apartment for next year, and Anderson the best in taking advantage of struggling students to pay off his mortgage. And remember, it’s never too late to start looking for an apartment for 2026/27.
By Ryan Van De Wiel