Ad Tech: I used to live out past Harrietsfield and I loved it, it was a bit of a hike into work and the Rotary at Quinpool/Spryfield is a major pain if you hit it after 0700. Grab a Tim's on the way down, turn up the tunes because you aren't moving for at least 30 mins. I did like it out there though, I was about 10 mins from the Beaches. The roads in the winter can be a bit dodgy for clearing and sanding. Property taxes aren't too bad out there, but there was a concern back in 99 about the well water quality as they were finding evidence of heavy minerals in the supply so if you are on a well, have your potable water checked as part of your conditions to purchase.
My in laws all live out in Glen Arbour (on the way to Tantallon - French's Bay) and the whole area out that way is lovely. Takes my sister-in-law about 25 mins to get to her work near the Dockyards. There are a lot of new builds out that way. As for info on new builders, there is a web site called www.canadiansforproperlybuilthomes.com which has a ton of info and links on buying a newly built home etc in Canada. Well worth the read. Keep in mind that most of the home there are either fueled by furnace oil, propane or electricity as natural gas isn't readily available to the large market. So keep that in mind when looking at your finances. (oh and if your are swayed to buy a quaint fishing village house built in the early 1800s, do check the insulation in the attic BEFORE you buy it... they have a tendency to be insulated with dried seaweed under the pink stuff...LOL)
As for the Sackvilles, I have friends that have lived there all their lives and haven't much to complain about. Personally, I'm not sure why the area has such a bad rep, when there are other places that are much worse like Preston. One thing you may notice about Halifax proper is there is a tendency for nicer residential areas to be just small pockets that are surrounded by not so nice areas. It was explained to me that one has to approach Halifax differently than most Canadian cities and realize that it is first and foremost a Navy/Seafaring port that grew into a city and the tough, no nonsense attitude still very much remains. The other thing I noticed was the people of Halifax *are* the salt of the earth folks but don't suffer fools gladly, they are very friendly to tourist and visitors and remain so as long as said visitor eventually leaves, but if you aren't from there it can take a while for the locals to warm up to you. I was lucky, I got a small pass as my surname is a local family name so it bought me some goodwill from the locals. (and be prepared that there are also some family names that have a long history with the LEOs and if you happen to share that surname, be prepared to give out your lineage so you aren't mistaken as one of them. (and if your last name is Dorsey, move to New Brunswick and commute...LOL)
Grade schools can be a bit of a challenge to find a decent one and IIRC, the french immersion schools down there require either a parent or grandparent to be a French speaker before the child is admitted. I'll inquire of my kid as to whether that is still the case, as she is looking into the schooling situation presently.
The MOT, in Nova Scotia requires you to have your car certified on a yearly basis along with the regular licencing fees. As well, auto insurance is expensive down there no matter what your experience is. Mine jumped from a modest amount here in Ottawa to a heart-stopping, I feel sick amount in Halifax. So that said, you may not need to concern yourself with a parking pass as you won't be able to afford the insurance (or gas once you've paid the premium).
Daycare can be a bit of another challenge as the MFRC and other daycare centres do not account for any shift work done by the members so if your trade has any likelihood of early starts or late shifts, you will probably need to find a home care for any kids you have. Both my kid and her husband have shifts in their trades and finding a daycare was a nightmare for them.
There are a ton of museums, forts, citadels, redoubts, beaches, quaint fishing villages, scenic drives, festivals, ceremonies and whale watching to visit, observe and participate in so you'll have no problems keeping busy.
Good luck!