As we near Canada’s 150th birthday, the red of our national flag may be shining a little brighter from blushing so hard as the world takes note of just home amazing Canada is.
For the second year in a row, our Home and Native Land took the #2 spot in the annual “Best Countries” survey conducted by the U.S. News & World Report, in conjunction with Young & Rubicam BAV Consulting and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
The Great White North also led the pack with a #1 worldwide ranking in the “Quality of Life” category thanks to perfect marks in areas such as healthcare, politics and the economy.
To top it off, world renowned travel guide Lonely Planet also made Canada their #1 choice for travellers in 2017.
With so much recognition around the world, it’s not hard to see why so many people see Canada as a great place to live and invest.
From our stable politics and regulated banking industry to our spot on the global markets as a significant exporter of energy, minerals and food, Canada is seen as a safe haven to live, bank and invest in by buyers from abroad.
Here are a few of the reasons why Canada Continues to be a great place to invest in real estate:
Continued Increasing Real Estate Values
House prices rose by a record 2.2% across Canada in May, compared to April according to Teranet, with Toronto leading with a 3.6% increase.
This was the largest May gain in the index’s 19-year history, hitting another record high for the 16th month in a row.
Across Canada, prices were up 13.9% over May 2016, nearly reaching the record annual increase of 14.1% set back in September 2006.
Continued Low-Interest Rates
For the past decade, Canada has enjoyed a period of historically low-interest rates. And while the days of minus prime mortgages are gone, many Canadians are still enjoying low rates that have made investing in real estate that much easier.
Strong Rental Markets
As hot as Canada’s real estate market has been, the rental market has also continued to show strong legs.
According to the CMHC, a higher number of rental apartment units were occupied in in a year over year comparison “primarily due to much higher international migration to Canada and the continued ageing of the Canadian population”.
In fact, rental housing demand was up in most areas across Canada. Over the past year, demand for rentals in Ontario, in particular, grew with vacancy rates in Toronto around 1.5%, which was bolstered by higher immigration and fewer renters making the leap to homeownership.
Strong job growth across Canada and the desire to live in the GTA has also pushed rental prices to new heights. Recently, the Toronto rental market hit a new milestone as the rent on an average 700 square foot condo broke the $2,000 mark, and renters entering into bidding wars over high demand buildings.
With prices rising and affordability a factor in the sizzling GTA real estate market, condos and apartments are becoming more and more popular as alternatives to homeownership. This, in turn, is providing upwards pressure on rental rates as the demand for condos and rental apartments steadily increases.