Tag Archives: Toronto real estate

Why the demand for good #TorontoRentals is likely to grow @TessKalinowski

I have previously written on the question of whether retirees should rent or own. Obviously this is a very fact specific and contextual issue. In some cases an important element of Retirement Prep is to own your home and in some cases not so much.

The above tweet references an interesting article by Tess Kalinowski of the Toronto Star.

The long term prognosis for rental real estate continues to be very very good. The article includes:

William Jack woke up in the middle of the night last month as he often does. This time, though, he rolled over and went back to sleep.

That’s when he knew that after more than two years of turmoil, he was finally home. The fact that the roof over his head belongs to someone else only added to his peace of mind.

William and his wife, Mary Taylor, are among a growing number of Toronto area downsizers, who are choosing to rent rather than buy a retirement nest. It is a choice, they say, that can be physically, mentally and financially liberating.

Follow the investment opportunities created by foreign investors – What do Buffalo and Seattle have in common?

The article referenced in the above tweet includes:

“We are seeing a rush into Seattle as the next market that matters,” Jones said. “I think for Chinese buyers it becomes like a self-fulfilling prophecy. As a group, they know they can move a market higher. It is definitely the most dominant new presence in the market.”

Will Buffalo be the next Seattle?

As the price of #TorontoRealEstate increases the demand for #TorontoRentals increases

The above tweet references a timely article written by Susan Pigg of the Toronto Star. It appears as though we are coming full circle. You may recall that the Toronto housing market was in a vicious correction from 1990 – 1996. Those were very bad years with the price of housing falling significantly. Those who bought in 1989 were the most hurt. Prices fell so low that for a period in the late 1990s, it actually cost more to rent than to own. In other words the rent to purchase price ratio was very high. Translation – it was very expensive to rent. This was a significant factor in fueling what has been probably the longest real estate boom in Canadian (certainly Toronto) history.

We have now reached 2015. The ratio of rent to purchase price is now very low. Translation – it’s getting very very expensive to buy. Hence, the demand for Toronto rentals is high.  The question has now become:

Is it worth buying Toronto real estate at current price levels? It is now longer assumed that residential real estate is a good investment. Renting residential property can be the right choice for many.

The headlines include:

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