Condominiums first step to homeownership in most major centres, says RE/MAX

Mississauga, ON (November 1, 2010) - Given serious escalation in detached housing values, condominium apartments and towns have now emerged as the first step to homeownership, says RE/MAX Ontario-Atlantic Canada.
Affordability has fuelled buying activity across the board, according to the 2010 RE/MAX Condominium Report, highlighting trends and developments in eight Ontario markets and one in Nova Scotia. Condominiums now represent one in every three homes sold in the Greater Toronto Area; close to one in every four homes sold in Ottawa and Hamilton-Burlington; and almost one in every five homes sold in London, Kitchener-Waterloo, and Collingwood. The trend has translated into a solid upswing in unit sales activity, with 78 per cent of markets posting an increase in year-to-date sales (January - September 2010 vs. 2009)-with percentage gains outperforming overall residential sales in most markets examined.
"As one of few affordable housing options available to first-time buyers, the concept is poised for dramatic growth in years to come," says Michael Polzler, Executive Vice President, RE/MAX Ontario-Atlantic Canada. "The lifestyle has also gained a foothold with younger, hipper audiences, as the definition of homeownership evolves with the changing demographic. Dreams of the small home with a white picket fence are being replaced by the funky loft apartment in close proximity to shops, restaurants, and entertainment."