With several dozen new condos expected to launch over the next 60-90 days in Toronto, the question for investors is quickly becoming: Which one(s) do I invest in? If you believe the prevailing message of the condo marketing machine, newer is always better. That is, getting into a condo at the earliest stage is always […]
Location is the most important factor when considering any real estate investment. You can change many things about a property, but you can’t change its location, therefore it’s vitally important for any condo buyer to understand exactly what makes a good location good. Why do some condos appreciate at higher rates and command higher resale […]
I never envisioned my face would be plastered on the front page of TheStar.com right next to a picture of Rob Ford laughing diabolically, but here we are. Check out this cute little article-with video- that Susan Pigg (The Star’s new real estate reporter) wrote about my investment unit at One Park West. What is interesting […]
Just 24 hours after TheStar.com wrote their article, Sympatico.ca and Yourmoney.ca picked up the story too. You can read it here. While the articles were a fun read, what I found most interesting were the comments section of each article. The article on TheStar.com framed me as a landlord and Realtor. The comments were mostly […]
With the pre-construction condo market setting all kinds of sales records this year, and prices for quality product averaging well over $650 per square foot and higher downtown, I’m encouraging my investor clients to once again consider looking at resale properties. Top-notch resale properties in excellent locations can be had for $600 per square foot […]
I had a condo buyer email me recently and tell me they were looking to buy a resale condo with a 6-7% cap rate. This would be a somewhat rare but  achievable cap rate if you were buying a multi-unit freehold property in the core of Toronto, however, for a condo, this kind of cap […]
[Renters are lining up to pay $2700/month for a view like this.] Landlords and would-be landlords take note: the sky is not falling and it is not a bad time to be a landlord in this city. I’ve been watching the rental market more closely than ever these past few months and I’ve noticed some […]
Hong Kong Image courtesy of http://photoeverywhere.co.uk More and more people I talk to who are inside the condo industry have a growing apprehension towards the direction of condo development right now. Specifically they are worried about the long term impact of what I call the “Mega Tower”. I define a “Mega Tower” loosely as a […]
There are two trends that condo buyers will want to keep an eye on in the next several years. 1. Disappearing Parking Spots. There are now countless buildings downtown that are under construction that will have multiple-times more units than parking spots available. RCMI Condos by Tribute is actually being built with no parking spots at […]
Newer is Better, Right?
August 23, 2011 / by Andrew la Fleur / Insights
With several dozen new condos expected to launch over the next 60-90 days in Toronto, the question for investors is quickly becoming: Which one(s) do I invest in? If you believe the prevailing message of the condo marketing machine, newer is always better. That is, getting into a condo at the earliest stage is always […]
Read more
What Makes a Good Location Good?
September 1, 2011 / by Andrew la Fleur / Insights
Location is the most important factor when considering any real estate investment. You can change many things about a property, but you can’t change its location, therefore it’s vitally important for any condo buyer to understand exactly what makes a good location good. Why do some condos appreciate at higher rates and command higher resale […]
Read more
What Does The Smallest Condo In Toronto Look Like?
September 27, 2011 / by Andrew la Fleur / Insights
I never envisioned my face would be plastered on the front page of TheStar.com right next to a picture of Rob Ford laughing diabolically, but here we are. Check out this cute little article-with video- that Susan Pigg (The Star’s new real estate reporter) wrote about my investment unit at One Park West. What is interesting […]
Read more
Sympatico.ca Picks up the Smallest Condo in Toronto Story
September 29, 2011 / by Andrew la Fleur / Insights
Just 24 hours after TheStar.com wrote their article, Sympatico.ca and Yourmoney.ca picked up the story too. You can read it here. While the articles were a fun read, what I found most interesting were the comments section of each article. The article on TheStar.com framed me as a landlord and Realtor. The comments were mostly […]
Read more
Time to Give Resale Another Look?
November 18, 2011 / by Andrew la Fleur / Insights
With the pre-construction condo market setting all kinds of sales records this year, and prices for quality product averaging well over $650 per square foot and higher downtown, I’m encouraging my investor clients to once again consider looking at resale properties. Top-notch resale properties in excellent locations can be had for $600 per square foot […]
Read more
Cap Rates and Condos
November 22, 2011 / by Andrew la Fleur / Insights
I had a condo buyer email me recently and tell me they were looking to buy a resale condo with a 6-7% cap rate. This would be a somewhat rare but  achievable cap rate if you were buying a multi-unit freehold property in the core of Toronto, however, for a condo, this kind of cap […]
Read more
It’s Good to be a Landlord Right Now
January 27, 2012 / by Andrew la Fleur / Insights
[Renters are lining up to pay $2700/month for a view like this.] Landlords and would-be landlords take note: the sky is not falling and it is not a bad time to be a landlord in this city. I’ve been watching the rental market more closely than ever these past few months and I’ve noticed some […]
Read more
Time to Rethink the Mega Tower?
March 4, 2012 / by Andrew la Fleur / Insights
Hong Kong Image courtesy of http://photoeverywhere.co.uk More and more people I talk to who are inside the condo industry have a growing apprehension towards the direction of condo development right now. Specifically they are worried about the long term impact of what I call the “Mega Tower”. I define a “Mega Tower” loosely as a […]
Read more
Two Trends to Watch in the Toronto Condo Market
May 25, 2012 / by Andrew la Fleur / Insights
There are two trends that condo buyers will want to keep an eye on in the next several years. 1. Disappearing Parking Spots. There are now countless buildings downtown that are under construction that will have multiple-times more units than parking spots available. RCMI Condos by Tribute is actually being built with no parking spots at […]
Read more