ASK DAVE
Where is Real Estate Cheaper?
Here's one we come across fairly often:
"Where is real estate cheap?" or "Hey, this real estate in Windsor is really cheap. Why aren't we just buying investment properties there?"
You get what you pay for. Some markets are better than others. I think owning real estate in areas with consistently high demand—like the GTA or the Greater Golden Horseshoe—is a smarter long-term move. Those are all desirable spots.
We did see a bunch of people, when prices were going crazy, jump into student markets like North Bay or Sault Ste. Marie. Some of those places might make money for a time, but real estate is a long-term play. There are a lot of factors at work, and I think the real value over time will be in your greater population centres.
No offense to the outliers, but it's definitely a riskier play—and a lot harder to manage when you're not local.
