Insights

Guides, tips, and market insights to help you navigate the pre-construction real estate market.

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Heights of Harmony: Minto’s Brand New Community in North Oshawa

In Part 3 of our Minto Miniseries, Justin Bossio reveals the details for the highly anticipated Phase 1 release of Minto’s brand new community in North Oshawa – The Heights of Harmony. This is the Unicorn of Toronto real estate – affordable low rise in the GTA from a top quality builder. What can buyers expect for this first release? Find out on this, the conclusion of our 3 part miniseries

As the COVID-19 pandemic is front and centre on everyone’s minds, Andrew shares his thoughts on how condo investors can keep a successful mindset during scary times. Related Links Donate to the Foodbanks of Canada Transcript coming soon

Andrew la FleurMarch 20, 2020

Podcast

Understanding the Condo Investment Opportunity in Calgary

5 Big Ideas for Real Estate Investors in 2019

Podcast

The 3 surprising reasons why more people don’t get rich investing in real estate

Statistically speaking, only about 5% of the population will ever own an investment property, yet it is the world’s most historically proven path to generating wealth. Andrew la Fleur gives his thoughts on why more people are not getting rich investing in real estate including 3 reasons that might surprise you

Andrew la FleurJune 28, 2018

Podcast

Exploring the Hamilton Real Estate Market with Brandon Donnelly

Brandon is with Slate Asset Management and they have a proposal for a massive 2-tower development in downtown Hamilton. In this episode Andrew la Fleur and Brandon talk about why Hamilton is such an attractive market right now for developers and what the future could bring for Steeltown. Brandon is a great

Andrew la FleurJune 28, 2018

Podcast

Is the Toronto Real Estate Market Slowing Down? With Alex Wilson

Alex Wilson is one of the top resale agents in Toronto, specializing in the downtown core. On this episode he shares his tales from the streets of what’s really going on in Toronto. Is the market slowing down? Are buyers still buying condos? What is happening with house prices in the city? Good

Andrew la FleurJune 28, 2018

Podcast

How Toronto has changed over the last 27 years and where we are going next, with Dan Flomen

Andrew la FleurMay 11, 2018

Insights

Selling your home to downsize? Not so fast–read this first

To downsize or not to downsize? That’s the question many baby boomers are asking themselves these days as they approach retirement age. Their motivations vary but often come from the same place: specifically, a single-family home in the suburbs. The boomer generation, comprised of those born just after World War II up until the mid-’60s,

Andrew la FleurMay 11, 2018

Podcast

How to deal with a rapidly growing city with Stan Cho Ontario PC Candidate

Who is better for real estate investors – Doug Ford or Kathleen Wynne? On today’s episode we hear from Ontario PC Candidate for Willowdale Stan Cho. We talk about affordable housing, rent control, inclusionary zoning, how to deal with a rapidly growing city, real estate licensing and much more. STAN CHO

Andrew la FleurApril 28, 2018

Ask Andrew

Is Yonge and Eglinton a good area to invest in a condo?

Maria is a real estate investor who has bought several houses but never any condos. She is wondering if Yonge and Eglinton is a good area to invest. Also, when is the right time to buy a condo – resale or pre-construction? Finally, what are my thoughts on the condo building known as

Andrew la FleurApril 24, 2018

Podcast

How Real Estate Investors can take advantage of the tech boom in Downtown Kitchener

Darryl Firsten is the President of In8 Developments and he is back on the True Condos podcast to talk about the exciting things happening in Downtown Kitchener. Job growth, tech explosion, massive infrastructure projects are all making this a great place to invest. Get up to speed on Downtown Kitchener and don’t

Andrew la FleurApril 19, 2018

Ask Andrew

What kind of Return on Investment (ROI) can I expect investing in condos?

Andrew la Fleur talks to John who is from Kitchener Waterloo and is a seasoned real estate investor but he has not yet invested in condos. He wants to know what kind of return on investment he can expect when investing in condos and why invest in condos as opposed to other types

Andrew la FleurApril 8, 2018

Podcast

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the latest stats for the Toronto Condo Market

The numbers are in for the month of march 2018 and the condo sales figures are so shocking that Andrew had to do a double take to make sure they were correct. Find out what Andrew saw that made him wonder if he needed to get his eye prescription changed and what

Andrew la FleurApril 7, 2018

NewsVideos

Is the real estate market about to spring back to life in the GTA?

TRANSCRIPT The Spring market is finally here. We are past Easter now, and that’s traditionally the start of the Spring market once you get past Easter in the real estate world. What’s going to happen? Everybody wants to know is the market going to pick up, particularly in the low rise housing segment. Of

Andrew la FleurApril 2, 2018

NewsVideos

One question investors have to ask themselves in 2018

TRANSCRIPT So, more and more people are catching onto this trend that we’ve been about here at True Condos for the past year or so, which is the divergence between the condo market and the low-rise housing market. This article’s from Bloomberg, and the headline is Toronto’s Tale of Two Markets Is Hot Condos

Andrew la FleurApril 2, 2018

NewsVideos

Can you “renovict” your tenants?

https://alafleur.wistia.com/medias/q0xfvq04g8

Andrew la FleurApril 2, 2018

Podcast

How to avoid the most common landlord mistakes with Harry Fine

In this episode we discuss the common mistakes landlords make with Harry Fine – Paralegal and Ontario’s leading expert in landlord-tenant issues. As a landlord, what you don’t know can hurt you, and if your actions contravene the landlord-tenant act you can get in serious trouble. Avoid headaches and potential problems by understanding

Andrew la FleurMarch 29, 2018

Videos

This small change will make a big difference for this Toronto neighbourhood

Click here to read the original article: https://www.toronto.com/news-story/8342453-ttc-approves-humber-bay-shores-shuttle-bus-to-mimico-go-station/ TRANSCRIPT When it comes to real estate investing some times small changes can make a big difference. Here’s an example of one of those things that I’m talking about. So from toronto.com, TTC approves Humber Bay Shores shuttle bus to Mimico GO station. Board also approves

Andrew la FleurMarch 26, 2018

Videos

Will Doug Ford be good or bad for the Toronto Real Estate Market?

Click here to read the original article: http://news.buzzbuzzhome.com/2018/03/doug-ford-premier-mean-gta-housing-market.html TRANSCRIPT What would Doug Ford mean for the Toronto real estate market? Well, we really have no idea what the answer is to that question and I think … But we are in the election season and the political parties are out there and they’re throwing

Andrew la FleurMarch 26, 2018

Videos

Investors: Keep your eyes on this south Mississauga neighbourhood

Click here to read the original article: https://www.thestar.com/business/real_estate/2018/03/21/lakeview-lands-sold-to-developers-for-275m.html TRANSCRIPT COMING SOON

Andrew la FleurMarch 26, 2018

Insights

Why investing in condos after the initial launch stage can sometimes result in big profits

Generally speaking, it is best to purchase a unit as early on in the development process as possible. Before going public with sales, builders will first usually offer units to friends and family. Then, they’ll start working with platinum agents—there are about 100 in the GTA, myself included—to continue to move inventory ahead of the

Andrew la FleurMarch 26, 2018

Videos

How to Look Like a Genius with Brad Lamb

https://alafleur.wistia.com/medias/mfy2e7eheo

Andrew la FleurMarch 15, 2018

Podcast

Hamilton Rising: Why Brad Lamb is so Excited about the Future of Steel Town

Brad Lamb is back on the show! In this wide ranging interview Andrew la Fleur and Brad talk about the challenges that are restricting the new supply of condos today, the Vancouver market vs. Toronto, and why he’s so excited to be now shifting the primary focus of his development company on downtown

Andrew la FleurMarch 15, 2018

NewsVideos

Toronto ranks tops in the world for this demographic

Click here to read the original article: https://www.blogto.com/city/2018/03/toronto-ranked-5th-best-city-world-millennials/ TRANSCRIPT COMING SOON

Condo investment might seem like a cold, hard numbers game—but it’s also an emotional experience with its own unique set of highs and lows. There’s a ton of advice out there about the numbers side of things, less so for the emotional rollercoaster you’re about to hop on. Because of that, I’ve rounded up six

Andrew la FleurFebruary 28, 2018

NewsVideos

Is this really the best way to solve a housing crisis?

Click here to read the original article: B.C. budget: new housing taxes might not knock down prices, but they could help tame them TRANSCRIPT This article is from Global News, and the headline is, “BC budget: new housing taxes might not knock down prices, but they could help tame them.” So I’m often interested

Andrew la FleurFebruary 26, 2018

NewsVideos

79% of millennials want this kind of housing

Click here to read the original article: http://news.buzzbuzzhome.com/2018/02/torontos-millennials-calling-kind-housing-fast.html TRANSCRIPT Speaker 1: What type of housing is missing in the GTA according to millennials? Well from this article in BuzzBuzzHome, titled Toronto Millennials Are Calling for This Kind of Housing Fast, the answer is two and three bedroom condos. This articles says that, “79% in

Andrew la FleurFebruary 26, 2018

NewsVideos

What’s the next hot market in the GTA? The answer might surprise you

Click here to read the original article: http://news.buzzbuzzhome.com/2018/02/big-data-big-ben-hamilton-next-hot-condo-market.html TRANSCRIPT Speaker 1: What is the next up and coming area to invest in, in a GTA? Well, if you as Ben Meyers in this article here that he wrote in Buzz Buzz Home the answer is Hamilton. And Ben is not alone, more and more

Andrew la FleurFebruary 26, 2018

Insights

How to get ahead of the competition when investing in pre-construction condos

When investing in the ultra competitive Toronto real estate market, you want whatever advantage you can get. Any slight edge can make a huge difference on your long term return on investment. But with so many investors competing for properties, how do you get ahead of the pack? Here, I’ll show you how to get

Andrew la FleurFebruary 23, 2018

NewsVideos

Should You Buy an Old Condo for Investment?

Click here to read the original article: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/real-estate/toronto/looking-for-the-best-return-in-the-condo-market-buy-old/article37872607/?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=Referrer%3A+Social+Network+%2F+Media&utm_campaign=Shared+Web+Article+Links SHOULD YOU BUY AN OLD CONDO FOR INVESTMENT? This article is from The Globe and Mail and the headline is “Looking for the best return in the condo market? Buy old.” Basically, it’s talking about how they did a statistical ana

Andrew la FleurFebruary 20, 2018

NewsVideos

Toronto Condo Landlords: Don’t Do This

Click here to read the original article: http://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4530383 TRANSCRIPT Here is an article from CBC and the headline is “As ‘personal use’ evictions appear to spike in Toronto, tenants suspicious of landlord cash grabs.” The headline here for me is, landlords and condo investors, don’t do this. Stay away from this type of strategy

Andrew la FleurFebruary 20, 2018

NewsVideos

Developers Not Building Any More Office Buildings in Toronto?

Click here to read the original article: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/real-estate/toronto/in-torontos-land-war-condo-builders-are-better-armed/article37872588/?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=Referrer%3A+Social+Network+%2F+Media&utm_campaign=Shared+Web+Article+Links TRANSCRIPT And this article is from the Globe and Mail and the headline is, In Toronto’s Land War, Condo Builders are Better Armed. So, it’s talking about the rising price of land and how there’s this sort of war between condo

Andrew la FleurFebruary 20, 2018

Ask Andrew

Should I invest in a condo or a townhouse in 2018?

Andrew speaks with Florence about her regretting selling a previous investment and whether or not she should invest in a condo or a townhouse this year in 2018. Ask a Question TRANSCRIPT Andrew: Welcome to the Ask Andrew Podcast, real questions from real condo investors. You ask, I answer. Hi, and welcome

Andrew la FleurFebruary 20, 2018

Insights

4 facts about debt that every investor needs to understand

Conventional Canadian wisdom has it that you should pay down your mortgage as fast as you can. This idea, though popular, is exactly the wrong thing to do when to do it comes to real estate investing. Instead you should actually increase the debt in your home to invest in more cash-flow producing

Andrew la FleurFebruary 13, 2018

Ask Andrew

How HST is handled when buying with a partner

Andrew speaks with Mehrdad about finding a great investment in downtown Toronto for under $450K and why starting prices aren’t always what has been advertised for certain projects. Ask a Question TRANSCRIPT Andrew: Welcome to the Ask Andrew podcast, real questions from real condo investors. You ask, I answer. Hi, and welcome back

Andrew la FleurFebruary 9, 2018

Podcast

Heat Check: Toronto Condo Market Still on Fire in January

Andrew la Fleur provides his analysis on the latest real estate market stats from TREB. The condo market continues to perform at an historic pace with prices up approximately 40% in the last 24 months. Meanwhile detached houses are struggling with prices actually going down in some submarkets. Will this trend continue or

Andrew la FleurFebruary 7, 2018

Insights

The 8 characteristics of the successful real estate investor

Real estate investors aren’t born, they’re made, and among those who are successfully “made,” there are several traits you’ll observe over and over no matter what shape the market is in. So here they are, the eight characteristics of the successful real estate investor. Open-mindedness You don’t become a successful real estate investor by getting

Andrew la FleurFebruary 5, 2018

NewsVideos

Is the Toronto Real Estate Market Following in Vancouver’s Footsteps?

Click here to read the original article: http://news.buzzbuzzhome.com/2018/01/vancouvers-speed-market-high-vulnerability.html TRANSCRIPT Speaker 1: Now here’s an interesting article from BuzzBuzzHome, Metro Vancouver’s two-speed housing market continues to face high vulnerability. What they’re talking about two-speed housing market is this idea that demand for attached homes and condos is significantly outpacing demand for detached homes. So the

Andrew la FleurFebruary 5, 2018

NewsVideos

Are New Condo Sales Going to Fall in 2018?

Click here to read the original article: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-02-01/new-condo-sales-in-toronto-set-to-fall-after-record-high-year TRANSCRIPT Okay, this article is from Bloomberg, and the headline is New Condo Sales In Toronto Set To Fall After Record High Year. New condo sales in Toronto set to fall, so you’re gonna be hearing a lot of this this year, headlines and people talking

Andrew la FleurFebruary 5, 2018

Ask Andrew

$500k to invest – what strategy to employ? Where to buy?

Andrew speaks with seasoned real estate investor, Alex, who is just getting into condos. They discuss: What is the future of the market in the next 5 years. What is the current pricing for the new condo launches in the core? How does toronto compare to other major cities in north america? What is the best

Andrew la FleurFebruary 2, 2018

NewsVideos

$1000/m for a Den? Toronto’s New Rental Reality is Good News for Investors

NewsVideos

Is everyone moving to the 905?

Andrew la FleurDecember 20, 2017

Podcast

Something I never thought would happen just did

NewsVideos

Why a foreign buyer tax in Toronto is a bad idea

Podcast

The Winners and the Losers of the New Mortgage Rules with James Laird of Canwise Financial

Videos

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (April 1, 2016)

Toronto developers have an interest in bringing high-quality retailers and services to their condominiums, aimed at enhancing the lives of both the residents and the people who visit the area

Andrew la FleurApril 4, 2016

Podcast

How Demographics Support a Strong Canadian Housing Market Over the Next Decade with Ben Myers of Fortress Real Developments

Housing analyst Ben Myers of Fortress Real Developments is back to talk about the Canadian housing market on this week’s episode of the True Condos podcast. We talk about demographics, mortgage fraud, household debt levels, shadow banking, foreign buyers, and of course how it all relates to the Toronto condo market for condo investors. Related

Andrew la FleurApril 2, 2016

Videos

Central Park Ajax – Introduction to Ajax Video

Central Park Ajax is a new condo development by LeMine Investment Group currently in preconstruction at 167 Harwood Avenue South, Ajax

Andrew la FleurMarch 30, 2016

Podcast

Is $750M Coming into Toronto Real Estate From China Every Month?

Some economists estimated recently that $9B came into Toronto Real Estate from China in the last year. That works out to $750M/month or $25M/day. How accurate are these numbers? What does this mean for local condo investors and the market? Should we be worried? Related Links Study Likely to Fuel Debate on Foreign Investment

Andrew la FleurMarch 26, 2016

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (March 25, 2016)

The metro Toronto area is a very different place from what it was back in 1979 — unless you’re looking at the number of single-detached homes completed by builders

Andrew la FleurMarch 25, 2016

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (March 18, 2016)

The ambitious goal to end homelessness in the next 10 years will soon have a powerful legal tool for city officials

Andrew la FleurMarch 18, 2016

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (March 11, 2016)

Whatever happened to Toronto’s condo bubble? The average price of a condominium in the city popped more than 17 per cent in February compared to what the same unit would have sold for just one year earlier

Andrew la FleurMarch 11, 2016

Podcast

Condo Prices Up 17.8% – Big Year Ahead for Condo Market?

The stats are in for February 2016 and condo prices jumped up 17.8% over last year. Is this a trend we can expect to continue or just an anomaly? Andrew la Fleur breaks down some very surprising statistics and what they mean for condo investors in 2016. Related Links February 2016 TREB market stats Canada

Andrew la FleurMarch 11, 2016

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (March 4, 2016)

There is an element of danger in Canada’s housing market, and it’s threatening Canadians’ ability to buy homes in two of the country’s frothiest local markets

Andrew la FleurMarch 7, 2016

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (February 26, 2016)

Canada’s real estate industry is bracing for a difficult year as low oil prices, a glut of office and retail supply, and skittish investors drive down demand for commercial space and hamper enthusiasm for new condos

Andrew la FleurFebruary 26, 2016

Insights

5 Reasons Why the Luxury Condo Market is About to Explode

“The Ritz Carlton continues to be one of the best bargains in Toronto. I think in time we will look back in future years in disbelief at the prices that people are getting these units for…” I wrote these words in a blog post here. The date was September 20, 2012. At the time, units

Andrew la FleurFebruary 26, 2016

Videos

Toronto’s “Condo King”: Vancouver destined to be a place for wealthy people

Lamb Development’s President and CEO Brad Lamb joins BNN to discuss the real estate market in Canada and why Vancouver is destined to be a place for the wealthy

Andrew la FleurFebruary 22, 2016

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (February 19, 2016)

Toronto-based builders Carlyle Communities and CentreStone Urban Developments have purchased several Bathurst Street properties totalling approximately 8,000 square feet on the western edge of the city’s Fashion District with plans for an 18-storey residential tower on the

Andrew la FleurFebruary 21, 2016

Podcast

Could Condo Prices Rise 30% in the Next 3 Years?

Recently a prominent Toronto condo developer publicly went on record saying that he believes condo prices will rise 30% in the next 3 years. Was he right? Was he crazy? In this episode, Andrew la Fleur shares his thoughts on this controversial opinion and where he believes the market is heading in the next 3

Andrew la FleurFebruary 19, 2016

Videos

Official Southside Condos Video

Southside Condos is a new condo development by Malibu Investments Inc. currently in preconstruction at 9 Tippett Road, Toronto. For more information on Southside Condos click here

Andrew la FleurFebruary 18, 2016

Videos

Official Diamond Condominiums on Yonge Video

The Diamond Condominiums on Yonge is a new condo development by Diamante Development Corporation currently in preconstruction at 75 Canterbury Pl, Toronto. Click here for more information on Diamond Condominiums on Yonge

Andrew la FleurFebruary 16, 2016

Videos

Official Whitehaus Condos Video | Yonge and Eglinton

Whitehaus Condos is a new condo development by Lifetime Developments and Knightstone Capital Management Inc. currently in preconstruction at 2360 Yonge St, Toronto. For more information on Whitehaus Condos click here

Andrew la FleurFebruary 16, 2016

Podcast

What Will Happen to the Toronto Condo Market in 2016?

2015 is now in the rearview mirror and 2016 is off to a roaring start. In this episode Andrew la Fleur takes a look at what the top forecasters have to say about the market including Altus/Realnet, Urbanation, and TREB, then he shares his own unique perspective on what to expect of the condo market

Andrew la FleurFebruary 12, 2016

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (February 12, 2016)

Recent major condo communities like Daniels’ Waterfront City of The Arts, and Menkes Waterfront Innovation Centre puts Toronto at the forefront of the world’s smartest cities

Andrew la FleurFebruary 12, 2016

Insights

The Risks and Rewards of Renting your Condo on Airbnb

Until about 3 years ago, if you were a condo investor, you really only had 2 choices of what to do with your unit: 1) Rent it out on a standard 12-month unfurnished lease. Under this option you might get somewhere around $1600/month for a typical junior 1 bedroom downtown. With this strategy your

Andrew la FleurFebruary 5, 2016

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (February 5, 2016)

Homes north of Danforth Ave. and east of the Don has the shortest sale times in Toronto, according to TREB data

Andrew la FleurFebruary 5, 2016

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (January 29, 2016)

The price gap between condos and houses soared 50 per cent last year in the Greater Toronto Area as values of single-family homes skyrocketed, while the condo market flatlined

Andrew la FleurJanuary 29, 2016

Podcast

The 5 Factors I Look for Before Endorsing a Student Rental Condo

The Canada Pension Plan just invested another $1.4B into student housing, this after already investing $2.8B a few months ago in 2015. Student housing is clearly a growth segment of the market, and new projects are popping up all the time in Ontario, but how do you know which projects are the safest to invest

Andrew la FleurJanuary 29, 2016

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (January 22, 2016)

Will history repeat itself when the Bank of Canada makes its latest overnight rate announcement on Wednesday? It depends whom you ask

Andrew la FleurJanuary 22, 2016

Podcast

How to Create Wealth Through Real Estate Even in Turbulent Times

Returning back to the True Condos Podcast is one of our favourite people to talk to about the Toronto condo market: Riz Dhanji. Riz has been an industry leader in the condominium world for decades and has sold thousand of condos across Canada and even in Asia. At the start of 2016, the global equity

Andrew la FleurJanuary 15, 2016

Insights

Investing 101: The 4 Dimensions of Real Estate Investing

Disclaimer: this article is not meant to be considered taxation or legal advice. Always consult your appropriate legal and tax professionals for advice on such matters. One of the reasons why real estate is such a powerful wealth creator is that, unlike other types of investment, it allows for multiple income streams and has some

Andrew la FleurJanuary 15, 2016

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (January 15, 2016)

After poking around on MLS for a bit, they set a budget of $500,000 and, with help from Marlene Jaegerman of Harvey Kalles, started searching for a great condo with parking and at

Andrew la FleurJanuary 15, 2016

Videos

Toronto condo titans discuss the biggest risks to the market

Toronto’s condo titens join BNN for a panel chat to discuss the risks facing the real estate market, the impact of new mortgage rules and the outlook for condo demand. Greg Bonnell speaks with Lanterra Developments’ Barry Fenton, Empire Communities’ Paul Golini and Tridel’s Jim Ritchie

Andrew la FleurJanuary 12, 2016

Videos

88 North Condos Video

Watch the Official 88 North Condos Video. 88 North is a new condo development by St. Thomas Development currently in preconstruction at 88 Queen Street East, Toronto. To learn more about 88 North Condos click here

Andrew la FleurJanuary 12, 2016

Podcast

The Big Short Movie Review

The first ever movie review on the True Condos Podcast! The Big Short is a movie about the events leading up to the real estate and economic crash in the USA in 2008. In this podcast, and through the lense of The Big Short movie, Andrew la Fleur looks at why the crash happened, how

Andrew la FleurJanuary 8, 2016

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (January 8, 2016)

After the Greater Toronto Area’s record year in 2015 for both the number of homes sold and the average price, the question is: when will it all come crashing down? The answer: not in 2016. Here are five reasons why this won’t be the

Andrew la FleurJanuary 8, 2016

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (January 1, 2016)

With $2.4 billion invested in the Pan Am Games and a seemingly never-ending condo boom, 2015 changed the face of Toronto. There were some sad goodbyes, but also welcome changes to the city’s infrastructure

Andrew la FleurJanuary 4, 2016

Podcast

10 Reasons Why a Housing Crash is Very Unlikely in Toronto with Igor Dragovic

Should we be worried about all-time high consumer debt levels? Is Toronto overvalued by 20-50%? Are we building too many condos? Are foreign buyers a real and present danger to our market? Andrew la Fleur sits down and talks to Urbanist, Land Economist, and Policy Maker Igor Dragovic about his take on the Toronto real

Andrew la FleurDecember 31, 2015

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (December 18, 2015)

The Federal Reserve will most likely raise interest rates this week for the first time in nearly a decade. To understand what it means — and doesn’t mean — consider a previous year in which interest rates were on the rise

Andrew la FleurDecember 18, 2015

Podcast

How Do You Become a Successful Real Estate Investor?

Andrew la Fleur has noticed over the years of working with hundreds of real estate investors that the most successful investors share certain characteristics. In this episode Andrew breaks down his top-8 characteristics of the most successful real estate investors and he contrasts these with the characteristics of those who fail at real estate

Andrew la FleurDecember 17, 2015

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (December 11, 2015)

House prices in the GTA will continue to soar next year, according to RE/MAX realtors. here were calls for

Andrew la FleurDecember 11, 2015

Insights

Why Canada’s New Mortgage Rule is Great News for Condo Investors

Today the new Finance Minister Bill Morneau announced a significant change to the mortgage rules in Canada for property buyers. If you skip to the end of this article you can see more details into what the rule is exactly and how it breaks down, but if you are reading this you are probably a

Andrew la FleurDecember 11, 2015

Podcast

How to Get a Bidding War on Your Rental Condo – With Sara Kelcey of True Condos

In this special episode of the podcast Andrew la Fleur interviews True Condos team member and veteran Realtor Sara Kelcey. Sara talks about her experience helping our clients in the resale and rental markets in 2015 including an incredible story of receiving 4 offers on a rental listing in the middle of December!

Andrew la FleurDecember 11, 2015

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (December 4, 2015)

The number of Canadian condominiums owned by foreign residents grew over the past year in Vancouver, Toronto and Winnipeg, says the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp

Andrew la FleurDecember 7, 2015

Videos

Condo values to increase 30% over the next 3 years: Barry Fenton – CEO Lanterra

Lanterra Developments is the fourth largest condo developer in Toronto. President and CEO Barry Fenton joins The Business News to discuss his view of the condo market and why he feels there’s 30-40% upside to condo values

Andrew la FleurDecember 7, 2015

Podcast

Why Rental Demand is at the Highest Level in 30 years with Shaun Hildebrand of Urbanation

This week we sit down with Shaun Hildebrand of Urbanation. Urbanation has been tracking the Toronto condo market since 1981. We talked about the latest data from the market which is showing the highest rental demand Toronto has seen in nearly 30 years. Condo ownership rates looked like they have peaked and rental turnover

Andrew la FleurDecember 4, 2015

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (November 27, 2015)

The condo boom in Toronto isn’t slowing down any time soon, but with it has come plenty of rental apartments popping up across the city. In April, the Financial Post noted that there is a significantly increased demand for rental units amongst millennials

Andrew la FleurNovember 27, 2015

Podcast

How to Ask – and Get – Premium Rental Rates on Student Housing – With A.J. Keilty of Varsity Properties

University Studios is a new investment opportunity in Oshawa, right beside UOIT and Durham College. Varsity Properties is offering a 3 year rental guarantee to all investors who purchase in this project. Varsity Properties has been achieving premium rents in the student rental markets of Kingston, Oshawa and Barrie for over a decade. We

Andrew la FleurNovember 27, 2015

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (November 20, 2015)

The latest release by the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) on Nov. 16 showed home sales rose in October by 1.8 percent and reached the second-highest monthly level in almost six years

Andrew la FleurNovember 20, 2015

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (November 13, 2015)

More than 8,800 homes were sold last month, breaking the record for home sales in the month of October. A monthly report showed that 8,804 homes were sold in October 2015, more than in any other October on record

Andrew la FleurNovember 14, 2015

Podcast

Are Rents in Canada 36% Undervalued?

The OECD recently said that Canadian real estate prices are overvalued by 33% based on price:income ratio. Will Dunning is an economist who noted that when you use the same premise, you come to the conclusion that rents are undervalued in Canada by 36%. Could this be true? We take a closer look in

Andrew la FleurNovember 14, 2015

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (November 6, 2015)

One Toronto real estate company is taking a drastic step in condominium purchasing incentives by offering new residents a free Nissan LEAF if the resident buys a parking space equipped with an EV charging station along with the condo

Andrew la FleurNovember 6, 2015

Insights

3 Reasons to Always Choose a Variable Rate Mortgage When Buying an Investment Property

When it comes to mortgage financing on your investment property, there are considerations that differ for every property and every situation, however there is one debate that is common for every investor: do you go with a fixed or variable mortgage rate? Here are 3 reasons why I always go with a variable mortgage rate

Andrew la FleurNovember 4, 2015

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (October 30, 2015)

Real estate pundits are saying that Canada has been emotionally invested in the Toronto Blue Jays and federal election this past month. With a record number of fans tuned into the game this year, some buyers may

Andrew la FleurOctober 30, 2015

Podcast

Should You Invest in a REIT or Buy a Condo?

Are you better off investing in a REIT (real estate investment trust) in the stock market, or buying a condo and renting it out? In this episode we tackle this popular question for investors by comparing what you could get if you invested the same amount of money in a REIT versus a condo

Andrew la FleurOctober 30, 2015

Podcast

Toronto Condos vs. the TSX: Which Is a Better Investment?

BMO Nesbitt Burns just came out with a report that showed that over the last 15 years (2000-2015) the Toronto condo market has outpaced the TSX for growth and investment returns. In this episode of the True Condos Podcast, Andrew la Fleur talks about why this is amazing news for condo investors and also,

Andrew la FleurOctober 23, 2015

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (October 23, 2015)

Last year when her boss retired, Tricia Tait bought the catering business where she had worked as an administrator for eight years. The company, The Lunch Mom, provides 3,500 hot lunches a week to eight midtown Toronto schools

Andrew la FleurOctober 23, 2015

Insights

3 Mistakes to Avoid When Investing with Friends and Family

If you are thinking about investing in a property with a family or friend, there are certain benefits that can make it an attractive way to build your real estate portfolio. Most obviously, investing with a partner allows you greater buying power and lowers your personal risk exposure. However, there are potential pitfalls too, and

Andrew la FleurOctober 21, 2015

Insights

5 Shocking Truths About The Toronto Condo Market That No One Is Talking About

1. The Condo Market is Bigger and Hotter Than Ever Before The media is so obsessed with the skyrocketing prices and bidding wars taking place across the GTA in the low rise housing market that people are missing the fact that the condo market is booming once again after a relatively slow last couple of

Andrew la FleurOctober 16, 2015

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (October 16, 2015)

There were 26 apartment buildings under construction in the Toronto area in the third quarter of the year, containing more than 6,500 rental units, according to a new report by real estate market research firm Urbanation Inc

Andrew la FleurOctober 16, 2015

Podcast

Why the Toronto Condo Market Is Actually Bigger and Hotter Than Ever

If you only read the headlines and listen to the talk around the water cooler, you might think that the condo market is slow, or worse: about to crash. The truth is that more people are moving into condos than ever before in history. What does this mean for condo investors? Andrew la Fleur

Andrew la FleurOctober 16, 2015

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (October 9, 2015)

What they all have in common is that they either come from a larger space or wish they were in a larger space. Here then are my top three condo design myths, debunked

Andrew la FleurOctober 9, 2015

Videos

Official 35 Wabash Video

35 Wabash is a new townhouse development by Zinc Developments currently in preconstruction at 35 Wabash Avenue, Toronto. Sales for available units start from the $600,000’s. Get the 35 Wabash Investor Package Here: https://truecondos.com/projects/35-wabash/

Andrew la FleurOctober 6, 2015

Insights

Why Invest In Daniels Waterfront?

Soon I will have in my hands the floor plans and prices for one of the most anticipated new condo projects of 2015: Daniels Waterfront. As a Platinum agent for Daniels, on October 7th I will get all the details for the building and I will begin accepting worksheets (suite request forms) immediately. Demand is already

Andrew la FleurOctober 6, 2015

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (October 2, 2015)

The Canadian housing market has overcome a plunge in oil prices and a wave of new condo units flooding some regional pockets, and according to RBC’s quarterly economic update and provincial outlooks released today, it will continue to

Andrew la FleurOctober 3, 2015

Podcast

Investing in Toronto’s New Waterfront with Dominic Tompa of Daniels Corp.

Dominic Tompa bought his first property when he was just 19 years old and he started his career in real estate in 1984. Today he is Broker of Record for Citylife Realty – Daniels’ in-house sales company which has sold thousands of condos for one of Toronto’s most respected developers. We talked about condo

Andrew la FleurOctober 2, 2015

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (September 25, 2015)

Given Toronto’s renown for condominium development, here’s an interesting finding from BMO Nesbitt Burns: Investors would have done better with condos than TSX-listed stocks over the past 15 years

Andrew la FleurSeptember 26, 2015

Podcast

Toronto Now a Top-10 Global Financial Centre. What Does It Mean for Condo Investors?

Toronto ranked 8th in a recent report ranking the world’s top financial centres. This is the highest ranking Toronto has ever achieved and the first time Toronto has been in the top 10. Toronto is now second only to New York for cities in North America. What does this mean for condo investors? Listen

Andrew la FleurSeptember 26, 2015

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (September 18, 2015)

An average one-bedroom condo in the area is $570,198, and an average two-bedroom is nearly $1.5 million (actually, the average price is $1,497,679

Andrew la FleurSeptember 23, 2015

Insights

Why Did Canada’s Biggest Investor Just Spend $2.8B on High-End Student Housing?

That’s what’s happening now with the recent announcements that the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) is investing $2.8B in 2 separate transactions on high-end student housing in the UK. The CPP is the largest investing body in Canada with around $270B in assets. Since the CPP is funded by your tax dollars, you just invested in

Andrew la FleurSeptember 21, 2015

Videos

Official Capital Hall Video

WHY YOU SHOULD INVEST IN THIS PROJECT Capital Hall condos is a very unique investment opportunity that we are very excited about here at TrueCondos.com. The building has 338 units and the prices start from just $179,990! The project offers something you can’t get anywhere else: – 3 year rental guarantee – 3

Andrew la FleurSeptember 14, 2015

Podcast

Lessons From My First Condo Investment with Ryan Rabinovich from Freed Developments

Ryan Rabinovich made his first condo investment when he was just 21 years of age. His friends all told him he was crazy and he nearly listened to them. Now 12 years later Ryan is VP of Sales for Freed Developments (#1 in GTA for sales for 2015) and he still owns that little

Andrew la FleurSeptember 11, 2015

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (September 11, 2015)

Builders picked up the construction pace in August, breaking ground on new condos at a breathtaking speed and pushing the annual pace of overall housing starts up to its highest level since September 2012

Andrew la FleurSeptember 11, 2015

Insights

How Much Will My Condo Be Worth in 5 Years?

If you are thinking about investing in a new condo you are probably wondering what is the upside and where will prices be in 5 years from now? How much profit will I make? It is an important question and one I will answer now but it’s a bit of a red herring. So many

Andrew la FleurSeptember 11, 2015

Insights

Investing In Condos With No Money Down

What if I told you I had a condo investment opportunity that was so good that it could actually generate you a positive return even if you put down $0 of your own money? I know it sounds like a scam, but it’s not. Let me explain… One of my tools that I use for

Andrew la FleurSeptember 8, 2015

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (September 4, 2015)

Downsizing baby boomers are driving year-over-year gains in luxury condo sales in Toronto and Vancouver, according to a report released this week

Andrew la FleurSeptember 4, 2015

Podcast

How to Have the Right Mindset for Real Estate Investing

What separates the most successful real estate investors from those who are not often comes down to mindset. In this episode, Andrew la Fleur talks about some of the keys to success for the first time investor, and we get to hear about how Shane – one of Andrew’s recent clients – made the

Andrew la FleurSeptember 2, 2015

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (August 28, 2015)

The evidence that supply is actually returning to more balanced territory, where supply is more in line with demand, is the fact that new condo prices continue to rise, albeit moderately, and sales of resale condos hit a new record in the second

Andrew la FleurAugust 28, 2015

Podcast

Investing in High-End Student Rentals with David Choo of Ashcroft Homes

David Choo came to Canada from Guyana in 1971 to study at Carleton University. He stuck around and now he’s one of Ottawa’s top real estate developers. An engineer by training, David has built over 6000 homes as President and Owner of Ashcroft Homes. Always the visionary, David now has his sights set on

Andrew la FleurAugust 21, 2015

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (August 21, 2015)

The condo tsunami is heading west. Construction has recently begun on the Eau De Soleil on Humber Bay, two towers of 66 and 44 storeys, the former the tallest condo tower in Canada outside of a downtown core

Andrew la FleurAugust 21, 2015

Podcast

What Do All the Fastest Selling Condo Projects of the Last Year Have In Common?

In this episode we talk about the 4 fastest selling condo projects of the past year in Ontario and what they all have in common: they are all student-oriented condo buildings and they were all 100% sold out within a few weeks of launching. Coming up next is Capital Hall condos in Ottawa which

Andrew la FleurAugust 18, 2015

Videos

Andrew la Fleur Goes to Ottawa to Visit Capital Hall Location

Andrew la Fleur takes a trip to Ottawa to visit the location of upcoming Capital Hall condos by Ashcroft Homes in this exclusive video on True Condos. Video Transcript Hi, welcome to this video. Today we’re going to fly from Toronto, Billy Bishop Airport downtown to Ottawa for today to check out

Andrew la FleurAugust 17, 2015

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (August 14, 2015)

Toronto’s housing market faces a high risk of a correction as soaring home prices have outstripped income growth even as the city is facing a rising supply of unsold condos, Canada’s federal housing agency warned

Andrew la FleurAugust 14, 2015

Videos

Andrew la Fleur on CBC News to Speak About the Toronto Condo Boom

Andrew la Fleur, Founder of TrueCondos.com, is featured on CBC News to talk about the latest condo boom happening in Toronto

Andrew la FleurAugust 6, 2015

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (August 7, 2015)

The number of unsold condominiums across Canada’s largest city dropped 13 per cent in the second quarter from a year ago, according to research firm Urbanation Inc

Andrew la FleurAugust 6, 2015

Videos

Daniels Waterfront Video

Daniels Waterfront is a new condo development by The Daniels Corporation currently in preconstruction at 132 Queens Quay East in Toronto. LEARN MORE ABOUT DANIELS WATERFRONT CONDO HERE!

Andrew la FleurAugust 4, 2015

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (July 31, 2015)

Toronto’s housing market faces a “comparatively high” risk of a sudden price drop, according to a TD Economics report. The report, issued Thursday, suggests the housing market in Canada’s largest city is at risk of a steep price adjustment if supply surpasses

Andrew la FleurJuly 31, 2015

Podcast

The Amazingly Strong Toronto Condo Rental Market with Pauline Lierman of Urbanation

In this week’s podcast episode, Pauline Lierman of Urbanation discusses the Q2 condo rental numbers with Andrew la Fleur. The market continues to perform even above industry insiders’ expectations. Related Links Urbanation Official Website Pauline Lierman on Twitter Andrew la Fleur: Great. It’s my pleasure to

Andrew la FleurJuly 31, 2015

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (July 24, 2015)

More than a quarter of Canadian construction industry professionals told a new survey by London-based Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors they were worried that Toronto’s housing market was at risk of a price correction because of high levels of

Andrew la FleurJuly 24, 2015

Podcast

The Importance of Long Term Thinking in Real Estate Investing

My old uncle said something very interesting to me recently when discussing current world events like the Greek crisis, Chinese economy losing steam, and low oil prices: “You have to think in centuries”. These things are all small blips on the radar in the bigger picture of world events and history. And the same is

Andrew la FleurJuly 23, 2015

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (July 17, 2015)

Bulls point to low interest rates, crazy bidding wars for desirable neighborhoods, and a steady stream of new people moving to the city as proof the market is in great shape. A steadily rising price is the result of a healthy market. Here

Andrew la FleurJuly 17, 2015

Podcast

Will I be Able to Rent Out My Condo?

One of the most common questions that I get asked from first time condo investors is will I be able to rent out my condo once it is complete? In this episode I look at the latest numbers from Urbanation on the Toronto Condo rental market from Q2-2015. The bottom line is that the condo

Andrew la FleurJuly 17, 2015

Insights

The Ultimate DIY Guide to Renting Your Condo for Top Dollar – Without Using an Agent

Note: The following is a post written by Alexander Yolevski, Condo Investor & Marketing Manager at TrueCondos.com. Using a Platinum agent when purchasing a pre-construction condo is key to making sure you get the floorplan you want, the best price, any purchaser incentives being offered, and most importantly, someone with many years experience who has

Andrew la FleurJuly 13, 2015

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (July 10, 2015)

The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board made its first direct investment in Canadian multi-family real estate on Monday with the purchase of a 60 per cent interest in Minto High Park Village in Toronto

Andrew la FleurJuly 10, 2015

Podcast

How Condo Investors Can Take Advantage of the Baby Boom in Downtown Toronto with Jeanhy Shim of Housing Lab Toronto

Jeanhy Shim has over 22 years of experience in the Toronto development industry as a consultant, analyst, and entrepreneur. Jeany talked to Andrew la Fleur about the current state of the Toronto condo market, what makes Toronto unique among major world cities, and how condo investors can and should take advantage of the baby boom

Andrew la FleurJuly 9, 2015

Podcast

Bank of Canada Cutting Rates Again. Are Low Interest Rates Here to Stay?

In this special solo episode, Andrew la Fleur provides 5 thoughts on interest rates as they pertain to real estate investors. Andrew has been saying for years that low interest rates are “the new normal” and now the Bank of Canada will likely lower rates this month yet again. This episode is especially for you

Andrew la FleurJuly 3, 2015

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (July 3, 2015)

Last year, 25,571 condo units were completed. This year, only 18,914 are projected for completion, but construction is expected to remain strong in years ahead

Andrew la FleurJuly 3, 2015

Insights

10 Tips for Your PDI on Your New Condo in Toronto

Now it’s time to do your PDI (pre-delivery inspection). You’ve probably been waiting as long as 4 years for this, and now it’s finally time to take possession of your new home or investment property. Your PDI is your opportunity to see the condo for the very first time and walk through the property with

Andrew la FleurJuly 1, 2015

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (June 26, 2015)

The booming condo market has so far been a stabilizing, rather than a destabilizing, force in Canada’s housing landscape – an affordable safety valve for first-time buyers, renters and newcomers

Andrew la FleurJune 26, 2015

Podcast

Why The High Rise Market is the Future of Toronto Real Estate With Brian Johnston of Mattamy Homes

Brian Johnston is the COO of Mattamy Homes – Canada’s largest home builder, and also a member of the Board of Directors of CMHC. Exclusively a low rise builder, Mattamy made big headlines in the high rise world when they bought out Monarch Group in December 2014 for $330 million. In this episode, Andrew

Andrew la FleurJune 25, 2015

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (June 19, 2015)

Vintage buildings draw attention and remain in high demand for young and old buyers looking to downsize into condos with more square footage and larger floor plans

Andrew la FleurJune 19, 2015

Podcast

Living Your Life on Your Terms with Tom Karadza of Rock Star Real Estate

Tom Karadza and his brother Nick are experts in Real Estate investing in Canada. They have authored several books on real estate investing and they help their clients invest all over the golden horseshoe. In this episode Andrew la Fleur sat down with Tom to talk about his experience as a real estate investor and

Andrew la FleurJune 19, 2015

Videos

Exclusive 150 Redpath Investment Analysis Video

Coming this Fall to Yonge & Eglinton, 150 Redpath Condos is a new condo development by Freed Developments and CD Capital Developments currently in preconstruction at 150 Redpath Avenue in Toronto. 150 Redpath Video Transcript Introducing 150 Redpath, at Yonge and Eglinton, by Freed and Capital developments. This video’s going to show you why 150

Andrew la FleurJune 17, 2015

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (June 12, 2015)

The growing gap between soaring housing prices and stagnating wages may open up a large secondary market for condo rentals in the very near future, according to a new report from Colliers International

Andrew la FleurJune 16, 2015

Podcast

Why Yonge and Eglinton is the Best Neighbourhood in Toronto With Todd Cowan and Jordan Dermer of Capital Developments

Todd Cowan and Jordan Dermer ran a huge development company in Eastern Europe for over 10 years. Now they are building a brand in Toronto that they hope will one day become one of the most respected in the industry. They are getting ready to launch 150 Redpath which comes hot on the heels of

Andrew la FleurJune 12, 2015

News

The Toronto Condo Market This Week (June 5, 2015)

Developers and investors in Toronto increasingly being to set their signs on rental units as sky-high home prices leave home ownership out of reach for many

Andrew la FleurJune 9, 2015

Podcast

The Case for Tearing Down the Gardiner East with Alex Bozikovic of The Globe and Mail

Toronto City Council is facing a big decision this week about the future of the crumbling Gardiner East. Toronto Mayor John has come out in favour of the “hybrid” option which essentially means to keep the expressway in it’s current form. Alex Bozikovic, architecture critic for the Globe and Mail, strongly supports the “remove” alternative

Andrew la FleurJune 8, 2015

Videos

Exclusive Grid Condos Investment Analysis Video

I WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT GRID CONDOS! Grid Condos Video Transcript Hi, thanks for watching this video. Once again, it’s Andrew la Fleur here from TrueCondos.com, and let’s get started. In this video, I’m going to talk to you about a great new investment opportunity called Grid Condos, but first let me give you

Andrew la FleurMay 29, 2015

Podcast

What’s Underlying the Student Rental Condo Boom?

In this solo episode, Andrew la Fleur discusses some of the reasons why student rental condos are becoming so popular and why owning a student rental unit right here in downtown Toronto is a great thing to have in your portfolio. Related Links Grid Condos Investor Package “Trends in Enrollment” interesting study on university enrollment

Andrew la FleurMay 29, 2015

News

The Toronto Condo Market this Week (May 29, 2015)

The Ontario government plans to pursue the largest overhaul in condo legislation proposed in 16 years. Starting at $1 per month per condo unit, condo owners will be protected from bad

Andrew la FleurMay 29, 2015

Insights

Student Rental Condos are Booming

I’m getting more and more requests these days from my clients for student-oriented investment opportunities. The fact is that student rental condos are very hot right now. Projects like University Suites in Kingston and The Academy Condos in Scarborough were among the best selling condos in the country in 2014, and many of my clients

Andrew la FleurMay 27, 2015

News

The Toronto Condo Market this Week – May 22, 2015

According to a new TD Economics report, LEED certification can increase the resale price of a Toronto condo anywhere from five to 14 percent. In addition, condos with a “green building status” lowered maintenance fees

Andrew la FleurMay 22, 2015

Videos

Citylights on Broadway Video

I want to learn more about Citylights on Broadway!

Andrew la FleurMay 21, 2015

Podcast

Designing the Perfect Student Rental Condo with Shamez Virani of CentreCourt Developments

Shamez Virani is Vice President at CentreCourt Developments. CentreCourt projects are known to sell out very quickly because they have prime locations in the core and their buildings are designed with the needs of the investor in mind. Their latest project launching in June 2015 is Grid Condos at Jarvis and Dundas and is expected

Andrew la FleurMay 21, 2015

Podcast

Inside the Highest Penthouse in the Western Hemisphere – 432 Park Avenue, New York City

Andrew la Fleur takes a trip to New York City to check out the view from the highest penthouse in the Western hemisphere at 432 Park Avenue, New York City Episode Transcript Hi and welcome back to the show. Today is going to be another solo episode, just me and you today

Andrew la FleurMay 15, 2015

News

The Toronto Condo Market this Week 05/15/15

The One at Yonge & Bloor, The Mirvish Village Public Market, and The Bartholomew in the revitalized Regent Park are all preparing to completely transform their respective neighbourhoods. Whether it’s an 80-storey tower to raise the bar in an already highly sought for area, an urban village concept to cater

Andrew la FleurMay 15, 2015

Podcast

How to Raise 5 Kids in a Condo with Adrian Crook of 5kids1condo.com

Adrian Crook lives with his partner and 5 kids in a 1000 sq ft condo in downtown Vancouver. We talked about the benefits of urban living for families, and discuss the challenges that cities like Toronto and Vancouver face in getting more families to make the shift to downtown, high rise living. Condo investors should

Andrew la FleurMay 7, 2015

Insights

Should Condo Investors Fear the Rental Apartment Boom?

It seems like once a month now a major rental tower is announced in Toronto. Existing condo sites are being converted into rental buildings, and upcoming high rise sites that last year would almost certainly be condos are today being proposed as

Andrew la FleurApril 30, 2015

Podcast

Understanding the Big Picture in Regent Park with Jacob Cohen of Daniels Corp

On this episode Andrew la Fleur sits down with Jacob Cohen of Daniels to get an update on the rapidly changing regent park neighbourhood and they talk about the latest new project in the area – The Bartholomew condos and towns Jacob Cohen Interview Highlights 0:20 What to Expect in this Interview 4:00 How Jacob

Andrew la FleurApril 29, 2015

Podcast

Why the Rental Apartment Boom is a Good Thing for Condo Investors

In this solo episode, Andrew la Fleur presents an oral essay on why the rental apartment boom we are seeing in Toronto is a good thing for individual condo investors. There are 5 forces at play that when taken into account indicate a bright future for the condo market. Related Links Financial Post Article: Apartment

Andrew la FleurApril 24, 2015

Podcast

Maintenance Fees Myths and Facts with Carl Langschmidt from Condos.ca

Carl Langschmidt is a top Realtor in Toronto and has been an industry innovator for nearly a decade. In this episode, we discuss Carl’s new and powerful website Condos.ca as well as his firm’s findings about maintenance fees. Some of the results might surprise you. Carl Langschmidt Interview Highlights 00:12 What to Expect in this

Andrew la FleurApril 17, 2015

Podcast

Is Canada’s Real Estate Market 30% Overvalued? with Peter Norman from Altus Group

Peter Norman is Chief Economist at Altus Group and General Manager of Altus Group Economic Consulting. He’s been tracking the housing market for nearly 30 years and has been a real estate investor since the 1980s. Peter has consulted with the International Monetary Fund and gives us insight into the question of “Does the IMF

Andrew la FleurApril 13, 2015

Podcast

Investing in $500 homes in Detroit with Darin McLeskey

Darin McLeskey is an investor, developer, and Realtor in Detroit. We talk to Darin on this episode about investing in Detroit’s infamous “$500 house”, learn about the risks and rewards of investing in fringe areas of the city, and Darin tells us where the smart money is going now in Detroit real estate investing. Daniel

Andrew la FleurApril 4, 2015

Podcast

The Global Economy and the Toronto High Rise Market with Benjamin Tal of CIBC World Markets

Benjamin Tal is the Deputy Chief Economist with CIBC World Markets. On this episode we discuss the global economy including what’s happening in China and Europe, his positive outlook on the USA, Ben’s recent “Canada Jobs Report”, and listen to hear what Ben thinks about the recent trend of institutional investors getting into the Toronto

Andrew la FleurMarch 26, 2015

Podcast

Extreme Architecture with David Wex of Urban Capital

David Wex, who along with his partner Mark Reeve, are Urban Capital. Since David started in the condo industry in the 90s, he has been a trailblazer with a vision to build high design condominiums and get into areas years before they have gentrified. River City is a multi-phase condo community in the West Don

Andrew la FleurMarch 20, 2015

Podcast

Ben Myers on The Canadian Housing Market

Ben Myers of Fortress Real Developments just released his latest “Market Manuscript” detailing the current state of several of the major housing markets across Canada. I asked Ben about what the chances are of a major housing correction in Canada, which bank said that Canadian real estate is undervalued, and how oil prices might affect

Andrew la FleurMarch 17, 2015

Podcast

HST Rental Rebate Update with Mark Purdy of RentalRebate.ca

HST rebates continues to be a very confusing issue for some condo investors – but they don’t have to be! Andrew la Fleur catches up with tax expert Mark Purdy to discuss the the latest on the HST as they continue their conversation from episode #11 of the podcast

Andrew la FleurMarch 17, 2015

Videos

EXCLUSIVE Art Shoppe Condos Video

For more information on Art Shoppe Condos click here. One of the most overused cliches in the real estate industry is the term iconic building. Seems if you read through just about any condo brochure, go to any website, you’ll see the term iconic building. When every new building is iconic, then we might be

Andrew la FleurFebruary 25, 2015

Podcast

Designing an Iconic Building with Peter Freed of Freed Developments

Peter Freed started out as a labourer at age 20 and worked his way up to become one of the top condo developers in Toronto. We talked about his biggest and most ambitious project to date: Art Shoppe Condos + Lofts at Yonge and Eglinton. Peter Freed Interview Highlights 1:03 What to Expect in

Andrew la FleurFebruary 23, 2015

Podcast

The Next Generation of Toronto’s Waterfront with Anson Kwok of Pinnacle International

Anson Kwok of Pinnacle International sits down with Andrew la Fleur and discusses Pinnacle’s upcoming mega project 1 Yonge, the differences between Vancouver condo development and Toronto condo development, and what’s in store for the next generation of Toronto’s waterfront. Anson Kwok Interview Highlights 0:13 Who is Anson Kwok and What is 1 Yonge

Andrew la FleurFebruary 19, 2015

Insights

Everything You Need To Know About Tarion New Home Warranty

What is the Tarion Warranty? Every new home or new condo in Ontario is covered by the Tarion Warranty program, however the home owner does have to pay for the warranty. How much does Tarion Warranty cost? The cost of the warranty depends on the purchase price of your property. See the chart at the top

Andrew la FleurFebruary 17, 2015

Podcast

Mortgage Tips and Tricks for Condo Investors with Amit Puri, Mortgage Broker and Chartered Accountant

Amit Puri, mortgage broker and CA, talks about the historically low interest rates we are experiencing and gets us behind the scenes to learn what is driving the current mortgage rates. He also provides some advice for getting a mortgage if you are a first time condo investor, and he gives his opinion on

Andrew la FleurFebruary 12, 2015

Videos

San Francisco by the Bay 2 Analysis Video

http://alafleur.wistia.com/medias/5z5tvbkz83?embedType=iframe&videoFoam=true&videoWidth=600

Andrew la FleurFebruary 10, 2015

Podcast

Investing In Pickering with Ralph Del Duca of Chestnut Hill Developments

Ralph Del Duca of Chestnut Hill Developments talks about why Pickering is a great city to invest in, what is driving the strong rental rates in Pickering, and the “miracle” that happened in his first condo in Pickering – San Francisco by The Bay Phase 1

Andrew la FleurFebruary 6, 2015

Podcast

Condo Investment Advice From Hunter Milborne of Milborne Real Estate

Hunter Milborne, President of Milborne Real Estate Inc has sold tens of thousands of condos. He is quite possibly the most experienced and successful condo investor ever in Toronto, having started his career in 1976 by selling 33 Harbour Square. The “Dean of Condos” sits down with Andrew la Fleur to share some of his

Andrew la FleurJanuary 28, 2015

Podcast

The Future of the GTA Property Market with George Carras of Realnet

George Carras, President of Realnet, talks about the latest economic and market data and how this affects the GTA property market, as well as how policy makers need to work with the industry and consumers to make it a better market moving forward. George Carras Interview Highlights 00:10 Who is George Carras 00:48 Bank of

Andrew la FleurJanuary 22, 2015

Insights

4 Incredible Facts You Didn’t Know About the Toronto Condo Rental Market

The numbers are in. Urbanation just released their UrbanRental Report for Q4-2014. Unfortunately you can’t read the report unless you are a paying subscriber like me, but nonetheless I wanted to share with you some thoughts I had on the findings. Most of the headlines in the mainstream media are essentially saying the same thing

Andrew la FleurJanuary 21, 2015

Podcast

Why Toronto is the Most Unique City in The World with Stephen Diamond from Diamondcorp

Stephen Diamond, President and CEO of Diamond Corp, talks to Andrew la Fleur about what makes Toronto the most unique city in the world, why investing in condos in the core is a sound choice, and why The Well development at Front and Spadina is a ‘dream come true’ opportunity. Stephen Diamond Interview Highlights 0:11

Andrew la FleurJanuary 15, 2015

Podcast

Getting the Best Mortgage with Alyssa Richard of Ratehub.ca

Alyssa Richard, Founder of RateHub.ca, talks to Andrew la Fleur about finding the best mortgage rate, and how condo investors can use her tool to increase profits. Alyssa also discusses a new tool coming to RateHub.ca Alyssa Richard Interview Highlights 00:15 Who is Alyssa Richard & What is RateHub.ca? 6:15 How & Why Alyssa Richard

Andrew la FleurJanuary 7, 2015

Podcast

How to Invest Wisely with Don R. Campbell of REIN

Andrew la Fleur discusses how to invest wisely in real estate with one of Canada’s foremost experts on the subject, Don R. Campbell. Don is a best-selling author of many books about real estate, and he is the founder of REIN (Real Estate Investment Network). Don and Andrew share a passion for creating hype-free educational

Andrew la FleurDecember 18, 2014

Podcast

The Downtown Land Market with Jeremiah Shamess from Colliers

In this episode, Jeremiah Shamess, a Redevelopment Associate at Colliers International, talks to Andrew la Fleur about the downtown land market, representing land owners, and a few high profile condo sites in Toronto that have recently changed hands. Jeremiah Shamess Interview Highlights 0:00 Who is Jeremiah Shamess? 1:20 Housing Bubble Be Gone 4:10 How Jeremiah

Andrew la FleurDecember 12, 2014

Podcast

Building Better Condo Buildings with Matt Kingston of Minto Developments

In this episode, Andrew la Fleur chats with Matt Kingston, VP of Land Development about design features that make a great condo building and how Minto goes above and beyond to make buildings that people love. They also discuss Minto’s newest project Minto Westside and Matt gives his advice for investing in condos. Matt Kingston

Andrew la FleurNovember 26, 2014

Videos

Exclusive Video: Minto West Side Investment Analysis

Watch this exclusive True Condos Investment Analysis Video on Minto West Side! For more information on Minto West Side CLICK HERE!

Andrew la FleurNovember 15, 2014

Podcast

The Condo Market This Week – With Andrew la Fleur

During this special “solo” episode, Andrew la Fleur discusses financing micro condos, Canadian bonds, and how to get in on the best condo investing opportunities in Toronto. What You’ll Learn About This Episode Financing Micro Condos There is a myth that banks will not finance small condos. This is not true. Yield Curve – Canadian

Andrew la FleurNovember 14, 2014

Podcast

The Evolution of Toronto’s Urban Landscape – with Edward Skira of UrbanToronto.ca

Edward Skira is the President and Co-founder of UrbanToronto.ca. On this interview we talk about the evolution of Toronto’s urban core, the role of the UrbanToronto.ca community in the condo market, and the impact of good design on the market. Edward Skira Interview Highlights 0:15 Who is Edward Skira 00:40 Immigration is Good for

Andrew la FleurNovember 6, 2014

Videos

How to Apply for Your HST Rebate: True Condos Exclusive

Watch this True Condos EXCLUSIVE video on How to Apply for Your HST Rebate. It is the ULTIMATE guide to processing your HST rebates. For even more information on HST Rebates, listen to this interview with Tax Expert, Mark Purdy!

Andrew la FleurNovember 5, 2014

Videos

Watch the Teahouse Condos Video

Click Here for More Information on Teahouse!

Andrew la FleurNovember 4, 2014

Podcast

Investing in Toronto Condos For Non-Residents of Canada

Listen to Sharon Goldberg, Property Manager of DASH Property Management, talk to Andrew la Fleur about what non-residents of Canada need to know about investing in the Toronto condo market. Sharon Golberg Interview Highlights 00:22 Who is Sharon Golberg? 2:00 Urban Living is Here to Stay 7:00 How Sharon Golberg Got Into Real Estate 8:50

Andrew la FleurOctober 31, 2014

Videos

Exclusive Video: University Suites Investment Analysis

Watch this exclusive True Condos video analyzing the full investment opportunity in Kingston at University Suites. Get The Investor Package! University Suites Investment Analysis Video Transcript Hello and welcome to another true condos exclusive video. My name is Andrew la Fleur and I’m a real estate agent with Remax condos plus. If you’re watching this

Andrew la FleurOctober 23, 2014

Podcast

Tracking the Toronto Condo Market in 2014 with Shaun Hildebrand

In this week’s episode of the True Condos podcast, Andrew la Fleur discusses the current state of the Toronto condo market with Shaun Hildebrand of Urbanation. For more than 30 years, Urbanation Inc. has been actively tracking Toronto’s high rise condominium market. From projects in the planning stages, to new projects in the presale and

Andrew la FleurOctober 23, 2014

Podcast

Should You Buy and Hold or Buy and Flip – with Naram Mansour of Carlyle Communities

Naram is the president of Carlyle Communities and he is also a lecturer at Shulich School of Business. He teaches a real estate course there. Now, Naram is a very smart and interesting guy when it comes to real estate. We had a great conversation on the renting a consumer driven condo market. Naram

Andrew la FleurOctober 16, 2014

Podcast

Should The Toronto Condo Market Fear Foreign Investors? with Dan Flomen of Empire Communities

Dan Flomen is the Vice President of Sales at Empire Communities. Listen to him talk to Andrew la Fleur about whether the Toronto condo market should fear foreign investors or not, as well as their successful Eau du Soleil condo project on the city’s west waterfront. Dan Flomen Interview Highlights 00:50 Nobody Blows Bubbles Like

Andrew la FleurOctober 9, 2014

Videos

Watch the University Suites VIDEO

University Suites in Kingston is a new condo development by Brookfield Multiplex and PRK Developments currently in preconstruction at 495 Princess Street in Kingston, Ontario

Andrew la FleurOctober 9, 2014

Podcast

The Manhattanization of Toronto with Winson Chan of Tridel

Winson Chan is the Director of Sales for Tridel. Tridel is Canada’s largest condo builder, which means no one in Canada is responsible for more more condo sales than Winson Chan. We talked about a variety of topics but I what I found most interesting is that Winson is very forward thinking. He’s always looking

Andrew la FleurOctober 1, 2014

Insights

What’s the Best Condo Size to Buy for Investment?

One question that I get asked a lot from condo investors is what is the best condo size to buy for investment? If you talk to 5 different people you will get 5 different answers. Is it best to go with the ever-popular 1 bedroom plus a den? This is the most commonly

Andrew la FleurOctober 1, 2014

Podcast

How to Invest in Student Rental Condos with A.J. Keilty of Varsity Properties

Andrew sits down with A.J. Keilty, the President and CEO of Varisty Properties, to talk about student rental condos and their newest project University Suites in Kingston as a potential condo investment opportunity. A.J. Keilty Interview Highlights 00:40 Recent Podcast Review 1:25 Who is A.J. Keilty and What Is University Suites? 5:05 Background on

Andrew la FleurSeptember 23, 2014

Podcast

Increasing Transparency in the Real Estate Industry with Brandon Donnelly of TAS

Brandon is a young, hungry, up and coming developer in the city. and interestingly enough, just like Matt Young, Brandon is a VERY busy guy with side projects and entrepreneurial ambitions outside of his day job working with the Toronto condo developer TAS. Brandon Donnelly Interview Highlights 1:21 Who is Brandon Donnelly? 2:28 How Brandon

Andrew la FleurSeptember 20, 2014

Videos

EXCLUSIVE: Why You Should Invest in The Eglinton by Menkes

SEND ME ALL THE DETAILS! ————————————————– The Eglinton by Menkes Video Transcript Hi and thanks for checking out this video. My name is Andrew la Fleur and I’m a Realtor that specializes in helping people invest in pre-construction condos in Toronto. I made this video to give a brief overview of why Menkes

Andrew la FleurSeptember 19, 2014

Podcast

What to Look for in a Condo Investment with Matt Young of CD Capital

Matt Young, VP of CD Capital, is an up-and-coming condo developer in Toronto. Andrew la Fleur and Matt Young talk about the future of Yonge & Eglinton, a sneak peek at “The Art Shoppe” project, and Matt’s startup service for condos called “Alfred”. Matt Young Interview Highlights 1:15 Who is Matt Young? 3:26 How Matt

Andrew la FleurSeptember 9, 2014

Podcast

HST Rebates & Condo Investing with Tax Expert Mark Purdy

When it comes to condo investing one of the most confusing and most misunderstood subjects is HST and HST rebates. I have found a great guy that I want to introduce to all my condo investor clients and listeners of this podcast. His name is Mark Purdy and he is a tax consultant. Listen to the Ultimate Info Session on HST Rebates with Mark Purdy!

Andrew la FleurAugust 27, 2014

Podcast

How To Solve Toronto’s Affordable Housing Shortage With Olivia Chow

This is an election year in Toronto so I am trying to sit down and talk to all the candidates for Mayor to hear what they have to say about the condo market and related issues. This week I spent a few minutes talking to Olivia Chow about Toronto’s affordable housing shortage. Olivia Chow Interview

Andrew la FleurAugust 20, 2014

Podcast

Investing In Yonge and Eglinton With Johnson Cheng and Shab Rajabzadeh

Johnson Cheng and Shab Rajabzadeh are the partners of Cornerstone Marketing which is coming strong out of the gate and will be handling the sales for Menkes upcoming new tower at Yonge and Eglinton which will be called simply “The Eglinton”. I sat down with Johnson and Shab and talked about their new company and

Andrew la FleurAugust 8, 2014

Podcast

Discussing The Downtown Toronto Condo Market With Jamie Johnston of Remax Condos Plus

Andrew la Fleur talks to Jamie Johnston, the Broker of Record and Owner of Remax Condos Plus, on his history in the Toronto Condo Market, the “Toronto condo bubble myth”, the disconnect between what the media reports and what is actually happening in the market, and his own personal condo investing experiences. Jamie Johnston Interview

Andrew la FleurAugust 1, 2014

Podcast

How to Flip Condos Like a Pro with David Feld of Feld Kalia Law Firm

Andrew la Fleur, from TrueCondos.com, talks to lawyer and serial real estate investor, David Feld, who is one half of the Feld|Kalia Real Estate Law Firm. Listen to them discuss how to flip condos via assignments, David’s personal story on how he got to where he is now, as well as his own real estate

Andrew la FleurJuly 23, 2014

Podcast

How To Create A Winning Formula For Condo Investors With Riz Dhanji

Andrew la Fleur talks to Riz Dhanji, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Canderel, about how Canderel creates this winning formula for condo investors, his thoughts on if there is a condo bubble in Toronto, and his own personal investment strategy. Interview Highlights 00:58 Who is Riz Dhanji and What is Canderel? 2:18 How

Andrew la FleurJuly 17, 2014

Podcast

Investing in Toronto Condos with Jared Menkes

Andrew la Fleur sits down with Jared Menkes, Director of Development at Menkes Developments. Listen to Andrew’s interview with Jared about what’s in store for the Toronto condo market including the incredible Harbour Plaza mixed-use project, investing in 2 bedroom units, Jared’s own condo investment strategy, and a discussion on the changing Entertainment District in

Andrew la FleurJuly 9, 2014

Podcast

What Rob Ford Thinks About The Toronto Condo Market – With Doug Ford

On this special episode of The True Condos Podcast, Andrew la Fleur reaches out to Toronto Mayor Rob Ford to talk about the Toronto Condo Market. Rob was not available for the interview however his brother, Councillor Doug Ford spoke on his behalf as part of Rob Ford’s re-election campaign. Interview Highlights 00:50 A Special

Andrew la FleurJuly 2, 2014

Podcast

How to Analyze The Condo Market Like A Pro with Ben Myers

Andrew la Fleur sits down with Ben Myers, the VP of Market Research & Analytics at Fortress Real Developments. Listen to them discuss the state of the condo market across Canada, the “condo bubble” theory, and the Blue Jays chances this year. Interview Highlights 0:50 iTunes Podcast Reviews of the Week 3:20 Who is Ben

Andrew la FleurJune 25, 2014

Insights

Condo Investment: Is it Better To Buy On A Higher Floor or Lower Floor?

When investing in a pre-construction condo, a question that always comes up is: “Is it better to buy on a lower floor, and pay a lower price, or to buy on a higher floor but pay a higher price?” So let’s try to answer that classic, shall we? Background When selling a building in

Andrew la FleurJune 24, 2014

Podcast

How to Invest Like a Condo Insider With Matthew Slutsky

Andrew la Fleur of TrueCondos.com talks to Matthew Slutsky, Co-Founder of BuzzBuzzHome.com, about his own personal condo investments, his outlook on the current Toronto condo market, and tips for both beginner and seasoned Toronto condo investors. Interview Highlights 00:55 First iTunes Review of The True Condos Podcast 1:42 Who is Matthew Slutsky? 3:10 How and

Andrew la FleurJune 17, 2014

Podcast

How the City of Toronto is Planning for the Condo Boom with Jennifer Keesmaat

Andrew la Fleur from TrueCondos.com, interviews the Chief Planner of Toronto, Jennifer Keesmaat to discuss what direction she believes the Toronto condo market is heading in, what Toronto condo projects is she most excited about, and what concerns she has about the current and future state of the Toronto condo market. Listen to the first

Andrew la FleurJune 11, 2014

Videos

The Academy Condos: An Incredible Investment Opportunity

A True Condos Video Exclusive: Investing In The Academy Condos The Academy Condos Overview The Academy Condos is a new condo project by LeMine Investments Group and Devron Developments currently in preconstruction at Ellesmere Road & Morningside Avenue in Toronto. Sales for available condos/apartments start at $188,800. The project has a total of 339 units

Andrew la FleurMay 20, 2014

Insights

Why The Mortgage Rate Wars Are Great For Condo Investors

Recently we’ve seen the return of the 2.99% 5-year fixed rate mortgages and a huge surprise was when one lender announced an incredible 1.99% 3-year variable rate mortgage. Wow! So what do the mortgage rate wars mean to condo investors? It’s all good news, that’s for sure. 1. Low interest rates are great for your bottom

Andrew la FleurMay 13, 2014

Podcast

All About The Regent Park Revitalization With Martin Blake of Daniels Corp

This week I got the chance to sit down and talk to Martin Blake (VP of Daniels Corporation) on the hugely successful Regent Park Revitalization project and One Park Place condos which are underway. Martin is a passionate advocate for Regent Park and he always provides great insights into why this project is so important

Andrew la FleurApril 30, 2014

Insights

Should I Invest In A New Condo This Year?

So you have some money saved up and it’s not doing anything in the bank. You don’t want to get into RRSPs and the stock market is not even on your radar. Investing in a condo has always been something you’ve thought about, and now you are finally ready to take action. Good! Now the question

Andrew la FleurApril 16, 2014

News

Eau Du Soleil Condo’s Incredible Deposit Structure Promotion – $2500 Down and $500/month for 47 Months

Every day I hear from people who want to get into condo ownership but they just don’t have the money for the typical 15-20% deposit that is required. Let’s face it, if you are just starting out, scraping together $30-40K or more

Andrew la FleurMarch 10, 2014

News

It’s no secret that I own a studio in Regent Park. In fact, it’s affectionately become known as “The Smallest Condo in Toronto“. At just 301 square feet, there’s nothing like it in Toronto. I bought that unit back in 2010. I took occupancy of it in 2011, and I’ve rented it out for the

Andrew la FleurOctober 26, 2012

Videos

Last week I came across this article in the Toronto Star written by Mark Weisleder whose headline claims that we are in a “Renter’s Market for Condos”. I had to scratch my head when I read that headline and I thought it was a typo. Reading through the article and the comments section was even

Andrew la FleurJuly 26, 2012

Videos

Andrew la FleurMay 20, 2011

Insights

Jane’s Walk: Great Way to Discover the New Regent Park

Jane’s Walk is happening this weekend and it is a great chance to get to know the new Regent Park neighbourhood. If you are thinking about purchasing a unit at Paintbox Condos when they launch this year, and you are not familiar with the Regent Park revitalization, I highly recommend you check out this great,

Andrew la FleurMay 6, 2011

News

Post House Condos Special Offer

Post House condos located at George and Adelaide is having a sale (sort of). The prices are not on sale, but the deposit structure they are offering is. Check it out: $3K with offer balance of 5% in 30 days 5% in 120 days 5% in June 2013 5% at occupancy Only 10% is required

Andrew la FleurMay 4, 2011

Insights

Temperature Check: Yonge and Eglinton Edition

Listings are a great way to check the temperature of the market. In a perpetual seller’s market like we have in Toronto, tracking the amount of ‘activity’ on a listing can be a powerful tool to get an overall ‘temperature’ of the market. In a red hot market you will get a lot of activity

Andrew la FleurApril 28, 2011

News

East Side of Downtown Set for Transformation

Andrew la FleurJanuary 19, 2011

News

Trying to Preserve Our Real Estate Utopia

We are the envy of the world. We have a stable government, solid economy, peaceful culture, and the Toronto condo market is the biggest and best in North America. Unfortunately the US is still a total gong show and continues to threaten to drag us and the rest ofÃƒâ€šÃ‚Â the freeÃƒâ€šÃ‚Â world down. The government is trying

Andrew la FleurJanuary 17, 2011

Insights

2011 Market Forecast From Remax Condos Plus

If December is the annual ‘year in review’ month, then January is ‘predictions’ month. My broker (aka The Big Boss Man) over at Remax Condos Plus, Jamie Johnston, has put out his 2011 forecast for the downtown condo market. Here it is below for your reading enjoyment. Of particular note: Jamie now believes that the

Andrew la FleurJanuary 7, 2011

Insights

First Impressions: Residences of the Ritz Carlton

Today I had opportunity to perform the PDI (pre-delivery inspection) on behalf of an overseas client who purchased at The Residences of The Ritz Carlton. The building is the first of what I call the “Big-4” to be undergoing occupancy in the downtown core. The Big-4 are the 4 condo/hotels backed by major international luxury

Andrew la FleurJanuary 6, 2011

News

Lessons From Australia

In case you haven’t heard, the hottest real estate market in the world right now is in Australia. It’s like Calgary in 2006 down there! This recent Globe and Mail article outlines the situation with our Commonwealth cousins down under and is worth a read. Some interesting tidbits from the article if you don’t have

Andrew la FleurDecember 31, 2010

Insights

Top-5 Things to Know about Buyer’s Remorse

So you bought your significant other a sweater the week before Christmas to give as a gift on December 25th. Then while you were out at the same store this week you noticed that same sweater is now 50% less than what you paid for it! This is a perfect time of year to talk

Andrew la FleurDecember 30, 2010

Insights

This has been an ongoing issue with my website almost since day one, so I thought I would finally write a blog post about it. I have had so many cases of other Realtors blatantly ripping off my website that I have lost count. I’m not talking about agents stealing concepts or general ideas that

Andrew la FleurNovember 23, 2010

News

Special Offer Available at Post House Condos

November 24th update: Prices at Post House Condos to go up December 1. Contact me to take advantage of these low prices and special incentives before it’s too late. While developers across the board are now starting to roll out incentives for buyers as they compete for sales, some offers are still only available to

Andrew la FleurNovember 11, 2010

Insights

What is Your Money Doing for the Next 4 Years?

At the risk of sounding trite, do you work for your money, or does your money work for you? Is your money sitting around collecting dust in a savings account at 1% interest, or worse – going up and down like a yo-yo in the stock market? Have you been thinking and talking about buying

Andrew la FleurNovember 9, 2010

Insights

Developers Rolling Out Incentives

There has been such a crush of new condo launches in the past 6 weeks that developers are now actually being forced to compete with each other for buyers! Who’da thunk it! There have been so many launches (or at least soft launches to the Realtor community), representing thousands of units of inventory that even

Andrew la FleurOctober 28, 2010

Insights

6 Things Your Lawyer Should Advise You On During Your 10 Day Cooling Off Period

So you just bought a pre-construction condo. Well, you haven’t actually bought anything yet, you’ve just signed the paperwork, dropped off a deposit cheque, and your 10-day cooling off period has begun. You hired a good buyer’s agent to represent you, therefore you already know that it is imperative to have a lawyer review your

For the first time in 16 years, sales of new condominiums in Toronto were lower in the second quarter than they were in the first quarter. This, according to the latest stats in from Urbanation. So what? Well, real estate is highly cyclical (at least it used to be), and the busiest months of any

Andrew la FleurAugust 3, 2010

Insights

Defence

Insights

5% Deposit Available at Liberty Market Lofts, Victory Condos, & M5V

This week I’m excited to announce an excellent investment/purchasing opportunity available exclusively for my clients at Liberty Market Lofts, Victory Condos, and M5V. For a limited time, my clients have the ability to purchase select suites at these three highly successful downtown developments with only 5% total deposit. Normally the deposit structure would be 15%

Andrew la FleurOctober 13, 2009

News

Toronto’s First Car-Free Condo

To my amazement, Tribute Communities has been given the go ahead to build a 42-storey condo tower on University Avenue, just south of Dundas with no parking spots. The City of Toronto’s decision to allow this represents a major shift in philosophy for City Hall with respect to how this city is being planned and

Andrew la FleurOctober 9, 2009

News

Toronto's First Car-Free Condo

Andrew la FleurOctober 9, 2009

News

Does This Mean I Can’t Text & Drive Anymore?

On October 26, the ban on using hand-held devices while driving takes effect in Ontario. Real estate agents including myself who have grown used to ‘creative multi-tasking’ while driving will soon have to start adjusting their habits. The downtown condo market is very fast paced, and many times I have had experiences with clients where

Andrew la FleurOctober 2, 2009

News

I would love to paint a picture for my readers and clients that buying a new, pre-construction condo at a VIP sales event is a simple and straight-forward process where if you have money and are ready to spend it, you get exactly what you want when you want it. Unfortunately this is not always

Andrew la FleurSeptember 21, 2009

News

Glas Condominiums – Now Registered!

Glas Condominiums (25 Oxley Street) is now registered. Congrats to all unit owners and investors who bought in the building several years ago and now you officially own your units. I’ve spent a lot of time in the building lately as I have a couple of clients who are keen on the building. The suites

Andrew la FleurSeptember 15, 2009

News

Coming Soon: Victory Condos Penthouse Suites

I had lunch this week with a few developers at an exclusive VIP broker’s reception in Liberty Village. These ‘schmooze-fests’ are generally just for mutual ego stroking, but they are also a great way to find out what is happening in the downtown condo scene. These are people who are ‘running things’ in Toronto. In

Andrew la FleurSeptember 11, 2009

News

Giraffe Condos: Building Redesigned and Prices Lowered

Giraffe condos launched with significant fanfare and acclaim almost exactly 1 year ago. It was about one month later that the real estate market in Toronto all but collapsed. Sales at Giraffe were less than spectacular and like many Toronto developments, they had to react to what the market was telling them. I’m pleased to

Andrew la FleurSeptember 10, 2009

Insights

100 Subscribers Reached!

Thank you to everyone who subscribed to truecondos.com/wp and entered the contest to reach 100 subscribers. We actually reached our goal just a couple days after the contest was announced, and now we are all the way up to 109 subscribers as of today! The winner of the prize of the Ruth’s Chris gift card

Andrew la FleurSeptember 3, 2009

News

Queen and Portland: More 1 Bedroom Units Coming Soon

Andrew la FleurJune 29, 2009

InsightsNews

BuzzBuzzHome.com Aims to Help You Find Your Next Condo

BuzzBuzzHome.com launched in 2009 as a beta website and it was a data tool that was already on my radar, even way back then. Today, it is has turned into one of the top resources for condo buyers to learn about new condo developments in Toronto and the GTA. What is BuzzBuzzHome? In their

Andrew la FleurJune 26, 2009

News

New Details on The HST

The provincial government is proposing to harmonize the GST with the PST. This new tax will be known as the HST. This would underlying principle is to increase efficiencies by having just a single tax, however, some goods (like housing) that have never been subject to the PST, suddenly would be. This has many people

Andrew la FleurJune 22, 2009

News

Liberty Market Lofts to Drop Prices, Release New Suites

July 4th update: Over 120 units sold in the first 3 days of the relaunch. Project is now over 80% sold. Prices on all suites have gone up $15,000 on all units. Parking is now $25,000 (up from $19,900), Assignment fee is now $5000 (up from $17). Contact me now if you are interested in

Andrew la FleurJune 19, 2009

News

California Condos Trying the "Fly" Formula

Aug 21 Edit: Special Broker’s Only VIP sales event happening today and tomorrow at California Condos. Up to $10,000 cash back and free assignment fee! Contact me for more info or if you would like to attend. It’s no secret that the Fly Condos relaunch last month was a resounding success. Empire Communities lowered their

Andrew la FleurJune 17, 2009

News

The Modern Set to Break Ground

The Modern on Richmond is set to break ground on construction this month. June 24th will be the official ground-breaking ceremony. This is great news. The Modern started selling right at the peak of the insanity surrounding the pre-construction condo market in Toronto and it was actually the same month as 1 Bloor East –

Andrew la FleurJune 11, 2009

InsightsNews

Mortgage Rates Going Up Tomorrow

I’ve been telling my active buyer clients this for the past couple of weeks, but for those of you who are just readers and subscribers to this blog, get your application for pre-approval in ASAP because mortgage rates are definitely going up this week. Remember that most pre-approvals last for 90-120 days so if you

Andrew la FleurJune 9, 2009

Insights

May Stats Show Sellers in Control Once Again

The Stats are out for the month of May from TREB, and as I predicted in my last post, they show May as being the busiest month of the year so far. Let’s break down the numbers for downtown condo sales: In C01 (downtown west), there were 325 sales compared to 302 in May ’08

Andrew la FleurJune 2, 2009

Insights

Supply and Demand

We are in the middle of a mini-bull market in the resale property market downtown. When TREB released their mid-month statisticsÃƒâ€šÃ‚Â last week, many people were surprised that they showed for the first time in a year that prices and sales were actually higher for the city of Toronto than they were a year before.Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â Realtors

Andrew la FleurMay 28, 2009

Insights

Tweet! Tweet! Follow Me on Twitter

Twitter has quickly become the latest and greatest trend in social networking and blogging. If you already know what Twitter is, and you are a regular reader of this blog, chances are you are already following my ‘tweets’ at Twitter.com/AndrewLaFleur. If you don’t know what Twitter is, here is a popular video that attempts to

Andrew la FleurMay 22, 2009

News

One Cole – The Future of Regent Park

Today was the broker’s luncheon for Daniels’ new project in the Regent Park neighbourhood (Dundas and Parliament) – One Cole. Baker Real Estate is handling the broker’s sales event so as expected, it was very busy with about 100 agents or so in attendance. The VIP broker’s sales event is set for May 30th, with

Andrew la FleurMay 14, 2009

Insights

Fly Condos Broker’s Event Recap

The Fly Condos broker’s sales event was last Thursday evening, and to no one’s surprise it was an absolute flurry of activity- and sales. Hard to say how many units were sold, but I would estimate they rocketed past the 60% mark for the entire building. Why was this event so successful? How did FLY

Andrew la FleurMay 12, 2009

Insights

You Should Have Bought 2 Months Ago

The Toronto condo market is hot right now. No seriously, it is. After months of writing to my readers about how slow the market has been, there has been a fundamental shift in the marketplace over the past 4 weeks. Multiple offers are back with a vengeance. The best properties are selling over asking and

Andrew la FleurMay 5, 2009

Insights

Edilcan Lowers Prices on Remaining Townhomes at The Met by up to $100K

The Met consists of 3 buildings: The Met (21 Carlton), Encore at The Met (25 Carlton), and a lowrise building in between the two towers which has townhomes (Granby Street Maisonettes) and a few additional condo units. The Met is one of the most popular buildings in the downtown core. Superb location, great amenities, and

Andrew la FleurMay 1, 2009

Insights

Fly Condos Set to Relaunch

Fly Condos launched about 7 months ago and sales were decent at first but then quickly dropped off as the market changed in October/November quite dramatically. Like many developers, Empire is not just sitting around waiting for buyers to walk through the door. They are getting aggressive with pricing and incentives. Recently they launched an

Andrew la FleurApril 28, 2009

News

Monarch Introduces “Sales Tax Protection Program”

I received an interesting email from Monarch today that stated: Unsure of how the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) will affect your condominium purchase? Rest assured! Let your confidence soar withÃƒâ€šÃ‚Â Monarch! MonarchÃƒâ€šÃ‚Â understands your concerns about the Government of OntarioÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s intentions to harmonize the PST with the Federal GST. To ease your concerns of buying a new

Andrew la FleurApril 24, 2009

News

Monarch Introduces "Sales Tax Protection Program"

Andrew la FleurApril 24, 2009

Insights

Short Term Rentals in Short Supply

Today I was out with some clients who are looking for a short term rental downtown and I was reminded of something I’ve known for quite some time: Short term rental condos in Toronto are in very short supply. Currently, as of writing, in all of C01 and C08 combined, there are only 39 available

Andrew la FleurApril 23, 2009

Insights

Condo Project Updates: Parc Lofts and Work Lofts / Flatiron Lofts

Continuing from yesterday’s post, today I will be profiling Parc Lofts and Flat Iron / Work Lofts. Parc Lofts Parc Lofts will be located at Wellington and Stafford, overlooking Stanley Park. All units will have 10′ ceilings, gas cooking and caesar stone counter tops as standard. It truly is a boutique project with only 94

Andrew la FleurApril 3, 2009

News

Condo Project Updates: Kormann House and The King East

Brad Lamb has several projects that were launched last year that have yet to hit the construction stage. As such, there are still a good selection of units available at all these boutique condominium projects aimed at the design-conscious buyer. In this two part series I will provide an update four of these projects. First

Andrew la FleurApril 2, 2009

News

Big Changes on The Horizon for AndrewLaFleur.com

You may have noticed a lack of posts over the past couple weeks on this blog. Rest assured it isn’t because the real estate market is cratering! To the contrary, I’ve been very busy serving my regular buyer and seller clients as well as working behind the scenes on some pretty significant changes to my

Andrew la FleurMarch 18, 2009

Insights

Signs of Life? February Condo Market Stats Have a Pulse

It’s that time of the month again, TREB just released their stats for February. The numbers aren’t as painful to look at as in the previous few months, but does this mean we are on the way to recovery?

Andrew la FleurMarch 5, 2009

Insights

New Condo Sales Still Down; Prices Still Up

[**CHART REMOVED DUE TO COPYRIGHT CLAIM BY REALNET CANADA INC.**] Realnet has released the sales figures for new condos for the month of January. Prices are still increasing despite the fact that the number of sales continues to be significantly lower than a year ago. Prices are up 8% for high rise condos while sales

Andrew la FleurMarch 3, 2009

News

Developers Getting Aggressive With Buyer Incentives

Resale prices have dropped, sales figures are a fraction of what they were a year ago, and buyers are out there but reluctant to pull the trigger. What’s a Toronto condo developer to do? In a slow market, developers are loathe to actually lower their prices as it devalues the entire project, pisses off previous

Andrew la FleurFebruary 27, 2009

Insights

How Bad is The Market? Not "That" Bad

“How’s the market doing?” It’s the classic question that I get asked daily from clients, friends, family, and even strangers. No one wants to know how I’m doing or how the family is, it’s all about THE MARKET!Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â The current assumption right now is that the market is bad. Really bad. It seems the various

Andrew la FleurFebruary 20, 2009

News

Just Registered: Vinegar Co. Lofts

It used to be that when it came to where you were going to live, things were pretty simple. Downtown (the core) was for the young and the restless and the ‘burbs were where you went once you decided to pop out a couple younglings and make a nest. Not so anymore. A new generation

Andrew la FleurOctober 5, 2007

Insights

The Danforth represents a lot of things to a lot of people. It is the centre of the city’s Greek community and home to one of the city’s largest festivals, it’s a major transit route for moving people in and out of downtown, and it is generally regarded as one of the city’s most desirable

Andrew la FleurAugust 23, 2007