Last year, Canadian Real Estate Wealth magazine polled its readers asking which market they thought had the best real estate investment opportunities. Kitchener-Waterloo was the overwhelming choice.

Here’s the breakdown:

22% Kitchener-Waterloo

16% GTA

15% Hamilton

10% Barrie

9% Durham Region

7% York Region

5% Niagara

4% Guelph

3% Oakville

3% Kingston

Why is Kitchener-Waterloo the #1 real estate investment market?

Real Estate is local and as such I don’t pretend to understand other markets. I do though, clearly understand Kitchener-Waterloo real estate. I have been a real estate investor here longer than I’ve been a realtor and I’ve witnessed and am witnessing first-hand how quickly and awesomely we are developing into a world class city. I am bullish on our real estate.

As for the other cities, my thoughts are these.

GTA: too expensive now for most investors

Hamilton: saw some of the fastest price appreciation in real estate values last year. I agree with the investors surveyed – Hamilton is a great investment market.

Barrie, Durham and York are all the ‘near Toronto’ market. The spill over effect is in full force driving these markets.

Niagara and Kingston are inexpensive. I would wager that the university investors like these markets.

Oakville has one of the best demographics in Canada. It is expensive but solid. However, I think it is like the GTA – too expensive for most investors.

Guelph: I am surprised that Guelph is not higher on the investor’s list of great markets. Although it does not have KW’s tech sector and LRT, it is considered to be part of the innovation corridor (sometimes) and it has a highly regarded university, which is excelling in biotech. I can assume that it isn’t ranked higher because it is getting so expensive. It used to be that Milton was the western bedroom community of Toronto, but then it became the south end of Guelph and the prices quickly started to reflect that.