Publication - July 16, 2012 - By Cherise Burda

How much does affordability of neighbourhood influence your decision about where to live? If home price wasn't an issue, would you prefer to live in a more location-efficient neighbourhood? These and other questions form the basis of this study designed to examine preferences for home location attributes in the Greater Toronto Area.

Our results find that while a detached home remains important for many homebuyers, preference is higher overall for other attributes regarding where to live, not just what to live in. A large house and spacious lot are not as important as living in a "location-efficient" neighbourhood — one that gives residents the ability to walk or take rapid transit. The results of the survey show that there may be demand for "in-between" housing that's more compact but family-friendly and close to where people go every day.