| uver is really getting its act together when it | | | | others with smaller initial investments. |
| comes to the property market. | | | | By doing this, it is possible to be part of the real |
| In KPMG’s Guide to International Business | | | | estate action without having to find the full |
| Costs that compared the costs of doing business | | | | property price. This is particularly useful when it |
| in 128 cities across America, Canada, Europe and | | | | comes to the larger commercial opportunities. |
| Asia-Pacific, Vancouver was ranked sixth in the | | | | In particular, this has the advantage of not having |
| world and the most cost effective in North | | | | to manage the property directly, while at the |
| America. | | | | same time allowing investors to make multiple |
| For a start, business costs are a whole 3.1 | | | | smaller investments in several different markets. |
| percentage points below the US average. | | | | For example, with an investment of |
| Amazingly, Vancouver actually ranked as the | | | | £100,000, it would be possible to put |
| place that is the cheapest to do business in all of | | | | £20,000 into five different projects rather |
| the 17 sectors that were reviewed by the KPMG | | | | than having to put the entire amount into just the |
| study and a full 12 percent cheaper than areas | | | | one project. |
| such as San Jose. | | | | The housing market in Vancouver is booming and |
| It is little wonder, therefore, that companies are | | | | prices, on average, have leapt over 30 percent a |
| flocking their in droves to set up companies in the | | | | year, recently. Moreover, there seems to be no |
| area and this sort of inward investment is bound | | | | sign of the market slowing down in the near |
| to have a positive effect on the housing market, | | | | future, although some of the more cautious |
| as unemployment levels become much lower. | | | | investors have now started to express concerns |
| Currently, the population of Vancouver is around | | | | that the property may have already reached its |
| 2,210,000 and this is increasing quite rapidly, largely | | | | peak and is heading for a fall. |
| due to the booming commercial market. The | | | | Prices are incredibly high in Vancouver and it is not |
| fastest growing sectors are biotechnology, | | | | unheard of for even modest properties to reach |
| information and communications technology as | | | | the magic million dollar figure! Whilst this causes |
| well as engineering and environment. | | | | some investors to be cautious, there are certain |
| Not only is this large increase in the commercial | | | | factors that will always make Vancouver a |
| world driving residential property prices, but it is | | | | popular choice. |
| also having a huge effect on the commercial real | | | | Vancouver cannot grow any more; it is |
| estate market. | | | | surrounded by mountains and water and simply |
| Unsurprisingly, this massive increase in the real | | | | has nowhere else to go! For this reason, it is |
| estate market has resulted in many investment | | | | unlikely that the property market is going to drop |
| opportunities for those looking to cash in on this | | | | any time soon. Pricey as the market may be, it |
| booming region. There are now multiple schemes | | | | seems that there is still a lot more to be gained |
| in operation that allow individual investors to join | | | | from this property hot spot! |