When it comes to buying a home, we BC types defy all the Lotus-land stereotypes. In fact, we're a practical bunch, looking at a property's potential value and savings.
The Century 21 Canadian Home Critics Survey, released October 17, found that BC is the only Canadian region to put "the potential of a home's value to increase" in our top three choices. We also get turned off a purchase by outdated plumbing and electrical, and the future costs those imply. In fact, what really gets us excited is energy efficiency updates: 41 per cent of BCers questioned said that's one added feature that would persuade them to buy.
In many regards we're close to the folks on the other coast. Atlantic Canadians' #2 buying motivation is "smart investment," and they get even more excited by energy efficiency upgrades than we do: 59 per cent say that's the top feature that would make them buy. Of course, it tends to be a lot colder there.
Other findings...
In the Prairies, homey is the "buy" word. They want a home that "fits their new life stage" and they value the desirability of the community. But they won't overlook a mess: 67 per cent of them are turned off by homes that aren't clean.
Dirty and messy is the #1 way to turn off Ontario buyers too. And they get really bothered by dated flooring (You know, you can pull out that shag carpet!) and even by old furniture, at least on first impression. But of course those are just surface considerations. They would simply walk away from even a little water damage and outdated heating and electrical.
In Quebec you can presumably have all the old flooring and furniture you want, as long as the place isn't littered with the owner's personal touches like family photos and bric a brac. And in PQ they really value brightness and generous size.
Across Canada, layout is what most attracts us and what most influences our decision to buy. And energy efficiency upgrades are number one on our wish list of added features. The worst sin is to show a home that's not clean... 60 per cent of us put that at the top of our turn-off list.
Click on the infographic to find out more about what we like and don't like, region by region.
century-21-canadian-home-critics-infographic
