세계 적 인 불황 으로 인한 한파 는 캐나다 라고 특별히 비켜 가 지 않 았 습니다 . 많 은 제조 업체 들 이 직원 들 을 내보내 야 했으며 문 을 닫 아야 하 는 기업 들 도 적 지 않 았 습니다 . 일자리 를 잃 은 사람 들 이 많 다 보 니 소비 도 극도 로 줄어들 어 서비스업 에 종사 하 는 사람 들 도 고객 이 줄 어 간다고 아우성 입니다 . 식당 , 세탁소 , 그 로서리 스토어 할 것 없이 말 입니다 . 유일 하 게 호황 을 누리 는 곳 이 있 습니다 . 부동산 시장 입니다 . 토론토 의 부동산 시장 은 이상 스러울 만큼 과열 현상 을 보이 고 있 습니다 . 금리 가 낮 다는 것 외 에 는 특별 한 호재 가 없 음 에 도 불구 하 고 집들이 불티나 게 팔리 고 있 습니다 . 기존 의 하우스 ( 단독 주택 이나 타운 하우스 의 주택 ) 는 물론 이 요 , 콘 도 시장 ( 한국 으로 치 면 아파트 ) 도 뜨겁 게 달아올랐 습니다 . 지난해 와 비교 하 여 판매량 이 무척 늘어났 습니다 . 지난 해 이맘때 만 하 더라도 건설 경기 가 죽 지 않 을까 걱정 하 였 지요 . 예상 을 뒤엎 고 금년 봄 부터 회복 이 되 기 시작 되 더니 지금 은 완전히 파 는 사람 우위 의 셀러즈 마켓 ( seller ' s market ) 으로 바뀌 었 습니다 . 가격 경쟁 이 붙 어 팔 고자 하 는 사람 들 은 자신 이 팔 려고 예상 했 던 가격 보다 더 비싼 값 에 파 는 경우 다 다 반사 입니다 . 사려 는 사람 들 끼리 가격 경쟁 이 붙 어 값 을 올려놓 기 때문 이 지요 . 백만 불 ( 11 억 ) 이상 의 고급 주택 도 적 지 않 게 거래 가 되 고 있 습니다 . 젊 은 사람 들 중 좋 은 직업 군 의 사람 들 중 백만 불 이상 집 을 사 려는 사람 들 은 쏜 힐 이나 리치몬드 힐 지역 을 선호 한다고 합니다 . 이 지역 은 토론토 에서 백만 불 이상 의 집들이 가장 많이 거래 되 는 지역 이 기 도 합니다 . 2009 년 10 월 의 토론토 의 평균 집값 은 지난해 보다 20 % 가 오른 $ 423 , 559 ( 한화 5 억 원 ) 입니다 . 전문가 들 은 말 을 종합 하 면 2010 년 이나 2011 년 에 는 지금 같 은 호황 은 누리 지 는 못 할 듯 합니다 . 금리 가 올라갈 것 이 틀림없 기 때문 입니다 . < Home sales rush worries analyst > Home buyers have been “ blinded ” by historically low interest rates causing a rush of sales in the housing market , which is unsustainable , says an analyst . “ What we are seeing is much more consistent with a boom economy , not a recovering economy , ” Benjamin Tal , senior economist with CIBC World Markets , said in an interview . “ The problem is , people are rushing into the market and not being prudent … Consumers are blinded by the rates . ” With two months to go in the year , sales of existing homes in the Toronto area hit 74 , 721 , just edging last year ’ s total figures of 74 , 552 , according to figures released by the Toronto Real Estate Board . Existing home sales soar ­ ed to 8 , 476 in October , up 64 per cent from the same month last year . The average price for a home in October was up 20 per cent to $ 423 , 559 , the highest on record . Tal says activity in 2010 and 2011 should be much more subdued , especially as rates notch back up . Condominium market • There were more new condominium sales in the third quarter than in the first two quarters of this year . • The 4 , 617 condos sold in the third quarter are up 16 per cent over last year . • The resale market was up 29 per cent for condos . ( Source : TORSTAR NEWS SERVICE , November 05 , 2009 ) < Pricey homes ride out recession > Selling million - dollar homes in the middle of a recession is a tough slog . But the market this time around has been less painful than in the past , say luxury realtors . " Typically in a recession luxury homes are the first to dive in price and the last to recover , " says Toronto realtor Barry Cohen . " But apart from a bad winter , it looks like we haven ' t really skipped a beat . " Cohen sold a home on the Bridle Path for $ 11 . 8 million , the highest price for a resale home sold this year . And he currently has 22 homes listed for more than $ 1 million . According to a report by ReMax ontario Atlantic Canada released Tuesday , the market for million - dollar homes in the Greater Toronto Area was actually slightly stronger this year than last . There were 1 , 706 luxury home sales of $ 1 million or over in the GTA in the nine months ending in September , compared with 1 , 687 sales last year , an increase of 1 per cent . The bulk of those sales were made in the last quarter . " A considerable shift is underway in the upper end , " says Michael Polzler , executive vice - president of ReMax . " Conditions are more balanced across the board . " The luxury market still lags sales in the overall market , which are up 4 . 5 per cent compared with last year . But no one thought many consumers would be buying luxury properties during the downturn . During the first four months of this year , sales of luxury homes and condos were the hardest hit , as consumers retrenched . The market came to life when stock markets staged a comeback earlier this year , along with promises of bonus cheques on Bay Street . " That was the green light , " says Cohen . " You had the stock brokers and the fund managers coming back to the housing market . " But it ' s still a tenuous recovery . Most luxury sales are in the " entry - level " $ 1 to $ 1 . 5 million range . Although there are 18 properties in ontario listed at more than $ 10 million , luxury buyers are still cautious about entering the upper end of the market , also known as " super luxury . " As a result traditional blue - chip neighbourhoods such as Rosedale and Forest Hill are seeing sales down from a year ago , while less prestigious neighbourhoods are gaining sales . And unlike average homes , luxury homes aren ' t flying out the door in a week . Cohen has one York Mills - area home listed for almost $ 5 million . The 9 , 500 - square - foot heritage home has seven bedrooms and sits on a lot of 0 . 4 hectares . It has been on the market for five months , and the original listing price was $ 5 . 5 million . It was probably best known as the millionaire ' s home in Tommy Boy , a comedy starring Chris Farley , David Spade and Bo Derek . The priciest home in ontario is a $ 23 million , French - inspired chateau on the Bridle Path , built by developer Paul Miklas . It is also co - listed by Cohen . Most luxury markets are down globally . The big exception is some areas still experiencing growth , such as Asia . The largest sale of a residence has been in Hong Kong , where a condo recently went for $ 56 . 6 million ( U . S . ) , or more than $ 11 , 000 per square foot . At just over 5 , 000 square feet , the condo was large , but not palatial , although the price certainly was . In Toronto , it ' s not hard to hit the million - dollar mark on what would be considered a modest - looking home in some neighbourhoods . As a result , many of the million - dollar sales are happening away from the more expensive central core , as a million dollars doesn ' t quite buy what it used to . Areas like the Beach and Riverdale to the east are seeing record prices . The most expensive sale in the Beach this year was for $ 3 . 15 million . In Riverdale , the priciest listing is a historic home on a 33 feet by 360 feet lot for $ 3 . 89 million . Young professionals trying to get more luxury bang for the buck have also moved up to Thornhill and Richmond Hill , which experienced the highest number of million - dollar home sales by neighbourhood . In Oakville , a favourite with Bay Street bankers , prices were down by almost 20 per cent earlier this year . But prices have bounced back : this year ' s most expensive sale was a waterside home for $ 7 million . One area that hasn ' t done well in the luxury homes market is Hamilton , where sales are down by 32 per cent compared with last year . ( Source : Wednesday TORONTO STAR November 4 , 2009 , page B 3 by Tony Wong )