With its trusted land registry and title system and rigorous professional standards, Canada can be considered home of one of the most sophisticated, mature and reliable real estate industries in the world.
And, if you are working with prospects or clients from around the globe, they may not be aware of all the things that we can sometimes take for granted.
Here are a few facts worth mentioning when promoting Canada as an ideal real estate investment:
- The rights of individuals and groups of individuals to own property are recognized by law at all levels of government: municipal, provincial and federal.
- Canada’s exceptional title and registry system is based on detailed, up-to-date records overseen by provincial and territorial government authorities. Check out titlesearchers.ca/registries to learn more about land tenure systems across Canada.
- Canada has the lowest total corporate tax costs of any G7 country.
- In Canada, provincial/territorial regulators oversee the licensing of real estate professionals in their jurisdictions — ensuring they are qualified and meet high professional standards.
- Canada is a country of roughly 35 million people and proudly multicultural. The Government of Canada’s policies supporting population growth through immigration have played a significant role in the development of a truly unique national identity.
- Few provinces and territories restrict real property purchases by non-residents and those that do tend to limit only the type or amount of property purchasable. Canadian REALTORS® can help to ensure buyers are aware of any restrictions in their regions.
On that note, the role and importance of working with a Canadian REALTOR® may also be unclear or unknown to international buyers/investors. Set expectations at the beginning of the relationship and demonstrate:
- You are committed to the REALTOR®Code: a standard of conduct and guarantee of professional conduct and quality service.
- You are knowledgeable about developments in real estate and able to provide information on everything from pricing and neighbourhood trends to housing market conditions, legal considerations, tax considerations and more.
- You pursue professional development by taking courses, workshops and other training to maintain a high level of current knowledge.
Finally, you can always learn more about international real estate and services provided by CREA at REALTORLink.ca/global. Here are a few added resources to help your clients and fellow international REALTORS® and agents:
- Pages on REALTOR.ca where U.S. clients and Chinese clients can learn more about Canada.
- If you are working with a REALTOR® in the U.S. or other professionals around the globe, you can refer them to the CREA Global Affiliates Program – a new service that provides knowledge, research, network and tools to work more closely with REALTORS® in Canada.
