While our city does have a strong economic foundation of its own, the reality is that those living in a Burlington zip will always be faced with the label of this city as a bedroom community. We live close to the big city of Hamilton, and not so far away from the metropolis of Toronto to rule out the possibility of a commute to work. That means there are plenty of people rejecting the high prices of condominiums such as those at 761 Bay Street and living in Burlington instead.

It's a sensible choice when you think about it, but only if the numbers hold up to the ideal picture of a more affordable life in Burlington. And, of course, only if you can find what you really want in a home here. There's no point in setting your sights on some nice Aurora real estate and then looking for an exact match in Burlington; it just won't happen. Let's compare what we do have compared to other areas in the GTA.

Prices

One of the strengths for sellers here in Burlington is the fact that compared to both Hamilton and Toronto, our average prices look very appealing indeed. If you want a detached home on a piece of High Park Toronto real estate you are going to have to be prepared to take on a mortgage of $450,000 or even more. A similar house in an equally high end neighbourhood here in Burlington will cost only $320,000. The math there is fairly obvious!

Housing diversity

Now, one of the big knocks on Burlington compared to a city such as Toronto is that it just can't compare in terms of housing types when measured against a city with five million people. While it's true that you won't see the same towering monuments to modern urban architecture that you might in Corktown lofts Toronto, we do have a diverse market. There are condos of all styles here, the big difference between them and the ones in the city is the price. Again, similar sized condominiums in Burlington will save a buyer around $50,000, maybe even more!

Market Pace

The rate of sale for homes is also a good way to measure the difference between different markets, whether we are talking detached, condos, or townhomes. Toronto boasted more sales in the last year, but percentage wise, the market in the city suffered. Burlington, on the other hand, continues to see a strong turnover on the marketplace in comparison, and that is great news for sellers.

So, while Burlington may be a bit behind as far as housing stock, that's only to be expected when the city is being compared to its huge neighbours. When it comes to most other factors, our city has Toronto, Hamilton, and others beat.