Here’s a Look at Mississauga’s Hottest Neighbourhoods

It's no secret that it's expensive to live in Mississauga. Recent data released by the Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) indicates that, as of December 2017, detached houses were running buyers approximately $910,216 (up from the high 800s in November and down from the $1 million mark they hit in winter 2017).

And while the market could cool or stabilize in 2018 due to the Ontario government's Fair Housing Plan and the OSFI stress test (a test that some say could disqualify up to 10 per cent of prospective buyers from the market), the fact remains that Mississauga is a desirable city to call home—and therefore a costly one.

But while the city might contain housing that's (unfortunately) too costly for many residents (hence the city's affordable housing plan), it's still attracting buyers.

Zolo, a tech-powered brokerage company, has some interesting stats about the Mississauga market and what neighbourhoods are the most highly sought after.

The stats point out the obvious—home prices are, generally speaking, getting higher and higher every year. According to Zolo, the asking price of homes for sale in Mississauga has increased 11.09 per cent since January last year. Also, the number of homes for sale has increased 75.28 per cent.

According to Zolo's current data, the median asking price for a detached low-rise is $1.1 million. Other home types are also expensive, with sellers asking about $660,000 for a townhome and $429,000 for a condo

While those prices are indeed high, they're not terribly surprising. Bordering Canada's biggest and arguably most economically and culturally successful (sorry, Vancouver and Montreal) city, Mississauga has a lot to offer. Besides proximity to Toronto, Mississauga offers a low unemployment rate (nine per cent, according to Zolo) and a slew of ambitious development projects (the LRT and Inspiration Lakeview and Port Credit initiatives, to name a few).

As for now, the median listing price of a home (and this is all home types combined) sits at $585,000. The median selling price is only a little below asking at $570,000—so sellers are, on average, walking away with enviable profits.

In Mississauga, homes typically sell in less than a month (again, this is all home types combined).

And while homes are expensive, they're not Toronto expensive.

"There was a time when you could buy a house in Mississauga for just under $100,000. That's no longer the case," Zolo writes. "Still, buyers know there are good deals in this western GTA city, with most properties selling for significantly less than surrounding areas. But to grab a piece of Mississauga's real estate, you need to act fast.

So, which neighbourhoods are the best to invest in?

According to Zolo, the city's top five neighbourhoods are Streetsville (#1), Applewood (#2), City Centre (#3), Port Credit (#4) and Lakeview (#5).

As for why, the neighbourhoods—beyond being well-known—are hot, Zolo's data suggests the homes are selling quickly (25-36 per cent are selling within 10 days or less) and for more than asking price (11 to 17 per cent).

Another interesting fact is that, as of now (and this could change), Mississauga remains a city of homeowners.

According to Zolo's data, 25 per cent of residents rent while 75 per cent own their homes. While rental rates are increasing, the data suggests that—at this stage, least—renting is still cheaper than owning. According to Zolo, renters pay an average of $1,062 a month while homeowners pay about $1,519.

So while it's impossible to say where house prices will stand in 2018, it's hard to dispute the fact that Mississauga is—and will remain—a popular (and likely expensive) city to call home.

All images courtesy of Zolo