Living Realty opens opportunities for Asian investors
Canada remains a popular destination for real estate investments among corporate and individual Asian investors. Chinese immigrants, in particular, understand the value of Canadian real estate as long-term investments. With its founder's roots in Hong Kong, Living Realty has served as a bridge between Asian investors and the Canadian property market for more than 33 years.
Canada remains a popular destination for real estate investments among corporate and individual Asian investors. Chinese immigrants, in particular, understand the value of Canadian real estate as long-term investments. With its founder's roots in Hong Kong, Living Realty has served as a bridge between Asian investors and the Canadian property market for more than 33 years.
"Since day one, our company has primarily been considered as one that serves immigrants, and we have never left those roots," says Stephen Wong, founder and chairman of Living Realty.
"For newcomers who have never invested in real estate or bought a house, we provide complete consultation and a one-stop shop for real estate and subsequent management of those assets."
From its beginnings in 1980 as a resell brokerage company, Living Realty has grown into Canada's only fully integrated real estate brokerage and property management company that sells and resells new and existing real estate properties.
The company has made a name for itself by serving clients from Hong Kong and the mainland with an interest in investing in the greater Toronto real estate market. With more than 80 per cent of its agents coming from Asia, the company is able to better understand the needs of its clients.
"Hong Kong investors appreciate the steady pace of growth in the real estate market in the last 10 years," Wong says. "This has created a lot of interest in being part of Canada's long-term real estate gains."
Living Realty also serves mainland Chinese immigrants and investors who are increasingly looking to invest in Canadian properties, ensuring that its agents are either from the mainland or fluent in Putonghua. The company also markets Canadian real estate in Taiwan, Singapore and Thailand.
"Since the properties are in Canada, we must go to Asia to explain the projects to prospective clients," Wong says. "This gives them peace of mind that they can invest here and get reasonable returns."
Living Realty has strong ties with Hong Kong's leading brokers and property developers, which are exemplified by projects such as the premium residential condominium on the corner of Yonge and Wellesley in downtown Toronto. The company worked with Hong Kong investors to convert an office building into a condominium. Living Realty and its associate companies also represented Henderson Developments (Canada) in the construction, marketing and management of a major Toronto condominium project.
Living Realty is the only real estate company in Canada that offers this comprehensive range of services before and after the completion of a project. "We are servicing our clients from start to finish. That's the difference between our company and our competitors," Wong says. "An important part of servicing clients is the linkage between the time when they buy and sell. Someone has to look after the property, and that's why we're here."
Living Realty provides this service to individual investors and commercial clients such as prominent Canadian developers Menkes, Fernbrook Homes, Urbancorp Developments, Liberty Development and many other major property developers.
As it continues to look six months ahead in terms of new projects, Living Realty is planning to open up more opportunities for Asian investors, including subdivision homes in downtown Toronto and condominiums in North York and downtown West End. The company welcomes the opportunity to be part of more joint venture development projects in Toronto with other investors from Hong Kong and across Asia.
"We're always open to opportunities, and we are able to handle investments of any size or manage any kind of property," Wong says. "We're well-connected in the local communities, and we have the ability and expertise within our organisation to deal with whatever our clients require."
www.livingrealty.com