5 new residential subdivisions to be made inside Windsor. Windsor's new housing boom

[davewindsor]

For years, people have been talking about Windsor loosing it's population to the county and elsewhere and high vacancy rates [[rental vacancy rates have fallen to 4%). Most new subdivisions were proposed outside Windsor in the counties. In the past, there was plenty of vacant land in newer subdivisions to build homes on, but with all the new construction lately those lots are taken. Most new houses are those $350K+ homes. Now, 5 new subdivisions are being processed by the city inside of Windsor representing 300 new homes.

http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/ne...ity-in-windsor

After going years without seeing an application to build a new subdivision in the city, Windsor building officials are processing the paper work on five smaller subdivision projects representing close to 300 new homes.
Though those projects aren’t expected to start until spring, they represent the strengthening in particular of residential construction in the area this year.
According to a Statistics Canada release Friday, the value of overall building permits has increased by 35.4 per cent year over year from June 2014. During that time, there was a decline of three per cent in the value of permits issued in Canada while Ontario enjoyed an increase of 7.3 per cent.
In the past three months the area has seen permits issued valued at $48.2 million [[April), $42.3 million [[May) and $53.1 million [[June).
“We’re through the roof with the number of applications we’re processing,” said John Revell, the City of Windsor’s chief building official.
“Residential construction is really driving these numbers.”
Joel Parent, below, and his coworkers are shown a the construction site of a home in the 2200 block of Gatwick Avenue on Friday, Aug. 7, 2015, in Windsor, Ont. Residential building permits are up for the first time in years. [[DAN JANISSE/The Windsor Star)

The Windsor metropolitan census area also includes Tecumseh, Amherstburg, LaSalle and Lakeshore.
That has been the location for most home starts in the past, but Windsor is now joining in the action.
In the second quarter of 2015, Windsor had more new single-family homes starts [[81 of 230) than any municipality in its census area.
“We haven’t seen it like this in a decade,” Revell said. “It’s right across the board, single-family homes, semis, apartments.
“The other thing we’re seeing is in-filling of pockets of land available in the city.”
Revell said based on what he knows is in the pipeline, he expects the current trend to continue.
The city is more than $24 million in residential construction ahead of last year’s total of $51.7 million at this time.
That translates into 145 single-family homes [[+34), 56 apartments [[+50), 75 townhouses [[+39) and 26 semi-detached dwellings [[-6).
“We’re still tied closely to the U.S. and the auto industry and we’re riding the winds of an American economy that’s getting stronger,” Revell said.
“When you start planning subdivisions, that’s a two or three-year commitment by a builder. That’s a belief in the future of the local economy.”
Workers unload shingles at the construction site of a new home in the 1000 block of Ivanhill Avenue on Friday, Aug. 7, 2015, in Windsor, Ont. Residential building permits are up for the first time in years. [[DAN JANISSE/The Windsor Star)

Joe Rauti, owner of J. Rauti Custom Homes and past president of the Greater Windsor Homebuilders Association, agreed things are improving.
“I’m optimistic about the future,” Rauti said. “The industry has been down since 2008, its time for it to come up again.”
Rauti said he senses there are more people coming into the area and expects to see the population beginning to grow modestly again.
“We’re getting a lot of people from outside the area, especially Toronto, who we’re building homes for,” Rauti said.
“They come and like it and they’re telling their friends and some of them are coming.
“They’re going crazy down there [[city hall) pulling [[building) permits, the population has to grow.”
While residential construction is largely driving the increase in permit values, Revell said there are a number of smaller projects and expansions among the area’s tool and die shops, mould makers and some auto dealerships.
“There isn’t one really big project, but a lot of smaller ones,” Revell said. “Incremental growth is exciting because those smaller investments have the biggest long-term impact. Companies do this when they’re confident in the business cycle.”
Jim Lyons, executive director of the Windsor Construction Association, said things have slowed and are in bit of holding pattern for the area’s heavy construction industry.
“We’re waiting for a few school projects to be tendered, a new city hall is coming up and Windsor utilities have a new water retention tank project that should be announced anytime now,” Lyons said.
“That’ll be a $30-million project, so it’ll be a big one.
“The future is going to be a little better, but it’s definitely residential that’s going right now.”

[Lowell]

Nice post and great news davewindsor. It follows on with some points made in the thread Windsor Is The Canada's Hottest Real Estate Play. As the image of Detroit improves I think a lot of Canadians are going to "discover" Windsor like a lot of Americans are discovering Detroit. Canada has some headwinds with the fall in commodities prices, oil in particular, and the loonie but long term it is solid.

[Jimaz]

That's a mighty weird-looking construction helmet. It looks like a coolie hat.

[masterblaster]

Since there are new residential building construction in the city of Windsor, I am assuming that the population of Windsor is increasing? What is the driver for this population increase. The article eludes to a stronger automotive industry as a economic impetus for the population increase, but what other factors bringing about a rise in population.

Also, in the article, a construction contractor claims that a lot of the new housing is being built for people from Toronto. Why would people from Toronto want to move to Windsor? Just curious, it is not a slight on Windsor.

[Danny]

Great! I can't wait until Windsor looks like Detroit in a couple years; city of neighborhoods. I'm will be surprised that Windsor looks like Toronto.

[belleislerunner]

People move from Toronto to Windsor because they can cash out of their appreciated Toronto homes and move to a city where a house is 1/3 the cost. It's the same reason folks move from New York City to Florida at retirement. Plus, Windsor is the southernmost point in Canada - the "Florida" of Canada. Will everyone, or even the majority of Toronto residents do that - absolutely not. But only a few thousand doing so [[from a multi million city of Toronto) has a sizable trickle down effect. Homeowners, with their homes paid off, with nothing but time and disposable income. Winning!

[Gistok]

Hehehe.... "the Florida of Canada".... ironic but true.... I'll remember that next February as I look out the window.... that I live right next door...

[401don]

Over half a million Canadians own property in Florida so I don't think too many Torontonians think of Windsor when they think warm climate.

[Smirnoff]

Any new development near the bridge??????

[yupislyr]

Why would people from Toronto want to move to Windsor?

Because due to the hot real estate market there they could sell a house like this: http://torontolivings.com/search-for...tails-50430098 selling at over 1 million in Toronto [[the equivalent house in Windsor would go for between 100k and 200k I suspect) and turn it into this in Windsor http://www.realtor.ca/Residential/Si...Ontario-N8S1E6 right on the river.

Or just sell that million dollar Toronto home, buy an upgrade for 200-300k, and pocket the difference all tax free. That's what I'd do.

What is the driver for this population increase. The article eludes to a stronger automotive industry as a economic impetus for the population increase, but what other factors bringing about a rise in population.

I think there's a variety of factors. I have friends/schoolmates that are moving back because they're over living in the megacities or have been priced out of the markets there.

Likewise there's been more investor interest since prices can be so high everywhere else. The
area all around Toronto and radiating outward is, or already has, appreciated in price greatly. It's only a matter of time before they start looking elsewhere too.

I've heard anecdotal evidence of some people returning [[especially from out West) because of the oil price drop and production downturn.

There's also been an ongoing campaign to attract people from the bigger cities, retirees in particular. It's had some success.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe...ticle16798932/
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windso...-gta-1.1352561

The Globe & Mail had a whole series on a couple retiring from the GTA to Kingsville [[a short drive outside Windsor) a couple of years back
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe...rticle6195469/

[bust]

I'm really happy for Windsor. It's always provided a nice counterpoint to Detroit, and an enhancement to the metropolitan area. For just one example, I'm grateful for having grown up with both American and Canadian TV and radio.

[Richard]

Looking at the two pictures provided it is clear as to which house is the $350,000.

How many are based on speculation verses under actual contract?
If I buy a few now,is it smart because the price is only going to go up?
I am still interested in Windsors public restroom policy as that would be a determining relocation factor.

Who hijacked Dave's login?

[detlump]

Some Torontonians may own property in Florida, but Canadians can only stay in the US for 6 months before they have to return to Canada.

So, they could sell their house in TO for a huge profit, and buy a winter home in Florida and a summer home in Windsor, or elsewhere in county. Windsor and the county offer a lot of waterfront, east to Belle River and beyond, or south to A'burg or even beyond that to Leamington.

Canadians need to obtain health insurance when they are in the US, otherwise they risk high medical bills and then a long wait for reimbursement from OHIP, and even then it may not be a full reimbursement.

Overall this is good for Windsor. If it can diversify its economy to cater to retirees, it will help the economy. The current exchange rate [[$1 USD = $1.30 CDN) is hurting the Canadian economy.

It may be time for a run to Freeds and Canadian Tire again. Now where did I put that Canadian Tire money...

[davewindsor]

Some Torontonians may own property in Florida, but Canadians can only stay in the US for 6 months before they have to return to Canada.

So, they could sell their house in TO for a huge profit, and buy a winter home in Florida and a summer home in Windsor, or elsewhere in county. Windsor and the county offer a lot of waterfront, east to Belle River and beyond, or south to A'burg or even beyond that to Leamington.

Canadians need to obtain health insurance when they are in the US, otherwise they risk high medical bills and then a long wait for reimbursement from OHIP, and even then it may not be a full reimbursement.

Overall this is good for Windsor. If it can diversify its economy to cater to retirees, it will help the economy. The current exchange rate [[$1 USD = $1.30 CDN) is hurting the Canadian economy.

It may be time for a run to Freeds and Canadian Tire again. Now where did I put that Canadian Tire money...

Just to add to the Florida bit, it's in a Canadian retiree's best interest not to leave the country for a long period of time and to have residency in a lower cost area of the country like Windsor. If a Canadian retiree leaves Canada for longer than 212 days out of the year, they are kicked out of OHIP and have to pay the full cost of health care when they come back to Canada if they get sick. If they require open heart surgery or have cancer, they could see those net tax free proceeds from the sale of their Toronto home dry up real quick. From what 401don said about half a million Canadians owning property in Florida, I doubt that more than a few percent of them are there for longer than half a year. I wouldn't want to be an aging retiree without free Canadian health care.

[bust]

Allow me to put it this way: As bad as the weather is in Canada, it's better than suffering the U.S. health system. It would be a misnomer to call it care.

Ok, that's not entirely fair. Summertime weather in Florida is terrible too.