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.

"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.