The Town of LaSalle is one of the top spots in Ontario when it comes to an increase in the average home size.
A new report from the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation looked at homes built in the 1990s compared to homes being built since 2017.
It found the average size of a single family detached home in LaSalle has grown by 62 per cent during that time.
The report found the average single family detached home built in the 1990s in LaSalle was 1,801 square feet., compared to an average size of 2,923 sq. ft. for homes being built after 2017.
Greg Martino, MPAC Vice-President and Chief Valuation and Standards Officer, says communities like LaSalle have become attractive destinations for buyers.
"It is relatively affordable to other areas in Southwestern Ontario, some of your more urban centres and it is in close proximity to Windsor and the U.S., he says. "Lifestyle is a draw for many buyers within the LaSalle community which continues to offer a small town feel, which is family-friendly, lots of green space and activities to offer to its residents."
MPAC, which tracks property data across the province, also found the average single family detached home built after 2017 in Windsor increased to 2,128 sq. ft., a 46 per cent increase compared to an average of 1,461 sq. ft. in the 1990s.
The Municipal Property Assessment Corporation says the average home in Ontario is now 25 per cent larger today than those built in the 1990s. The Town of LaSalle saw the biggest change in Ontario with the average home size increasing 62 per cent during that time frame. Oct. 27, 2022 (Graphic courtesy of the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation.)
Martino says he thinks the figures speak to the relative affordability of housing and land in the Windsor area compared to other parts of Southwestern Ontario.
"There is that ability to perhaps build homes that are slightly larger than you would have seen typically 15 to 20 years ago in that community," he says.
Martino adds it will be interesting to see whether the change in consumer preferences and behaviours over the last couple of years, coupled with recent economic drivers, like inflation and rising interest rates, will alter the latest trends.
MPAC says the average home in Ontario is now 25 per cent larger today. The report says single family detached homes were approximately 2,000 sq. ft. in the mid-90s, but today a typical single-family home is around 2,500 sq. ft.
The Municipal Property Assessment Corporation says the average home in Ontario is now 25 per cent larger today than those built in the 1990s. Oct. 27, 2022 (Graphic courtesy of the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation.)
The report also found that Ontario condominiums are 35 per cent smaller on average than they were 25 years ago.
In the mid-1990s, the average condominium in Ontario peaked at approximately 1,100 sq. ft. The most recent MPAC data shows the average condo today is about 700 sq. ft.
In Windsor, the average condominium was 1,102 sq. ft in the 1990s while those built in 2017 and beyond average 965 sq.ft, 13 per cent smaller.
The overall average condo size in Windsor right now is 854 sq. ft., the second smallest in Ontario behind Toronto's overall average condo size of 850 sq. ft.