I always encourage buyers looking to buy a home in Mississauga to scout out the neighbourhood beforehand and get a sense of its feel or vibe. Since buying a home in Mississauga or anywhere else in the GTA can be a huge investment, it only makes sense to take some responsibility in the search process and familiarize yourself with the area.

One tip I always give home buyers, and use myself to gauge how well an area is doing is that I look at the local businesses. Drive into a neighbourhood plaza and look at the businesses; what do you see? If you see high end businesses that focus on lifestyle (for example, cafes, beauty salons, book stores…ect) you are probably looking at a higher end community. On the other hand if you see dollar stores, pay-day loan stores, and discount grocery stores it also tells you about who lives in the area.

Rub down businesses are not good for home value

Neighbourhood businesses are a good indicator of how well a neighbourhood is doing

The reason I like this real estate tip so much is that medium to large businesses almost always do their research as to what neighbourhood will be best for them. Ask yourself, are you their target customer?

Did you find this tip helpful? I would love to hear your comments or questions.