American interest in Canadian real estate peaks ahead of U.S. election: report

With Americans set to elect a new president Tuesday, new data shows there's a spike in interest in Canadian real estate.

Data published Wednesday by Canadian real estate company Royal LePage, found visits to its website from our neighbours to the South, have risen significantly since the U.S. presidential election campaign unofficially began.

According to Royal LePage, U.S.-originated sessions to royallepage.ca more than doubled, surging 104 per cent week over week (67 per cent year over year) in the week of June 16, prior to the first presidential debate.

The following week, after the debate between President Joe Biden and then-presumptive Republican nominee, Donald Trump, traffic peaked with an additional four per cent increase in visitors over the week prior, an increase of 112 per cent week over week and 94 per cent year over year.

'Election sport’

Phil Soper, the CEO of Royal LePage, said trends were similar in 2016, prior to Donald Trump being elected.

“It’s not surprising in this incredibly divisive American presidential election that they are attracted, at least emotionally, to the concept of getting away from it all,” he said. “I think that's probably the biggest message in this surge in American interest in Canadian properties. Call it internet therapy.”

Soper said most of the visitors to the site came from Democratic states, but interest from a Republican-leaning state, South Carolina, was also prominent.

“Canada is the nation on earth that most closely resembles the United States,” he said. “Dreaming of Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Vancouver is an American election sport.”

Contentious election

Jennifer Philips, the B.C. Mainland chapter chair with Democrats Abroad, a partisan volunteer group, said she isn’t surprised by the interest from some U.S. citizens in moving here amidst a contentious election.

“We know that LGBTQ rights are on the ballot this year,” Phillips said. “We know that women's reproductive rights are on the ballot. And, you know, countries like Canada, that's settled law. Right?”

Ryan Neely, a partner with McCrea Immigration law, said he’s fielding calls daily during this year’s election campaign – mainly from those in Blue states.

“We’ve had an increase in what we call cold calls,” he said. “People who have just found us on the internet and are saying, ‘Well, listen, we're interested in Canadian immigration.’”

Despite the aspirations to immigrate to Canada, Neely said in actuality, the conversion rate to becoming a permanent resident is low.

“But there is a core group of people who are dedicated to doing it.”

That group, he said, often includes young families, or those who have been struggling with the decision to move for a long time.