Due to the real estate economy, people are keeping an eye on their pocketbooks and are looking and buying properties that are marketed at a lower rate. Prices per square foot or meter in both the U.S. and Canada vary on location, home size, et. al. variables.
In Canada, the provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador contain the higher priced housing communities, due to the gas and mineral exploration. In 2010, the most expensive province for purchasing homes, is British Columbia. There are differences between Canada’s and the U.S. mortgage amortization. Canada carries a five year fixed rate for 25 years, while the U.S. amortization is for 30 plus years.
In the U.S. the top ten expensive cities to buy a home per square foot/meter, include:
1. NEWPORT BEACH CALIFORNIA – $625 per sq. ft. Newport Beach is an affluent town in Orange County, home to beautiful mansions occupied by well-known celebrities.
2. PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA – $809 per sq. ft. Palo Alto is located in northwest Santa Clara County, in the San Francisco Bay area.
3. RYE, NEW YORK – $674, per sq. ft. Rye is a city in Westchester County, New York. In 2010, Rye, has the listed reputation, of being the third most expensive city in the country, in which to purchase homes.
4. SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – $605 per sq. ft. San Francisco, is the twelfth, most populated city in the U.S. The driving distance between Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and San Francisco, CA., is 1526 km.
5. LA JOLLA, CALIFORNIA – $533 per sq. ft. La Jolla is a fashionable seaside resort. It is located along 7 miles of the winding Pacific Ocean coastline. La Jolla is 12 miles, north of downtown San Diego.
6. GREENWICH, CONNECTICUT – $150 to $200 per sq. ft. Greenwich is located in Connecticut’s Fairfield County. Greenwich is one of the most affluent towns in the U.S. The town of Greenwich, in population, is twice as large as Manhattan, New York, which is the driving distance of 23 miles.
7. WELLESLEY, MASSACHUSETTS – $411 per sq. ft. Wellesley is a college town in Norfolk County, in eastern Massachusetts, located 13 miles from its capital, Boston. The Wellesley community is ranked, as having the largest percentage of adults, in the United States, who hold advanced and professional degrees.
8. PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – $440 per sq. ft. Pasadena , hosts the Rose Bowl and Tournament of Roses parades and is situated at the base of the beautiful San Gabriel mountains. Pasadena is located ten miles from downtown Los Angeles.
9. HONOLULU, HAWAII USA – $633.29 per sq. ft. Honolulu is situated on the island paradise of Oahu. Honolulu is second behind Florida, for the most beautiful vacation homes near the Pacific Ocean. Honolulu is a 5 ½ hour flight to Vancouver, British Columbia.
10. SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA – $519 per sq. ft. Santa Barbara is located in Santa Barbara County, California and is a University town, housing Stanford University. Santa Barbara is a favored U.S. resort community, with the longest southern California coastline.