Toronto: it is erroneously believed to be Canada's national capital by many foreigners. The minute you arrive you can easily see why. Toronto is a sprawling, vibrant, multicultural city that acts as a hub for nearly all of Canada's major industries. Its population of over 2.5 million in the city proper is continually increasing, as the city is a popular destination for immigrants and existing Canadians alike. When you arrive, take an airport taxi to Toronto for the best view of the skyline stacked with high rises and you'll understand why Torontonians see their city as the center of the universe.

Job seeking is one of the most often cited reasons that new residents choose Toronto over other Canadian cities and towns. Skilled or unskilled, university educated or not, Toronto has more job opportunities than any other city in Canada. This is important, because you'll need to have an excellent job if you want to be able to afford your Toronto mortgage. Among the largest industries in Toronto are banking and finance, entertainment, tourism, transportation and telecommunications, so you'll see plenty of stock brokers, actors, musicians, hotel clerks, bus drivers, computer software engineers, and aircraft designers as you tour the city.

The myriad of attractions, both indoor and outdoor, make Toronto a popular tourist destination, so you can be sure if you were to choose to buy real estate in Toronto you'd never be at a loss for something to do. There are numerous green parks, walking trails, and lakes for those whose hobbies run toward hiking, swimming, or boating. There are also museums exhibiting everything from shoes to hockey pucks that would make for a fascinating afternoon. There's a major theme park for the kids, dozens of huge malls for the shopaholics, and even a castle!

Making an investment in Toronto real estate is a big decision, as Toronto is second only to Vancouver on the list of most expensive cities to live in Canada. Toronto rentals in the outlying regions like Scarborough and Etobicoke can be within the budgets of most newcomers, but buying real estate requires a significant outlay, especially if you're interested in a larger property in one of Toronto's more upscale neighborhoods, like Rosedale, Forest Hill, or the Annex, or if you've got your eye set on any type of property downtown.

When you start your property search you'll find that Toronto is an architecturally elegant city with a lot of British influences from the 1800s and 1900s in buildings that exist alongside more modern styles. Your Toronto townhome might be an older place in the Victorian or Edwardian styles, a brick row house, or even a modern mansion styled property new-built as part of an enclosed neighborhood by a housing developer.