Toronto-born financial technology startup Properly has launched the Properly Happiness Index.
The index is an annual report conducted by the tech-enabled real estate brokerage, which takes a deep dive into the unique features that residents actively seek out when picking a new neighbourhood. The inaugural index features the Greater Toronto area and the Metro Vancouver region.
Properly’s index aims to uncover the city’s happiest neighbourhoods based on proximity to specific sought-after features. For example, outdoor enthusiasts will likely be fans of West Point Grey in Vancouver or the Albion area of Maple Ridge, where “proximity to parks and other outdoor spaces is a big happiness booster.”
In today’s market, “buyers have more choice when considering where they want to settle, presenting the opportunity to find the perfect neighbourhood to call home based on the characteristics most important to them,” says Properly.
For those seeking proximity to pubs and eateries, there’s Golden Village in Richmond, Windsor in Burnaby, and of course the iconic West End near downtown Vancouver. Queensborough in New Westminster ranked highest for access to cultural facilities and playgrounds within one neighbourhood, while several areas of Coquitlam scored well for access to both schools and childcare services.
Within the Greater Toronto Area, the report found Thistletown ranked best for outdoor space, Milliken Mills West for cafes and shops, Bickford Park for schools and childcare, Trinity Bellwoods for recreation and arts, and Humber Summit for tight-knit community feel.
In may, Properly launched a free tool called Instant Estimate which leverages artificial intelligence to give residents the current market value for any home—not just the ones that are listed for sale.
The company raised $44 million last year and then expanded into British Columbia.
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