Hockey and houses: study says Canadians are ‘obsessed’ with real estate

It could be happening anywhere. Canadians scouring lawns for signs, flipping through flyers or scrolling frantically, engaged in their latest "obsession" — real estate.

An exaggeration, perhaps, but that's the suggestion of a poll by Abacus Data for the real estate listings website Zoocasa. In a survey of 1,000 Canadians, 34 per cent said they or someone they knew was "obsessed" with real estate. In the Greater Toronto Area, 47 per cent said the same, and all of them said real estate comes up in conversation as often as hockey.

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Step aside, Don Cherry, the Home & Garden channel is stealing the show.

Of course, Zoocasa has an interest in nurturing a national obsession with real estate as it's in the business of attracting home buyers.

A total of 85 per cent of respondents said they had browsed online listings for property in the past year, but only 28 per cent said they had visited an open house.

Unsurprisingly, 97 per cent were nosy neighbours, interested in finding out how much houses had sold for in their areas. Though in fact, they could be worrying about recent predictions their home values will soon drop.

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A clinical psychologist at the University of Toronto told the Financial Post that while "obsession" might be pushing it, it could be unhealthy to fixate on the sense of stability we attach to owning real estate.

Got to go — there's an overpriced condo listing calling my name.