Canadians love their homes and are spending more time there than ever before, says a wide-ranging survey by one of Canada's largest real estate companies. The Royal LePage National Home Attitude Poll also says more than six out of 10 Canadians would consider adding an in-law apartment to their homes to allow older family members to live with them.

The poll of more than 1,000 Canadians was conducted between Jan. 20 and Feb. 4, by research company Ipsos-Reid

The poll says 76 per cent of Canadians feel an emotional attachment to their homes, and 55 per cent say their home has become more important to them because of recent events in the United States and elsewhere. While 61 per cent say they would consider adding an apartment to their home for a parent or older family member, only 41 per cent think it's very likely or likely to happen.

"The poll findings illustrate the importance that Canadians place on home life, and that our home is our sanctuary, where we create priceless memories," says Sherry Chris, vice-president, network services for Royal LePage

Despite this emotional connection to their homes, 74 per cent of those surveyed said they are likely to purchase a different home within the next two or three years. However, only 59 per cent said they will sell their current home within that time frame. Canada's new and resale housing markets both set sales records in 2001 and indications are that the housing markets are still booming at a record pace.

When asked what are important features in the homes, the answers were predictable. Location ranks as number one, followed by the quality of construction/condition of the home, the size of the home, and the price. The kitchen is the most important room in the house, say 59 per cent of the survey respondents, but 22 per cent say the living room is becoming more of a focal point.

The top three reasons why people are thinking of moving: they are move-up buyers looking to upgrade their homes; they are moving to a new city; or they are downsizing.

Some of the questions reflected the lighter side of home ownership. For example, while 68 per cent of Canadians surveyed have a garage, 43 per cent say it's so full of stuff that there's no room in it for their car. Not surprisingly, 85 per cent said that if they were looking for a new home, it would be important that it have a garage.

Another question involves a popular Canadian pastime for children, playing street hockey. There was recently a court case in Hamilton, Ontario, where the legality of playing street hockey was tested (the hockey players won). In the LePage survey, 68 per cent of Canadians said that children should be allowed to play street hockey or other sports on residential streets. That's not good news for front-yard gardeners.

Asked to describe their financial situation, 44 per cent of survey respondents said they are getting ahead -- an increase from the 36 per cent who said they were getting ahead in a survey held last year.

Those looking for a new home said they would use a real estate agent (49 per cent), the Internet (46 per cent) and newspapers (32 per cent) to conduct their research.

Ninety-nine per cent of Canadians surveyed said their home was the place where they feel safe and comfortable, and 96 per cent say they take personal pride in their homes. Eighty per cent say they think of their home as their castle. Three-quarters of those asked said they socialized with their neighbours, and 62 per cent would trust a neighbour with a key to their home.

Ipsos-Reid says a national sample of this size produces results that can be considered accurate to within plus or minus 3.1 per cent or better, 19 times out of 20.

Published: February 14, 2002

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Jim Adair is editor of REM: Canada's Real Estate Magazine, a business publication for real estate agents and brokers. He has been writing about Canadian real estate, home building and renovation issues for more than 30 years. You can contact Jim at .