She recalls one home buyer who decided on a particular model home, then later checked her stock. As it turned out, she was able to afford to upgrade to a bigger model. But the market has proven to be a downfall as well, as when stock plummets, shoppers turn to less expensive models, says Ms. Shearer. And this January has been stronger than ever. She adds that sales doubled in 2000, as compared to 1999.
Construction continues year-round to accommodate Ottawa's rising population.
At Claridge and Richcraft, Ms. Nichols-Davies and Ms. Travers also say business has doubled in the last year. The supply has not been able to keep up with demand. As a result, the waiting time to get a house has been stretched out to the end of the year. But if you walked in here today, the soonest you could get one is December. At Claridge, the earliest closing date is in September, eight months away.