Almost exactly a year ago a study issued by the experienced and global organization, Grosvenor Group, named Vancouver as the second most ‘resilient’ city in the world for real estate investment. Vancouver even trumped well known real estate meccas like London and New York. Fast forward 365 days and it seems Vancouver’s reputation is holding strong. The Financial Post just recently reported* that Laurence Fink, CEO of the largest money management company in the world, BlackRock, has claimed buying a condo in Vancouver is better for storing wealth than gold! But what does all this mean exactly?

When looking to invest in real estate, particularly for the long-term, there are many considerations and calculations, and in the end they are all to answer the same question: How much risk is involved?

From micro and macro assessments, Vancouver was deemed less risky according to how well our city would likely respond to adverse events such as employment shifts, population changes, our country’s economic state and even the effects of climate change.

Ryan Beechinor, Grosvenor America’s Chief Operating Office says that they believe Vancouver — a city with its eye on the future and a magnet for multiculturalism — is one of the world’s great investment opportunities. “It is a city with a proven record of forward-looking design, urban planning, sustainable growth, and good governance,” said Beechinor.

Perhaps not coincidentally, Vancouver’s second place spot in Grosvenor’s report was bookended by two other major Canadian cities – Toronto and Calgary.  Three Canadian cities taking the top three places as the best places on the planet to invest could be attributed to a well-governed country, an overall positive economic health based on strong industries, and our access to resources such as water and energy.

If you’re looking for a solid investment to park and earn money over time real estate continues to perform well and if you’re looking into real estate, Vancouver is top of the list. Although every real estate investment – no matter where in the world – has no guarantees, it’s nice to know that a low-risk investment could be right in your own backyard.

*Financial Post online April 21, 2015 Forget gold, buy a Vancouver condo if you want to stash your wealth, says world’s top money manager by Jonathan Burgos and Netty Ismail