There will always be demand for residential properties to buy or let. New developments can be a good investment, while older houses may be converted into flats or left as they are. Renting in the long term, already popular in Europe, is becoming increasingly common in Canada too, but attractive mortgage deals from banks and building societies mean more couples and families have the option of buying. Alternatives to the traditional model of the family home are friends or siblings choosing to buy real estate together, two families sharing a household, and couples who live apart out of choice or circumstances.