[cloudedcordial]

I was in the area around 2010 working for someone else. Adding to your bullet points:

- The pool business near the single-digit RIM buildings had more business than they could do. Many folks wanted swimming pools at their homes.

- Various eateries such as the sandwich shop mentioned in the article made decent money during the height of Blackberry.

- People skipped starter homes and bought single houses as their first homes. Some real estate agents waited outside of some buildings during bonus was announced.

[marssaxman]

> People skipped starter homes and bought single houses as their first homes.

This is a terminological distinction I am not familiar with; what is a "single house", and what is the difference between a starter home and a first home?

[creaturemachine]

Maybe they consider a townhome or apartment condo as a starter home, which is true in the current market, but 25 years ago it wasn't uncommon to buy a detached as your first home.

[tempest_]

They mean a single family home which might be described as a "detached house"

In the GTHA (including Waterloo) there is no such thing as a starter home any more, which in the past meant "small detached house, probably needs some work". The only thing they build now is very small 500 sqft condos and very large 3000+ sqft houses.