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fl ..oo.o.o..ooeooo"io-o'd-oio-o"uo-o-"o'o-o"'o-oo"o months ot the year." The number of single people buyin; homes also rose in 1992, accounting fo 26% of the market in the Toronto area Of the single buyers, women now out "When the federal government incentive programs were introduced early last year, allowing 5% down payments and the use of RRSP funds to purchase a home, the proportion of first-tinte buyers jumped to 57% of the market during the first three months of the year." "More affordable house prices and lower interest rates brought first-time buyers into the market," says Royal LePage Vice President Bernie Vogt. First-time buyer continued to be the saving grace of Toronto's sluggish hous- ing market, according to a new study released by Royal LePage. A Royal LePage HomeMatch Survey, which analyzed the demographics of more than 50,000 home buyers across Canada in 1992, found that first-time buyers accounted for 49% of the market last year, up from 46% in 1991. Toronto tied with Montreal for the highest propor- tion of first-tirne buyers in the country. First-time homebuyers save market - LePage " The' Royal LePage survey, the largest ongoing study of the demographics of real estate consumers in Canada, has been conducted annually since 1986. Royal LePage is Canada's leading full-service real estate company, with close to 11,000 employees and represen- tatives in approximately 470 residential. commercial and associate broker offices in Canada. The Royal LePage study indicated that only 3% of all homes purchased in the Toronto area were bought for investment purposes, the lowest level in the country. "Obviously, there's no speculation left in the market," says Vogt. "And with the surplus of condominiums on the market, the rental vacancy rate has increased in recent years, so there's little incentive for investors to buy residential property for rental purposes." number men. Almost 54% of single buy ers were women, up from 50% in 1991. "Apparently, more and more women in Toronto now have the motivation and the capability to buy homes," comments Vogt. G DJ tis m go