EDMONTON - Edmonton is the second-best market in the country to invest in housing, says real estate analyst Don Campbell.

“Population growth is strong, job growth is strong and things are supporting this market quite nicely, said Campbell, founding partner of the Real Estate Investment Network, a business that provides resources and information on real estate to members.

“It doesn’t look like it’s going to be another ‘07 where it just got into pure frenzy, but I think you’ll see late this year and early 2014 — which is a year behind Calgary as always — that the market will really start to push up.”

Home-buying demand will start taking off late this year while prices will begin rising next spring, Campbell says.

He bases that prediction on a formula where demand and prices come about 18 months after increased rents, which in turn follow decreased vacancies, increased demand for rental housing and growing population. All of those are triggered by earlier economic and job growth.

“We’re going to see a lot of listings come on during this year as well,” Campbell said, noting a current undersupply of listings.

Investors who bought too many properties in 2007, 2008 and 2009 will see the increased buying demand as a chance to sell, he said.

“The market’s barely moved in Edmonton as far as value. It’s a good window of opportunity before it starts to heat up again to get into the market. From an investment point of view, your rents are going up.”

He said when suites go vacant, landlords will raise rents by $150 to $200 per month.

“That will make renters think twice about renting rather than buying and that will happen over the next 12 or 18 months.”

Edmonton is second only to Calgary as the best place to invest in Canada in residential real estate. Campbell rates Hamilton as third because of its diversifying economy and job growth. Campbell was in Edmonton to promote his latest book The Little Book of Real Estate Investing in Canada. Royalties from the book go to Habitat for Humanity.