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Great Toronto Area  

Toronto Real Estate:  Cabbadgetown, Cityplace, Corktown, Dufferin Grove, Kensington Market, King/Spadina, Moss Park, Queen West, Regent Park, Riverdale, South Riverdale, St. James Town, St. Lawrence Market, The Annex, West Queen West, Yorkville, Danforth, Danforth Village, Gerrard Street, Leslieville, Queen-Broadview Village, The Beach, Upper Beach, Christie Pits Park, Dovercourt Park, Hillcrest, Seaton Village, Wychwood Park, Davisville Village, Forest Hill, Moore Park, North Toronto, Rosedale, Bloor By The Park, Bloordale Village, Brockton Village, Corso Italia, High Park, Junctions Gardens, Lakeshore Village, Little Italy, Parkdale, Roncesvalles, Swansea, The Junction, Amesbury, Armour Heights, Bathurst Manor, Bayview Village, Bayview Wood-Street, Black Creek, Bridal Path, Clanton, Don Mills, Cricket Club, Donvalley Village, Downsview, Dublin Heights, Elia, Emery, Englemount-Lawrence, Flegminton, Glenfield-Jane Heights, Glen Park, Greydon, Henry Farm, Hogg's Hollow, Humber Summit, Humberlea, Humbermede, Jane And Finch, Lansing, Lawrence Heights, Lawrence Manor, Ledbury Park, Newtonbrook, North York Centre, O'Conner-Parkview, Parkway Forest, Parkwoods-Donalda, The Peanut, Pelmo Park-Humberlea, Pleasant, St.Andrew-Windfields, Updown Toronto, Victoria Park Village, Village At Heights, Westminster-Brabson, Willowdale, Wilson Heights, York Mills, York University Heights, Alderwood, Bloor/Kipling, Bloordale Garden, Brownsline, Burnahthorpe/East Mall, Burnahthorpe/Martin Grove, Burnahthorpe Gardens, Burnahthorpe/Renforth, Burnahthorpe/West Mall, Centenial Park, Dundas/Kipling, Dundas/Nelson, Eatonville, Edenbridge/North Drive, Finch/Highway 427, Grand/Queensway, Humber Bay, Humber Valley, Humberwood, Islington Heights, Islington Place, Islington Village, Islington/Dixon, Kingsview Village, Kipling Heights, Kipling Dixon, Kipling/Dundas, Kipling/Evans, Kipling/Queensway, Kipling Rathburn, Kipling Rexdale, Kipling Steels, Lakeshore, Lakeshore/Islington, Lakeshore/Parklawn, Lakeshore/Twenty-Ninth, Long Branch, Manitobe/Grand, Markland Wood, Martin Grove/Millburn, Martin Grove/Steels, Martin Grove/Westhumber, Martin Grove/Westway, Martin Grove Gardens, Mimico, New Toronto, Parklawn/Manitoba, Parklawn/Palace Pier, Princess Anne Manor, Princess Gardens, Princess Margaret, Queen's Plate/Highway 27, Queensway/Islington, Ruthburn/Highway 427, Rathburn/Renforth, Rathburn/West Mall,  Renforth/Eringate, Rexdale, Richview, Royal York/Lawrence, Royal York/Dalesford, Royal York/Eglinton, Royal York/Evans, Royal York/QEW, Scarlett/Lawrence, Silverstone, Six Points, Smithfield, South Etobicoke, Sunnylea, The Kingsway, The Queensway, Thistletown, Thorncres Village, West Deane Park, West Humber Estates, Windermere By The Lake, Bennington Heights, Broadview/O'connor, Crescent Town, Flemington Park, Governor's Bridge, Leaside, Logan/Danforth, O'Conner/Donlands, Pape Village, Parkview Hills, Thorncliffe Park, Todmorden Village, Topham Park, Vicora Linkway, Victoria Park/Dawes, Woodbine/Danforth, Woodbine Gardens, Woodbine Height, Baby Point, Beechborough-Greenbrook, Briar Hill-Belgravia, Caledonia-Fairbanks, Humewood-Cedarvalle, Keelesdale-Eglinton West, Lambton, Eglinton-West, Mount Dennis, Oakwood-Vaughan, Old Mill, Rockcliffe-Smothe, Runnymede, Silverthorn, Weston, Agincourt, Bellamy/Lawrence, Bendale, Birch Cliff, Birch Cliff/Eglinton, Birchmount/Elsmere, Bluffs, Bridletown Circle, Brimley/Lawrence, Brimley/Borough, Brimley Eglinton, Brimley/Finch, Brimley/Huntingwood, Centennial, Clairlea-Birchmount, Cliffcrest, Cliffside, Dorset Park, Eglinton/Markham Road, Ellesmere/Orton Park Road, Ellesmere Scarborough Golf Club, Ellesmere/Nelson, Finch/Kennedy, Finch/Markham Road, Finch/McCowan, Finch/Middlefield, Finch/Morningside, Finch/Warden, Guildwood Village, Hoghland Greek, Hillside, Kennedy Park, Kennedy/Eglinton, Kennedy/McNicoll, Kennedy/Sheppard, Lonview, L'Amoreaux, Lawrence, Lawrence/Beechgrove, Lawrence/Galloway, Lawrence/Midland, Lawrence/Scarborough Golf Club, Malvern, Markham/Ellesmere, Markham/Lawrence, Markham/McNicoll, Markham/Sheppard, Maryvale, McCowan/Highway 401, McCowan/Eglinton, Meadowale/Ellesmere, Meadowale/Sheppard, Midland/Danforth, MeaMilliken, Morningside Heights, Morningside/Ellesmere, Morningside/McLevin, Neilson, Neilson/Highway 401, Neilson/Finch, Neilson/Sheppard, Oakridge, Orton Park, Pharmacy/Finch, Pharmacy/Sheppard, Port Union, Rouge Hill, Rouge River, Scarborough Town Centre, Scarborough Junction, Scarborough Village, Sheppard, Sheppard/Leslie, Sheppard/Neilson, Sheppard/Warden, Steels/Staines, Tam O'Shanten, The Golden Mile, Victoria Park/Finch, Warden Woods, Warden/Danforth, Warden/Kingston, Warden/Lawrence, Warden/Steels, West Hill, West Rouge, Wexford, Woburn.

 OLD TORONTO AREA NEGBOURHOODS

Old Toronto Real Estate:  Cabbadgetown, Cityplace, Corktown, Dufferin Grove, Kensington Market, King/Spadina, Moss Park, Queen West, Regent Park, Riverdale, South Riverdale, St. James Town, St. Lawrence Market, The Annex, West Queen West, Yorkville, Danforth, Danforth Village, Gerrard Street, Leslieville, Queen-Broadview Village, The beach, Upper Beach, Christie Pits Park, Dovercourt Park, Hillcrest, Seaton Village, Wychwood Park, Davisville Village, Forest Hill, Moore Park, North Toronto, Rosedale, Bloor By The Park, Bloordale Village, Brockton Village, Corso Italia, High Park, Junctions Gardens, Lakeshore Village, Little Italy, Parkdale, Roncesvalles, Swabsea, The Junction.

Downtown Real Estate: Cabbadgetown, Cityplace, Corktown, Dufferin Grove, Kensington Market, King/Spadina, Moss Park, Queen West, Regent Park, Riverdale, South Riverdale, St. James Town, St. Lawrence Market, The Annex, West Queen West, Yorkville,

East End: Danforth, Danforth Village, Gerrard Street, Leslieville, Queen-Broadview Village, The beach, Upper Beach,

Midtown: Christie Pits Park, Dovercourt Park, Hillcrest, Seaton Village, Wychwood Park,

North End: Davisville Village, Forest Hill, Moore Park, North Toronto, Rosedale,

West End: Bloor By The Park, Bloordale Village, Brockton Village, Corso Italia, High Park, Junctions Gardens, Lakeshore Village, Little Italy, Parkdale, Roncesvalles, Swabsea, The Junction.

                                         Old Toronto - West              

Old Toronto West Neigbourhood: High Park, Bloor West Village, Parkdale, Swansea, Earlscourt, Carleton Village, Daveport, Junction Triangle, Wallace Emerson, Brockton Village.

 ETOBICOKE ONTARIO NEIGBOURHOODS

Etobicoke Real Estate: Alderwood, Bloor/Kipling, Bloordale Garden, Brownsline, Burnahthorpe/East Mall, Burnahthorpe/Martin Grove, Burnahthorpe Gardens, Burnahthorpe/Renforth, Burnahthorpe/West Mall, Centenial Park, Dundas/Kipling, Dundas/Nelson, Eatonville, Edenbridge/North Drive, Finch/Highway 427, Grand/Queensway, Humber BBay, Humber Valley, Humberwood, Islington Heights, Islington Place, Islington Village, Islington/Dixon, Kingsview Village, Kipling Heights, Kipling Dixon, Kipling/Dundas, Kipling/Evans, Kipling/Queensway, Kipling Rathburn, Kipling Rexdale, Kipling Steels, Lakeshore, Lakeshore/Islington, Lakeshore/Parklawn, Lakeshore/Twenty-Ninth, Long Branch, Manitobe/Grand, Markland Wood, Martin Grove/Millburn, Martin Grove/Steels, Martin Grove/Westhumber, Martin Grove/Westway, Martin Grove Gardens, Mimico, New Toronto, Parklawn/Manitoba, Parklawn/Palace Pier, Princess Anne Manor, Princess Gardens, Princess Margaret, Queen's Plate/Highway 27, Queensway/Islington, Ruthburn/Highway 427, Rathburn/Renforth, Rathburn/West Mall,  Renforth/Eringate, Rexdale, Richview, Royal York/Lawrence, Royal York/Dalesford, Royal York/Eglinton, Royal York/Evans, Royal York/QEW, Scarlett/Lawrence, Silverstone, Six Points, Smithfield, South Etobicoke, Sunnylea, The Kingsway, The Queensway, Thistletown, Thorncres Village, West Deane Park, West Humber Estates, Windermere By The Lake.

Sourse: Toronto Real Estate Board

NORTH YORK AREA NEIGBOURHOODS

North York Real Estate: Amesbury, Armour Heights, Bathurst Manor, Bayview Village, Bayview Wood-Street, Black Creek, Bridal Path, Clanton, Don Mills, Cricket Club, Donvalley Village, Downsview, Dublin Heights, Elia, Emery, Englemount-Lawrence, Flegminton, Glenfield-Jane Heights, Glen Park, Greydon, Henry Farm, Hogg's Hollow, Humber Summit, Humberlea, Humbermede, Jane And Finch, Lansing, Lawrence Heights, Lawrence Manor, Ledbury Park, Newtonbrook, North York Centre, O'Conner-Parkview, Parkway Forest, Parkwoods-Donalda, The Peanut, Pelmo Park-Humberlea, Pleasant, St.Andrew-Windfields, Updown Toronto, Victoria Park Village, Village At Heights, Westminster-Brabson, Willowdale, Wilson Heights, York Mills, York University Heights.

NORTH YORK CONDOS AND CONDOMINIUMS FOR SALE, NORTH YORK REAL ESTATE, NORTH YORK MLS LISTINGS SEARCH, NORTH YORK NEW CONDOS AND CONDOMINIUMS FOR SALE

Sourse: Toronto Real Estate Board

 Yonge Street

 North York Centre

 EAST YORK

 HISTORY

Visible Minorities, 2001	Population	Percent
South Asian	17,075	15.0
Chinese	7,190	6.3
Filipino	4,930	4.3
Black	4,485	3.9
West Asian	1,840	1.6
Latin American	985	0.9
Korean	630	0.6
Japanese	580	0.5
Arab	415	0.4
Southeast Asian	320	0.3
Visible minority.	1,410	1.2

 

East York's population was 115,185 in 2001^[2]. By the 2006 census, the population had dropped slightly (-2.7%), to 112,054.

Since the 1970s, the population composition has changed from predominantly British, as East York has become a major arrival point for immigrants, many of whom have established their first Canadian residence in the apartments that became plentiful in Thorncliffe Park, Crescent Town and elsewhere on or near main streets. Almost half of the population in 2001 (45.1%) was foreign-born, and of these, 49.0% had immigrated to the area between 1991 and 2001. These groups include Bengalis, Indians, Pakistanis, Jamaicans, Filipinos and Sri Lankans. East York also has a well established Greek population and a growing Chinese community.

The religious affiliations of the East York population are consistent with its ethnic composition. Some 63.4% of the population adheres to Christianity, with an almost even split between Catholics (23.6%) and Protestants (25.3%). Christian Orthodox and unspecified types of Christianity make up 12.0% and 2.5% respectively. The largest non-Christian religious group is Muslim, who make up 12.6% of religious adherents, followed by Hinduism (3.7%), Buddhism (1.6%), and Judaism (0.9%). A sizable percentage of the population (17.1%) has no religious affiliation.

While English is the dominant language in the area, nearly half (42.6%) of the population reports that their first language was neither English nor French.                                                           From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Toronto waterfront

The Toronto waterfront is the lakeshore of Lake Ontario in the City of Toronto, Ontario in Canada. It spans 46 kilometres between the mouth of Etobicoke Creek in the west, and the Rouge River in the East. The entire lakeshore has been significantly altered from its natural glaciated state prior to European settlement.

Western waterfront

Etobicoke Creek forms the western border of the city of Toronto dividing it with neighbouring Mississauga, and its portion of the Lake Ontario waterfront. The Etobicoke section of the lakeshore is mainly privately-owned with parklands and public lands. The neighbourhoods north of the lake are the former villages of Mimico, New Toronto and Long Branch, developed as suburbs of the original city. While in close proximity to the lake, these areas are also just to the south of the industrial belt surrounding the CNR rail line. Notable sights on this part of the waterfront include the lakeshore campus of Humber College, housed in a historic former asylum, and Humber Bay Park, and large park at the outlet of Mimico Creek. Both these sites have marinas. More parkland along the lakeshore is being built with the goal to extend the waterfront route of Martin Goodman Trail as far west as Long Branch.

 

Sunnyside Beach

The western border of the old city of Toronto (with Etobicoke) is marked by the Humber River. At the waterfront this river is crossed by the prominent new Humber Bay Arch Bridge. From the Humber to Jameson Avenue in the east is the Sunnyside area of waterfront parklands and recreational uses. Adjoining the waterfront to the north is the large High Park. The Swansea, Roncesvalles and Parkdale older neighbourhoods are north of the waterfront in this area...

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

 

 

Source: Toronto Real Estate Board

 

 TORONTO REAL ESTATE, TORONTO CONDO, TORONTO CONDOS, TORONTO CONDOMINIUMS, TORONTO REAL ESTATE AGENT

What are the advantages of buying a condominium? ·       It gives the owners a right, in different ways, to participate in decisions which affect their homes. 

There are many advantages to condominium living. Some of these are:

·        It is more economical, generally, than comparable non-condominium housing.

·        It enables people of moderate and middle incomes to own their own homes.

·        It makes private ownership possible in areas where land values would ordinarily make this too expensive.

 

·        It eliminates some of the problems of upkeep and maintenance often associated with home ownership, since the cost of maintenance is shared and is usually the responsibility of the condominium corporation through its property management.

 

·        It allows ownership in a multi-unit property with each owner paying his or her separate realty taxes and mortgage.

 

 

       Toronto & GTA Ontario Real Estate: INSIDE CONDOMINIUMS AND CONDOS:  Rooms  

 TORONTO REAL ESTATE, TORONTO CONDO, TORONTO CONDOS, TORONTO CONDOMINIUMS, TORONTO REAL ESTATE AGENT

 

A single family house in Western culture usually has at least the following rooms:

• Living room : Most of the time the largest room of the house where the owners spend time relaxing or entertaining guests. 
• Kitchen: Food preparation is done here. Some homes feature eat-in kitchens where the family has their meals in the same room as the food is prepared in.
• Bedroom: Any type of house features at least one bedroom providing a space to sleep.
• Bathroom: The room where grooming is taken care of, a bathroom features a toiletand sink, and (except for so-called half-baths) a showerand/or a bathtub.

Furthermore, most average houses feature some or many of these rooms:

• Front room: The room that you first step into upon entering a condo; for bigger homes this room is commonly called a hall, foyer, vestibule, or entry hall; for small condo on the other hand it may be titled hallway; in more simple places this is the room where outer garments are kept as are shoes.
• Dining room : When more space is available, the food is eaten in a room separate from the kitchen, the dining room; sometimes the room may be referred to as a formal dining room to highlight the fact that casual everyday meals are commonly eaten in the kitchen, a breakfast nook, or a family room. 
• Family room: Most often the casual living room that is set apart from the living room by its use, this room is less formal and thus children's toys may be kept out and most often this is the spot for any multimedia entertainment equipment. It is designed to support the need for relaxation and ease of the owner as compared to the following room.
• Formal living room: the formal room of the house used for representative purposes such as picture taking and entertaining guests.
• Storage room: Bulky goods such as suitcases are stored here; sometimes this is the spot for the washer and dryer in case the following room is not a part of the house.
• Laundry room: The big appliances are situated in this space as may be a storage of linens or cleaning supplies.
• Study: For self-employed workers and home-workers this may also be called home-officeand features the office furnishings one needs for work, such as desks, computers, telecommunicationdevices and peripherals. 

The following rooms can be found in more spacious or luxurious homes:

• Library: A more imposing study, usually featuring a great selection of books, artwork and trophies.
•  
• Studio: For artists and art-lovers this room is used as a creative space.

Game room: For games like pool/billiards, table tennis, or darts; it may feature a 

bar.                                                                  From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

As Canada's economic capital, Toronto is the largest city in Canada. Some of Toronto's leading economic sectors include finance, business services, telecommunications, transportation, media, arts, film, medical, education, tourism and sports.

 TORONTO REAL ESTATE, TORONTO CONDO, TORONTO CONDOS, TORONTO CONDOMINIUMS, TORONTO REAL ESTATE AGENT

  Toronto & GTA Ontario Real Estate: CONDOS orCONDOMINIUMS

A condominium, or condo for short, is a form ofhousing tenure . It is the legal term used in the United States and in most provinces of Canada for a type of joint ownership of real property in which portions of the property are commonly owned and other portions are individually owned. In Australia and the Canadian province of British Columbia , the legal term for this is strata title . In Quebec , it is known as syndicates of co-ownership. In the United Kingdom, the equivalent is commonhold , but this form of ownership was only introduced in 2004 and so far is hardly used. Colloquially, the term "condo" is often used to refer to the apartment unit itself in place of the term "apartment". This clearly signifies ownership of the property.

Often, a condominium consists of units in a multi-unit dwelling (i.e., anapartment or a development) where each unit is individually owned and the common areas like hallways and recreational facilities are jointly owned by all the unit owners in the building. It is possible, however, for condominiums to consist of single family dwellings: so-called "detached condominiums" where homeowners do not maintain the exteriors of the dwellings, yards, etc. or "site condominiums" where the owner has more control over the exterior appearance. These structures are preferred by some planned neighborhoods and gated communities .

A homeowners association , consisting of all the members, manages the common areas usually through a board of directors elected by the members. The same concept exists under different names depending on the jurisdiction, such as "unit title", " sectional title ", " commonhold ," "strata council," or " tenant-owner's association ", "body corporate", "Owners Corporation" or "condominium association." Another variation of this concept is the "time share". Condominiums may be found in both civil law and common law legal systems as it is purely a creation of statute .

The rules for condominium government or management are established in a document commonly called a declaration of condominium. The owners and occupiers of condominiums are subject to rules in the declaration of condominium or created by the condominium association, such as paying required monthly fees for maintaining the property's common areas. Condominiums are commonly owned in fee simple title , but can be owned in ways other real estate can be owned, such as title held in trust . Owners can typically rent their condominiums to other people to occupy as tenants , similar to renting out other real estate .

In Ontario, condominiums are governed by the Condominium Act, 1998 with each development establishing a corporation to deal with day-to-day functions (maintenance, repairs, etc...). A board of directors is elected by the owners of units (or, in the case of a common elements condominium corporation, the owners of the common interest in the common elements) in the development on at least a yearly basis. A general meeting is held annually to deal with board elections and the appointment of an auditor (or waiving of audit). Other matters can also be dealt with at the Annual General Meeting, but special meetings of the owners can becalled by the board and, in some cases,by the owners themselves, at any time.

In recent years the condo industry has been booming in Canada, with dozens of new condo towers being erected each year. Toronto is the epicentre of this boom, with 17,000 new units being sold in 2005, more than double second place Miami's 7,500 units. For several years now that city's sky line has had a forest of cranes erecting new towers. Outside of Toronto, the most common forms of condominium have been townhomes rather than highrises, although that trend may be altered as limitations are placed on "Greenfields" (see Greenfield land ) developments in those areas (in turn, forcing developers to expand upward rather than outward and to consider more condominium conversions instead of new housing). Particular growth areas are in Kitchener Waterloo and London. In fact, after Toronto, the Golden Horseshoe Chapter of the Canadian Condominium Institute is one of that organization's most thriving chapters.

The Ontario Condominium Act, 1998 provides an effectively wide range of development options, including Standard, Phased, Vacant Land, Common Element and Leasehold condominiums. Certain existing condominiums can amalgamate, and existing properties can be converted to condominium (provided municipal requirements for the same are met). Accordingly, the expanded and expanding use of the condominium concept is permitting developers and municipalities to consider newer and more interesting forms of development to meet social needs

   Toronto & GTA Ontario Real Estate:Apartments

TORONTO REAL ESTATE, TORONTO CONDO, TORONTO CONDOS, TORONTO CONDOMINIUMS, TORONTO REAL ESTATE AGENT

An apartment (or sometimes flat in Britain and most other Commonwealth countries) is a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building. Apartments may be owned (by an owner-occupier) or rented (by tenants).

Some apartment-dwellers own their apartments, either as co-ops , in which the residents own shares of a corporation that owns the building or development; or in condominiums , whose residents own their apartments and share ownership of the public spaces. Most apartments are in buildings designed for the purpose, but large older houses are sometimes divided into apartments. The word apartment connotes a residential unit or section in a building. Apartment building owners, lessors, or managers often use the more general word units to refer to apartments. Units can be used to refer to rental business suites as well as residential apartments. When there is no tenant occupying an apartment, the lessor is said to have a vacancy. For apartment lessors, each vacancy represents a loss of income from rent-paying tenants for the time the apartment is vacant (i.e., unoccupied). Lessors' objectives are often to minimize the vacancy rate for their units. The owner of the apartment typically transfers possession to the occupant(s) by giving him/her the key to the apartment entrance door(s) and any other keys needed to live there, such as a common key to the building or any other common areas, and an individual unit mailbox key. When the occupant(s) move out, these keys should typically be returned to the owner.

 

Toronto & GTA Ontario Real Estate: Apartment types and characteristics

TORONTO REAL ESTATE, TORONTO CONDO, TORONTO CONDOS, TORONTO CONDOMINIUMS, TORONTO REAL ESTATE AGENT

Apartments can be classified into several types. Studio, efficiency, bedsit and bachelor style apartments all tend to be the smallest apartments with the cheapest rents in a given area. These kinds of apartment usually consist mainly of a large room which is the living, dining, and bedroom combined. There are usually kitchen facilities as part of this central room, but the bathroom is its own smaller separate room. Moving up from the efficiencies are one-bedroom apartments where one bedroom is a separate room from the rest of the apartment. Then there are two-bedroom, three-bedroom, etc. apartments. Small apartments often have only one entrance/exit. Large apartments often have two entrances/exits, perhaps a door in the front and another in the back. Depending on the building design, the entrance/exit doors may be directly to the outside or to a common area inside, such as a hallway. Depending on location, apartments may be available for rent furnished with furniture or unfurnished into which a tenant usually moves in with his/her own furniture. Permanent carpeting is often included in an apartment.

Laundry facilities may be found in a common area accessible to all the tenants in the building, or each apartment may have its own facilities. Depending on when the building was built and the design of the building, utilities such as water, heating, and electricity may be common for all the apartments in the building or separate for each apartment and billed separately to each tenant (however, many areas in the US have ruled it illegal to split a water bill among all the tenants, especially if a pool is on the premises). Outlets for connection to telephones are typically included in apartments. Telephone service is optional and is practically always billed separately from the rent payments. Cable television and similar amenities are extra also. Parking space(s), air conditioner , and extra storage space may or may not be included with an apartment. Rental leases often limit the maximum number of people who can reside in each apartment. On or around the ground floor of the apartment building, a series of mailboxes are typically kept in a location accessible to the public and, thus, to the letter-carrier too. Every unit typically gets its own mailbox with individual keys to it. Some very large apartment buildings with a full-time staff may take mail from the mailman and provide mail-sorting service. Near the mailboxes or some other location accessible by outsiders, there may be a buzzer (equivalent to a doorbell) for each individual unit. In smaller apartment buildings such as two- or three-flats, or even four-flats, garbage is often disposed of in trash containers similar to those used at houses. In larger buildings, garbage is often collected in a common trash bin or Dumpster . For cleanliness or minimizing noise, many lessors will place restrictions on tenants regarding keeping pets in an apartment.

In some parts of the world, the word apartment is used generally to refer to a new purpose-built self-contained residential unit in a building, whereas the word flat means a converted self-contained unit in an older building. An industrial, warehouse, or commercial space converted to an apartment is commonly called a loft .

When part of a house is converted for the ostensible use of a landlord's family member, the unit may be known as an in-law apartment  or granny flat, though these (sometimes illegally) created units are often occupied by ordinary renters rather than family members. In Canada these suites are commonly located in the basements of houses and are therefore normally called basement suites .  

 

 

 

What is a Condominium Corporation?

 TORONTO REAL ESTATE, TORONTO CONDO, TORONTO CONDOS, TORONTO CONDOMINIUMS, TORONTO REAL ESTATE AGENT

A condominium corporation is a method of property ownership. It is created solely to manage the affairs of the condominium corporation. A condomin­ium's affairs are regulated by the Condominium Act and documents known as the Declaration, Description, By-laws and Rules.

 

The declaration is the equivalent of the constitution of the corporation. It out­lines the division of ownership within the corporation by identifying the units, the common elements and the exclusive use common elements, if any. It also sets out the percentages of ownership each unit has in the property and the per­centage that each unit contributes to the monthly common expenses. The dec­laration will also indicate which costs will be the responsibility of the corpora­tion and paid for by the owner's contributions to the monthly common ex­penses.

 

The description is a detailed plan of the boundaries, layout and location of the units, common elements and exclusive use common elements in the condomin­ium.

 

The by-laws of the corporation indicate how the corporation will be organized. They deal with matters such as the Board of Directors, the officers of the cor­poration, the conduct of meetings, the collection of common expenses, occu­pancy standards, insurance deductibles and other matters as permitted by the Condominium Act, 1998. By-laws are made by the Board of Directors and ap­proved by the unit owners.

There are also rules of the corporation which regulate the owners' day-to-day living environment. The Board of Directors makes the rules. The owners are required to receive notice of the rules and have a right of veto and can amend or repeal them. The initial condominium documents, the declaration, descrip­tion, by-laws and rules are prepared by the developer.

The primary purpose of the condominium corporation is to manage the condo­minium property. The Condominium Act provides standards regarding the keeping of records and the conduct of business. The Act and the by-laws out­line in greater detail procedures to be followed by the corporation, including the calling, holding and conduct of general and special meetings, as well as the election, removal and replacement of directors.

Owners and residents are required to comply with the documents which govern a condominium corporation. The corporation or individual owners may enforce the Act, declaration, by-laws or rules either through mediation and/or arbitra­tion or in some circumstances by going to court. The Act also provides, through an oppression remedy, the right to apply to a court where an owner believes that his or her rights have been unfairly affected by the conduct of ei­ther the Board of Directors or other unit owners.

 

Who is responsible for what?

 

TORONTO REAL ESTATE, TORONTO CONDO, TORONTO CONDOS, TORONTO CONDOMINIUMS, TORONTO REAL ESTATE AGENT

All condominium projects consist of two parts: the unit which is individually owned; and the common elements which are shared and jointly owned by all of the individual owners. Some common elements are created as exclusive use common elements, such as balconies and patios etc. Although owned by all the owners, they are attached to one or more units for all time and are for the sole use of the unit or units to which they are attached. The declaration and/or the description of the condominium corporation describe these in detail.

The contents of declarations can differ. Areas designated as common elements in one condominium corporation might be parts of individual units in another. Most often the unit is defined by its surrounding walls; however, in some cases the unit includes additional areas such as front and back yards (these are some­times known as "Freehold condominiums"). Such distinctions can be important when it comes to the question of payment for window-washing service or re­pairs to the exterior brick or roof of a condominium townhouse.

A typical residential unit in an apartment style condominium project consists of a living room, kitchen, dining room, bedrooms, bathrooms, entranceway hall and closets. Townhouses and detached units might include basements, garages and front or back yards as well. The unit is the property of the owner and the unit owner is usually responsible for its maintenance and/or repair.

The common elements are the parts of the development outside the individual units. These can consist of corridors, lobbies, and elevators, and mechanical and electrical systems in apartment style condominium projects as well as rec­reational facilities, parking areas, the grounds and structural parts of buildings. Their maintenance and repair are normally the responsibility of the corpora­tion.

The exclusive use common elements may be maintained and/or repaired by ei­ther the owner or owners who have their exclusive use or the corporation, de­pending on what is provided in the declaration. Generally, balconies, parking spaces, storage lockers and lawns in townhouse condominiums are exclusive.

 

 

What are the expenses I will have to pay when I own my unit?

TORONTO REAL ESTATE, TORONTO CONDO, TORONTO CONDOS, TORONTO CONDOMINIUMS, TORONTO REAL ESTATE AGENT

The financial obligations you will have to meet typi­cally include:

•          Mortgage payments;

•          Property taxes;

•          Monthly common expenses, including an amount for the reserve fund;

•          Utilities and cable if not included in the common expenses.

 Can I lease or rent the condominium unit I own?

 

 

 

- How are common expenses determined?

 

- Do I have a say in what happens in the condominium?

 

 

- How does condominium living affect me as a home owner?

 

  

- Are there restrictions on what I can do with my unit?

 

- Can I decorate my unit any way I want?

- Can I make changes to the Common Elements? Can I fence in my garden, install a satellite dish or install a patio? 

 

- Can anyone enter my unit without permission?

 

- Who is responsible for maintenance and repairs?  

 

 

 

- Do I have to get involved?

- I'd like to be on the Board of Directors. What should I do?

- What is a director's role?

- What makes a good director?

- What are the responsibilities of the property manager?

- When are meetings held and who calls them?

- Who makes up the quorum and who is allowed to vote?

- How do you change the condominium documents?

- How is a condominium insured?

- What about additional recreation facilities? Could a condominium corporation buy a golf course? Can it change the services I expect to receive?

 

 

 

Buying and living in a condominium is more complicated than in a single fam­ily home. You must understand what it is you are purchasing and whether thelifestyle will suit you and your family. Once you do the proper investigations and make your decision, you will find that the advantages of condominium liv­ing are many and you should find it a rewarding experience!

 

Call Mike Derev'yanko  647-891-4824  647-891-4824 (Cell)

E-mail: MikeDe7@yahoo.ca

 TORONTO REAL ESTATE, TORONTO CONDO, TORONTO CONDOS, TORONTO CONDOMINIUMS, TORONTO REAL ESTATE AGENT 

 

Agincourt, Albion, Alderwood, Amesbury, Andrew, Anne, Annex, Antibes, Armour, Avenue, Baby, Bathurst, Bay, Bayview, Beach, Upper, Beechborough, Beechgrove, Beecroft, Belgravia, Bellamy, Bendale, Bennington, Beverley, Birch, Birchmount, Black, Bloor, Bloordale, Bluffs, Bonis, Borough, Brabson, Branch, Briar, Bridal, Bridge, Bridletown, Brimley, Broadview, Brockton, Brownsline, Brunel,

Burkebrook, Burnahthorpe, Cabbadgetown, Caledonia, Cedarvalle, Centenial, Centenial, Centre, Christie, Circle, Cityplace, Clanton, Cliff, Club, Corktown, Corso, Covington, Creek, Crescent, Cricket, Dalesford, Dallimore, Danforth, Davisville, Dawes, Deane, Dennis, Dixon, Don, Donalda, Donlands, Donvalley, Dovercourt, Downsview, Driftwood, Drive, Dublin, Dufferin, Dundas, Dusay, East, Eaton, Eatonville, Edenbridge, Eglinton, Elia, Elizabeth, Ellesmere, Elsmere, Emery, Englemount, Eringate, Estates, Etobicoke, Evans,

 

- Can I stop making monthly payments if I'm not happy with the Board and management?

 

 

TORONTO REAL ESTATE, TORONTO CONDO, TORONTO CONDOS, TORONTO CONDOMINIUMS, TORONTO REAL ESTATE AGENT

 

Unless restricted from doing so by provisions of the declaration and/or the rules a condominium owner can sell, rent, lease or transfer the title of his or her unit as he or she chooses. Some corporations do not allow owners to sell or rent parking units to persons who do not live in the building.

An owner who leases his or her unit must give the corporation the name of the tenant(s) and a summary of the lease or a copy of the lease. The owner and the tenant are both responsible to the corporation and the tenant can be instructed to pay common expenses for the unit if the owner fails to do so. If the tenant does pay the corporation, that amount can be deducted from the rent due to the unit owner.

The tenant is bound by all the same documents as the owners. If a tenant does not comply with the Act and/or the condominium documents, the condominium corporation can take legal action against the owner and/or the tenant.

 

 

 

 

Condo Insurance

TORONTO REAL ESTATE, TORONTO CONDO, TORONTO CONDOS, TORONTO CONDOMINIUMS, TORONTO REAL ESTATE AGENT

If your client is buying a condominium, there is a unique insurance relationship with the condominium corporation. Your client as owner should insure their belongings and the structural parts of the building that they own (kitchen cabinets for example) under their own insurance policy. The condo board will need to have an insurance policy to insure the overall building, including each unit.

To be sure that the buyer is adequately insured, and has included the structural components that belong to the owner they should read the condominium corporation's insurance policy carefully. This area - what the individual owns versus what the corporation owns - can be a very grey area. The more the buyer knows about the condo corporation's insurance the better they can tailor the coverage for their specific unit. For example, some condominium contracts go so far as to specify the individual buyer owns the paint on the walls.

Here's an example: A condo owner on the top floor is away for the weekend. Their hot water heater springs a leak. The water travels from the top unit down through the roof of the unit below and causes significant damage. Whose insurance pays?

Condominium buyers can also get a special type of insurance coverage against "unit assessment". This provides protection against a one-time per unit assessment the condominium corporation decides to charge in addition to the regular condo fees. This 'special assessment' usually occurs when major repairs or renovations are required. For example, if there is a fire in the lobby of the condo building, the insurance for the condominium corporation will pay for most of the damages. But if the policy is only for actual cost as opposed to replacement cost there will be an amount that must be covered by the corporation. That is when the corporation may decide to add a unit assessment, which could be a very large amount. Condo unit assessment coverage will protect the buyer if this occurs.

Condo owners will also need liability coverage, and they may also want to consider title insurance.

                                                     

 You, as my client, will get the answers on these and much more questions:

 

 

- What is a reserve fund?

- Who manages the property?

 

Agincourt, Albion, Alderwood, Amesbury, Andrew, Anne, Annex, Antibes, Armour, Avenue, Baby, Bathurst, Bay, Bayview, Beach, Upper, Beechborough, Beechgrove, Beecroft, Belgravia, Bellamy, Bendale, Bennington, Beverley, Birch, Birchmount, Black, Bloor, Bloordale, Bluffs, Bonis, Borough, Brabson, Branch, Briar, Bridal, Bridge, Bridletown, Brimley, Broadview, Brockton, Brownsline, Brunel,

Burkebrook, Burnahthorpe, Cabbadgetown, Caledonia, Cedarvalle, Centenial, Centenial, Centre, Christie,

Circle, Cityplace, Clanton, Cliff, Club, Corktown, Corso, Covington, Creek, Crescent, Cricket, Dalesford,

Dallimore, Danforth, Davisville, Dawes, Deane, Dennis, Dixon, Don, Donalda, Donlands, Donvalley, Dovercourt, Downsview, Driftwood, Drive, Dublin, Dufferin, Dundas, Dusay, East, Eaton, Eatonville, Edenbridge, Eglinton, Elia, Elizabeth, Ellesmere, Elsmere, Emery, Englemount, Eringate, Estates, Etobicoke, Evans, Fairbanks, Farm, Finch, Fleet, Flegminton, Flemington, Forest, Four, Front, Galloway, Gardens, Gerrard, Glamorgan, Glen, Glenfield, Golden, Golf, Gosford, Governor's, Grand, Grandravine, Greek, Greenbrook, Greydon, Grove, Guildwood, Heights, Henry, High, Highway, Hilda, Hill, Hillcrest, Hillside, Hogg's, Hoghland, Hollow, Homewood, Humber, Humberlea, Humbermede, Humberwood, Humewood, Ionview, Islington, Italia, James, Jane, Junction, Junctions, Keelesdale, Kennedy, Kensington, King, Kingston, Kingsview, Kingsway, Kipling, Lake, Lakeshore, Lambton, L'Amoreaux, Lansing, Lawrence, Leaside, Ledbury, Leslie, Leslieville, Lillian, Linkway, Little, Logan, Long, Mall, Malvern, Manitoba, Manor, Margaret, Market, Markham, Markland, Martin, Maryvale, McCowan, McLevin, McNicoll, Meadowale, MeaMilliken, Michael, Middlefield, Midland, Mile, Millburn, Mills, Mimico, Mondeo, Moore, Morningside, Moss, Mount, Neilson, Nelson, New, Newtonbrook, Ninth, North, Oakridge, Oakwood, O'Conner, Old, Omni, Orton, O'Shanten, Palace, Pape, Park, Parkdale, Parklawn, Parkview, Parkway, Parkwoods, Path, Peanut, Pelmo, Pharmacy, Pier, Pits, Place, Plate, Pleasant, Point, Points, Port, Post, Power, Prescott, Princess, QEW, Quay, Queen, Queen's, Queensway, Rathburn, Rean, Regent, Renforth, Rexdale, Richview, River, Riverdale, Rockcliffe, Rodda, Roncesvalles, Rosedale, Rosewell, Rouge, Royal, Runnymede, Ruthburn, Scarborough, Scarlett, Scollard, Seaton, Shaw, Sheppard, Sherwood, Silverstone, Silverthorn, Six, Smithfield, Smothe, Sommerset, South, Spadina, Spring, Staines, Steels, Steinway, Stevenson, Summit, Sunnylea, Swansea, Tam, Tenth, Thistletown, Thorncliffe, Thorncres, Timberbank, Todmorden, Topham, Toronto, Town, Turntable, Twenty, Union, University, Updown, Valley, Vaughan, Vicora, Victoria, Village, Warden, West, Westhumber, Westminster, Weston, Westway, Wexford, Willowdale, Wilson, Windermere, Windfields, Winds, Woburn, Wood, Woodbine, Woods, Wychwood, Yonge, York, Yorkminster, Yorkville.

The Land

Economy

TORONTO & GTA Ontario Real Estate: Homes  & Houses

A house, a structure used for habitation by people, generally has walls and a roof to shelter its enclosed space from precipitation , wind , heat , and cold . Animals including both domestic pets and "unwanted" animals (such as mice) often live in houses. The word "house" may also refer to a building that shelters animals, especially within a zoo .

Families, as well as other social groups, generally live permanently in houses. English-speaking people generally call any building they routinely occupy " home ". Many people leave their house during the day for work and recreation but typically return to it to sleep or for other activities.

Toronto & GTA Ontario Real Estate: Single-family homes & houses 

TORONTO INVESTMENTS, TORONTO INVESTMENTS PROPERTY, TORONTO REAL ESTATE INVESTMENTS, CONDO INVESTMENTS TORONTO, TORONTO INVESTMENTS PROPERTIES

A duplex house is a two-unit apartment building or condominium, usually indistinguishable from a normal house on the exterior. Duplex can also refer to three- and four-unit buildings, sometimes called, respectively, triplex and fourplex. The line between an apartment building and a duplex is therefore somewhat blurred, with apartment buildings tending to be bigger, while duplexes are usually the size of a normal house.

Unlike townhomes , when purchasing a duplex the entire building is purchased as a single piece of real estate, whereas a townhome is usually purchased by a single unit that is attached to the other unit(s) which are owned by other homeowners. However, in some areas, it is possible for units of a duplex (or triplex or fourplex) to be owned by different owners (see the link below for semi-detached, which is the technical name for this form of housing but in practice is often referred to as duplex).

Toronto & GTA Ontario Real Estate: Triplexes

Triplex building - a type of three-unit building.

 Toronto & GTA Ontario Real Estate:   The Residential Buildings

NORTH YORK

Location: York was divided several times, resulting in two other communities, North York which begins around Eglington Avenue and extends up to Steeles Ave, and East York, which is located in a pocket between downtown and Scarbourgh, which makes up the most eastern portion of Toronto

Shopping Centres: North York is a great place to live in terms of accessibility to shopping malls.  Both Fairview mall and Yorkdale Shopping Centre are huge malls that are surely going to satisfy everyone’s needs.  Between the two there are hundreds of shops and a number of good restaurants .

Institutions: North York is also home to Toronto’s other main university, York University. Located at Steeles Ave. and Keele St., the university is made up of a maze of large buildings. 

Entertainment: It is also home to the annual Du Maurier Tennis Tournament that see the best players from all over the world come to Toronto to strut their stuff.  The campus also has various sports facilities that include Toronto’s largest hockey arena The Beatrice Ice Gardens.  Within the arena there is five ice rinks and several training facilities.

NORTH YORK

HISTORY

NORTH YORK REAL ESTATE AGENT, NORTH YORK PROPERTY SALE, NORTH YORK HOMES SALE, NORTH YORK HOUSES SALE, NORTH YORK HOUSE SALE