Toronto Suburb High School Rankings

Toronto Suburbs score top marks in high school rankings.
In the 2010 Fraser Institute standardized testing for secondary schools 10 high schools form Toronto suburbs placed in the top 20 from among 722 schools who took part in this province wide testing. Markham led the way with a very impressive 5 top 20 rankings. Congratulations to the following schools which are listed along with the suburb they are located in. The individual school test score is also listed with a 10 being the highest score possible.

Bayview Secondary School
Toronto Suburb - Richmond Hill
Score - 9.4

Pierre Elliott Trudeau High School
Toronto Suburb - Markham
Score - 9.2

Oakville Trafalgar High School
Toronto Suburb - Oakville
Score - 9.1

Unionville High School
Toronto Suburb – Markham (Unionville)
Score - 9.0

St Aloysius Gonzaga Secondary School
Toronto Suburb - Mississauga
Score - 8.8

Richmond Hill High School
Toronto Suburb - Richmond Hill
Score - 8.8

Middlefield Collegiate Institute
Toronto Suburb - Markham
Score - 8.8

St Robert Catholic High School
Toronto Suburb – Vaughan (Thornhill)
Score - 8.7

St Augustine Catholic High School
Toronto Suburb - Markham
Score - 8.6

Bur Oak Secondary School
Toronto Suburb - Markham
Score - 8.6

Toronto High School Rankings

Toronto High School Rankings:
The following Toronto secondary schools received the highest marks for standard performance testing in the most recent report published report by the Fraser Institute. The highest score you can receive is a 10. Below you will find the top Toronto high schools along with their score and their neighbourhood. Neighbourhood is very important because many of these schools are highly sought after by parents and are therefore at capacity and closed to outside or what is referred to as optional attendance. If you are moving into a Toronto neighbourhood and are not sure what school district you are in visit the www.tdsb.on.ca website and go to the “find your school” link and then type in the school and this search will return the catchment area for the school.e

Etobicoke School of the Arts
Neighbourhood – Sunnylea
Score - 8.8

Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts
Neighbourhood – Lansing
Score - 8.7

North Toronto Collegiate Institute
Neighbourhood – North Toronto
Score - 8.7

Leaside High School
Neighbourhood – Leaside
Score – 8.6

Earl Haig Secondary School
Neighbourhood – Willowdale
Score - 8.4

Mary Ward Catholic Secondary School
Neighbourhood – L’Amoreaux
Score - 8.4

Ursula Franklin Academy
Neighbourhood – Bloor West Village
Score - 8.2

Humberside Collegiate Institute
Neighbourhood – High Park
Score - 8.2

Neil McNeil High School
Neighbourhood – The Beach
Score 8.2

Malvern Collegiate Institute
Neighbourhood – The Beach
Score - 8.2

Lawrence Park Collegiate Institute
Neighbourhood – Lytton Park
Score - 8.1

Greenwood College School
Neighbourhood – Davisville Village
Score - 8.1

Richview Collegiate Institute
Neighbourhood - Richview
Score - 7.9

Agincourt Collegiate Institute
Neighbourhood – Agincourt
Score - 7.9

Forest Hill Collegiate Institute
Neighbourhood – Forest Hill
Score - 7.9

Michael Power/St Joseph High School
Neighbpurhood - Centennial Park
Score - 7.8

Loretto Abbey Catholic Secondary School
Neighbourhood – Cricket Club
Score - 7.8

SATEC @ W A Porter Collegiate Institute
Neighbourhood - Clairlea
Score - 7.8

R H King Academy
Neighbourhood - Guildwood Village
Score - 7.7

Bishop Allen Academy
Neighbourhood – The Queensway
Score - 7.6

Martingrove Collegiate Institute
Neighbourhood - West Deane Park
Score - 7.6

Toronto Elementary School Rankings

Toronto Elementary School Rankings:
The following elementary schools received the highest marks for standard performance testing in the most recent report published report by the Fraser Institute. The highest score you can receive is a 10. Below you will find the top Toronto elementary schools along with their score and their neighbourhood. Neighbourhood is very important because many of these schools are highly sought after by parents and are therefore at capacity and closed to outside or what is referred to as optional attendance. If you are moving into a Toronto neighbourhood and are not sure what school district you are in visit the www.tdsb.on.ca website and go to the “find your school” link and then type in the school and this search will return the catchment area for the school.

Sathya Sai School of Toronto
Score - 10.0
Neighbourhood – Scarborough

Hillmount Public School
Score - 10.0
Neighbourhood – Don Valley Village

Kennedy Public School
Score - 10.0
Neighbourhood – L’Amoreaux

St Michael's Choir (Jr) School
Score - 10.0
Neighbourhood – Downtown East

Arbor Glen Public School
Score - 10.0
Neighbourhood – Don Valley Village

Courcelette Public School
Score - 10.0
Neighbourhood – Birch Cliff

David Lewis Public School
Score - 10.0
Neighbourhood – L’Amoreaux

Holy Angels Separate School
Score - 10.0
Neighbourhood – The Queensway

St Demetrius School
Score - 10.0
Neighbourhood – Humber Heights

Golf Road Junior Public School
Score - 10.0
Neighbourhood - Woburn

Norway Junior Public School
Score - 10.0
Neighbourhood – The Beach

Bennington Heights Elementary School
Score - 10.0
Neighbourhood – Bennington Heights

Hollywood Public School
Score - 10.0
Neighbourhood - Willowdale

Cedarvale Community School
Score - 9.9
Neighbourhood - Cedarvale

Bridlewood Junior Public School
Score - 9.9
Neighbourhood – L’ Amoreaux

Seneca Hill Public School
Score - 9.7
Neighbourhood – Don Valley Village

Islamic Foundation School
Score - 9.7
Neighbourhood – Scarborough

John Ross Robertson Junior Public School
Score - 9.6
Neighbourhood – Lytton Park

Deer Park Junior and Senior Public School
Score - 9.6
Neighbourhood – Deer Park

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Separate School
Score - 9.5
Neighbourhood - Moore Park

Toronto Hard Loft Condominiums In Great Demand

Toronto has thousands of condominium buildings scattered across the city. However, very few of these buildings include loft-style units and even fewer still would classify as a “hard loft”. What is a hard loft you might ask? Essentially a hard loft building is one that has been converted from a previous commercial use which typically included manufacturing. This is why hard lofts have memorable names like “Candy Factory”, “Toy Factory”, “Chocolate Factory” and the “Tip Top” lofts.
The idea of converting a former industrial building into a residential loft originated in New York in the 1970s and 80s when that cities neglected downtown buildings were rediscovered by Bohemian trendsetters that made loft living the new in-style abode for urban dwellers. Toronto developers sensing the demand for hard lofts have been looking for buildings to convert since the 1980s. Still despite the demand for authentic hard lofts, their numbers in Toronto are relatively small, as these buildings are in short supply.
Hard lofts with their natural earthy finishes and aged patina pull at the heartstrings of those looking for a sense of place and an escape from the same old, same old, offerings that buyers are used to seeing in new condominium buildings with their trademark pre-engineered flooring and boxed-in drywall. In a hard loft you may encounter wide open spaces with wood and post beam ceilings criss-crossed with exposed metal piping, exposed brick walls, extraordinary high ceilings and immense metal-framed windows.
The scarcity of hard loft buildings in Toronto has led to the building of soft loft condominium buildings. Soft lofts are essentially new construction that incorporate some of the design features and finishes that one might find in a hard loft including: open spaces, tall windows, and exposed concrete floors and ceilings. The advantage to soft lofts is that when brand new they are covered under a Tarion new home warranty. Soft loft condominium buildings may also have more amenities available to residents than a hard loft building.
If you are determined to buy a hard loft condominium unit in Toronto you will find the vast majority of these located in the Old Toronto downtown, east-end, and west-end corridors. Some of the downtown neighbourhoods that have hard loft condominiums include: Trinity Bellwoods, King West Village, Liberty Village, Little Italy, St. Lawrence, Kensington, Niagara, Corktown, Beaconsfield Village and Grange Park. In the east-end Riverdale and Leslieville are the places to look for hard lofts. In the west-end Brockton Village, Dufferin Grove, High Park and Roncessvales Village are popular destinations for loft buyers.
Be prepared to be patient if you are looking for a hard loft in Toronto as there are never an abundance of these on the market at any given time due to the short supply and the generally lower turnover rate as compared to condos. Also, when these do hit the market if they are priced right they sell very quickly. So far in 2011 the majority of hard lofts in Toronto are selling for an average of $450-$550 per square foot making these still an affordable option for homebuyers. If your lucky you may even get parking, locker and a small outdoor space included in your purchase.

Toronto Landscape Photo in The Beach neighbourhood

Perigee Moon at Ashbridges Bay. Courtesy Elaine Munro. A rare moon and a lovely photograph taken in The Beach neighbourhood in Toronto.

Toronto Nature Photo

This is a rare sighting of a Juvenile Cooper’s Hawk, in North York. This photo was taken by Elaine Munro. TorontoNeighbourhoodGuide.com welcomes any quality photos like this one that show the wildlife that live among us in our many neighbourhoods.

Toronto Suburbs Durham Region Real Estate Report

This is the final installment in a four part series looking at real estate sales in Toronto Suburbs for winter 2011. This installment will focus on Durham Region which is located to the east of Toronto and includes: the Cities of Oshawa and Pickering, the Towns of Ajax and Whitby, the Townships of Brock, Scugog and Uxbridge and the Municipality of Clarington.
We will begin our tour in the City of Pickering which is located on the east border of the City of Toronto. There have been 170 sales recorded thus far in the $230,000-$975,000 price range. The median price comes in around $400,000. The majority of these sales have taken place in south Pickering, in new subdivisions that are located near conservation areas or close to Lake Ontario.
Moving east the Town of Ajax recorded 285 sales between $200,000-$850,000. Starter homes represented the bulk of these sales with 200 homes selling for less than $400,000. These included bungalows, attached and semi-detached houses and some detached houses as well. Just 28 houses sold above $500,000. Two estate homes on private treed lots in the north end of town sold for over $1 million.
The Town of Whitby was also busy with 268 homes selling in the central and south end of town in the $200,000-$600,000 range. A handful of century homes and waterfront properties broke the $500,000 mark. There were a further 60 sales in the scenic Brooklin community at the north-end of town with a median sale price of $350,000. The new home subdivisions here have picked up the new urbanism theme which includes heritage inspired architecture that has proven to be very popular with families.
The City of Oshawa is showing positive signs with 300 sales between $100,000-$300,000 making this one of the most affordable markets among Toronto Suburbs. A further 37 sales took place over $370,000, with many of these in the north-end of Oshawa where new home subdivisions such as The Neighbourhoods of Windfields Farm have proven to be very popular.
The municipality of Clarington is situated at the far eastern edge of Durham Region. This largely rural township was fairly busy with 135 sales. Most of these sold in the $150,000-$400,000 price range and included the likes of an attached townhome with built-in garage in Clarington, an in-town heritage home in Bowmanville and a ranch-style bungalow in rural Courtice. There were an additional 10 sales in the $415,000-$850,000 price range with many of thee taking place in Newcastle at the south-end of the township close to Lake Ontario.
The Township of Scugog accounted for 65 sales in total with prices ranging from $100,000-$695,000. Almost all of these were detached homes with a median price of 435,000. Most of these sales took place in Port Perry with some enjoying views of Lake Scugog. Brock Township which forms the northernmost part of Durham region recorded 36 sales ranging from $100,000-$800,000. These sales were fairly evenly distributed between the communities of Beaverton, Brock, Sunderland and Cannington with a median price of $225,000. The higher-end sales consisted of hobby or horse farms and Lake Simcoe waterfront properties.
Please note all of the aforementioned stats are based on Toronto Real Estate Board MLS sales and are approximate numbers only. For a more detailed analysis of your community please contact the Realtor Sponsor on this website for your area.

Toronto Suburbs York Region Real Estate Report

Toronto Suburbs York Region Real Estate Report

This is the third installment in a four-part series chronicling Toronto Suburbs real estate activity for winter 2011. This installment will focus on York Region which is located on the north border of the City of Toronto, and includes the following municipalities: Town of Markham, Town of Richmond Hill, City of Vaughan, Town of Aurora, Town of Newmarket, Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville, Town of East Gwillimbury, Town of Georgina, and the Township of King.
We will start off in the western part of the region with Vaughan “the City above Toronto”. Always popular with first time buyers Vaughan recorded 200 sales in the $330,000-$500,000 price range. Most of these sales were 3 bedroom attached or semi-detached homes. The $500,000-$1 million price range was very active with 360 sales. These were detached and mostly four bedrooms with a double car garage. Woodbridge was popular with these move up buyers. In the $1 million plus price range 15 houses sold with a large number of these in Kleinburg at the north end of Vaughan and Thornhill in the south end of Vaughan.
Moving north to the bucolic countryside and King Township, there have been 39 sales recorded thus far in 2011. The majority of these sales were in the $450,000-$950,000 price range with the median price around $700,000. Sales were pretty equally divided between the communities of King City, Nobleton, and Schomberg. There were an additional 8 sales in the King Township luxury market over $1 million dollars. These were Estate homes on multi- acre lots.
In the east part of York Region the Town of Markham which also shares a border with Toronto, posted 400 sales between $400,00-$600,000. These represented a mix of attached, semi-detached and detached houses generally 1500-2500 square feet with attached garages. The Cornell neighbourhood situated at Highway 7 and 16th Avenue was one of the busier spots. There were another 100 sales in the $600,000-$1,000,000 range. Many of these were in Unionville. Historic downtown Unionville has always been a popular magnet for homebuyers. A further 35 houses sold in Markham for over $1 million. Many of these were in the prestigious Angus Glen neighbourhood with premium lots backing onto the golf course. Additional high-end sales were also achieved in nearby Cachet Estates in the Kennedy Road and 16th Avenue area. The Bayview Glen neighbourhood at Bayview and Steeles produced approximately half of the million dollar plus sales.
The Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville to the north of Markham produced 130 sales from $250,000 all the way up to $1 million. The median price was in the $400,000 range. A variety of in-town housing options were available to homebuyers in this price range. Adult lifestyle communities were also a popular drawing card. The luxury market was also well represented here with 12 sales surpassing $1 million. These were Estate lots either on the water or with a pond or on a wooded forest type lot. Equestrian farms also attracted luxury home buyers.
In central York Region, Richmond Hill real estate sales were also strong with 450 houses sold between $350,000-$1,000,000. Overall sales were fairly evenly divided between south and north Richmond Hill however there were a higher proportion of $1 million dollar plus sales in south Richmond Hill where exclusive pockets such as Bayview Hill, Bayview Woods and Heritage Estates commanded top prices. Oak Ridges to the north and houses around Lake Wilcox also achieved premium prices.
The Town of Aurora has one of the higher household per capita incomes in Canada so it was no surprise that over one third of the 150 sales recorded here were in excess of $500,000. There were 7 sales over $1 million. Two mansions situated in a gated community sold in excess of $2 million.
The Town of Newmarket is known as the “Heart of York Region”. There were 100 sales in the $240,000-$370,000 price range. Most of these were 3 bedroom starter homes. Another 100 sales took place in the $370,000-$650,000 price range, while another 10 sales were recorded in the $650,000-$1,000,000 mark.
In the Town of East Gwillimbury 46 sales were recorded. The median price was $400,000. Some examples included an attached 3 bedroom that sold in Mount Albert for $250,000, a traditional colonial revival that sold for $400,000 in Holland Landing and a ranch-style bungalow on a premium lot that sold for $700,000 in Sharon.
The Town of Georgina located at the north part of York Region on the shores of Lake Simcoe attracts both residential and recreational buyers. For the purposes of this report we will be focusing on residential sales. The bulk of the sales took place in Keswick and Sutton with 100 sales in the $120,000-$320,000 range. Many of these at the lower end were small frame sided bungalows. There were another 39 sales from $325,000-$860,000. The median price was $350,000 with just 4 sales over the $450,000 mark.
Please note all of the aforementioned stats are based on Toronto Real Estate Board MLS sales and are approximate numbers only. For a more detailed analysis of your community please contact the Realtor Sponsor on this website for your area.

Toronto Suburbs Peel Region Real Estate Report

This is the second installment in a four part series chronicling Toronto Suburbs real estate activity for winter 2011. This second installment will focus on Peel Region which is located on the west border of the city of Toronto, and includes the following municipalities: Town of Caledon, City of Mississauga and City of Brampton.
We will start off with Mississauga - Canada’s sixth largest city – and the largest municipality in Peel region. In north Mississauga where there are a plethora of high density new home subdivisions prices start around $330,000. Approximately 300 sales were recorded in the $330,000-$525,000 price range. These were mostly 3 bedroom attached, semi-detached and detached homes. There were approximately 150 sales above $550,000 with five of these topping the $1 million dollar mark.
In central Mississauga prices start around $350,000 and top out around $795,000. Some of the highest prices recorded here were in the Sawmill Valley neighbourhood located at Mississauga Road and Burnhamthorpe. The neighbourhoods to the east around Etobicoke Creek and the border of Etobicoke also commanded higher prices.
The exclusive south end of Mississauaga near Lake Ontario and the Credit River accounted for approximately 190 sales. While prices here start around $300,000 the majority of houses sold surpassed the $500,000 mark with 24 sales in excess of $1 million dollars. Most of the high-end sales took place in the Lorne Park and Mineola neighbourhoods where large new custom homes sit on premium wooded lots that are among the nicest in the Toronto area. Some of these even enjoy beautiful views of Lake Ontario.
Brampton real estate was remarkably busy this winter with an amazing 900 sales in the $180,000-$450,000 price range. These sales were a mix of attached, semi-detached and detached houses. The bulk of these houses were 1500-2000 square foot in size while a smaller number were slightly larger in the 2000-2500 square foot range demonstrating you get a pretty good size house for your money in Brampton. In the $450,000 plus price range activity was still very good with 223 houses selling. Many of these were 2500-3500 square foot houses with 4 bedrooms and a double car garage. The highest sales in Brampton took place in the eastern part of the municipality where a handful of larger custom built homes either backing onto a golf course or having a ravine view sold in excess of $1 million dollars.
Caledon’s urban centres produced 100 sales in the $270,000-$550,000 price range with a large number of these sales taking place in Bolton. In the $550,000-$1,000,000 range, 34 houses were sold. These were mostly 4 bedroom houses on large lots with double car garages. Caledon is also known for its luxury real estate market with custom homes on sprawling multi acreage lots. So far in 2011 there have been 4 Caledon sales in excess of $1 million dollars.
Please note the aforementioned stats are based on Toronto Real Estate Board MLS sales and are approximate numbers only. For a more detailed analysis of your community please contact the Realtor Sponsor on this website for your area.

Toronto launches BIXI bicycle sharing program

The City of Toronto has just launched a BIXI bike sharing program that will be rolled out this spring in downtown Toronto neighbourhoods. This green urban initiative has been successful in other big cities from Melbourne to Montreal and Washington to Chicago. Toronto residents will now have year round access on a 24/7 basis to BIXI bicycles which they can use to run errands, commuting to work, or just visiting friends.
The cost to join this program is $95 per year. Small usage fees apply if bikes are taken out for longer than 30 minutes at a time.
There are 80 terminals set to open right away. Powered by solar panels these docking point terminals are user friendly as members just have to insert a BIXI key to release the bicycle and off you go.
The BIXI bicycles are easy-to-use 3 speeds with comfortable seats and tires designed for the urban jungle. A practical carrying rack is fitted on each bike. Bicycle safety is excellent with lighting at the front and rear of the bicycle, front and rear brakes and bicycle reflectors.
To learn more about this exciting bicycle sharing program coming soon to a Toronto neighbourhood near you visit the website: www.toronto.bixi.com

Toronto Suburbs Halton Region Real Estate Report

This is the first installment in a four part series chronicling Toronto Suburbs real estate activity for winter 2011. This first installment will focus on Halton Region which is located at the western boundary of the Greater Toronto Area and includes the municipalities of the:Town of Oakville, City of Burlington, Town of Milton and the Town of Halton Hills. It may have been a cold winter but the real estate activity in Halton Region this winter has been red hot.
Let's begin in Oakville the most affluent and urbanized of the four Halton Region municipalities. There are still great opportunities for first time buyers in Oakville as over 100 homes were sold between $280,000-$400,000. Most of these were attached row and townhouses with some bungalow and detached two-storey houses included in this mix. Another 100 houses sold between $420,000-$520,000 with a higher number of detached houses being sold in this price range. The $550,00-$750,000 price range was also busy posting another100 sales. Most of these would have been your typical suburban style 4 bedroom family home with attached garage, gas heating and central air. Oakville is especially known for its high-end real estate and this segment was also busy with over 100 homes selling from $725,000 to $8 million dollars. Fifty-six houses sold for over $1 million dollars. Most of these were located in Oakville's old downtown neighbourhood near the lake which contains some of the most impressive houses in the Greater Toronto Area.
The City of Burlington is the second most populous municipality in the region. Still relatively affordable buyers were eager to get into this market with 100 houses selling in the $290,000-$425,000 range. A roughly equal mix of attached and detached houses were sold. The majority of these were 3 bedrooms with attached garages. Approximately 70 houses were sold between $450,00-$1 million. These were mostly 4 and 5 bedroom detached homes in the south end of the city. Burlington has had 4 sales over 1 million so far in 2011. All of these were custom built homes near the lakeshore.
The Town of Milton is one of the fastest growing municipalities in the GTA. Young families are flocking to snap up the affordable real estate in this lovely setting amidst the Niagara Escarpment. Over 250 houses were sold in the $270,000-$500,000 price range so far this year. Main floor family rooms were a popular selling feature for most of the houses over $400,000. Another 50 houses sold between $500,000-$700,000. Most of these were 4 bedrooms.
The Town of Halton Hills is the most rural of Halton Region's four municipalities. It is also the most affordable. Houses start in the $250,000 range and most are detached. Approximately 100 houses have already sold this year between $250,000-$500,000. Most of these sales were concentrated in the higher density centres clustered in Georgetown and Acton. Bungalows, split-level homes and detached 2-storey houses comprised most of these sales. Approximately 35 houses sold in the $500,000-$950,000 price range. Many of these were 4 bedrooms with family rooms. There were also a handful of ranch-style bungalows sold in the rural countryside away from the hustle and bustle.
Please note the aforementioned stats are based on Toronto Real Estate Board MLS sales and are approximate numbers only. For a more detailed analysis of your community please contact the Realtor Sponsor on this website for your area.

Toronto's Waterways

Toronto – Many Rivers Run Through It.

The Royal Ontario Museum’s newest exhibition titled WATER, opens March 5th. This is an appropriate exhibit for Toronto, a city that owes much of its early growth to the many rivers that traverse the city and spill out into Lake Ontario on the shoreline of this urban metropolis.
Toronto’s six waterways include: the Humber, Rouge and Don Rivers, as well as Etobicoke, Mimico and Highland Creek. Toronto’s waterways allowed early settlers to operate saw and grist mills and brickyards. These rivers would prove to be the catalyst for the growth of many of Toronto’s neighbourhoods.
The name Toronto is thought to originate from the Mohawk word Tkaronto which translates to “where there are trees standing in water”. Toronto’s early government viewed Toronto’s protected harbour as the ideal place to defend Upper Canada during the War of 1812 and Fort York was born.
In the 1850s the railway came of age and a network of railway lines began to traverse the Toronto harbourfront. The railway provided safe passage of goods brought into the harbour by steamship from the St. Lawrence Seaway.
Toronto’s growth would likely not have happened, had it not been positioned on the shores of Lake Ontario where it could draw all the water it needed to service its steadily growing population. Today the city’s daily water demand is 1.3 billion litres, enough to fill the Rogers Centre.
The ROM’s WATER exhibit includes multimedia displays live animals and hands-on activities for kids. There will also be a series of lectures and programs on the topic of water and what it means to our ever changing and expanding world population. This series will run from March through June. Visit www.rom.on.ca for more details.

DOWNTOWN TORONTO CONDO MARKET WINTER 2011 REPORT


The condominium market of the downtown core has always been a bit of a bellwether for the overall Toronto condo market. So, let’s take a look at downtown Toronto condominium sales thus far in 2011.

In the downtown core west of Yonge Street, over 200 condos priced under $300,000 have already sold this year. Another 200 units have sold in the $300,000-$400,00 range. Prices per square foot are all over the map:

 a one-bedroom, 595 sq. ft. condo in the Bay Street corridor neighbourhood sold for $399,000, or $670 per sq.ft.
 in Liberty Village a one-bedroom-plus-den, 760 sq. ft. loft-style apartment sold for $396,000, or $519 per sq. ft.
 in the Entertainment District a 900 sq. ft. unit with a view of the CN Tower and Rogers Centre sold for $398,000, or $442 per sq. ft.

The $400,000-$600,000 price range has also been very hot with approximately 200 sales. Some examples:

 at Yonge and Bloor a 778 sq. ft. new condo sold for $591,000, or $760 per sq.ft.
 in the Niagara neighbourhood an 1,151 sq. ft. two-bedroom loft unit in a newer boutique building sold for $550,000, or $477 per sq.ft.
 in the Fort York neighbourhood a 1,216 sq. ft. two-bedroom-plus-den unit with views of Lake Ontario sold for $550,000, or $452 per sq.ft.

There were 35 sales in the $600,000-$1 million range. Here are some highlights:

 in Trinity Bellwoods a 1,773 sq. ft. hard loft two-storey unit with a large terrace sold for $687,000, or $585 per sq. ft.
 a three-bedroom unit in a boutique loft building in Little Italy sold for $685,000, or $526 sq. ft.
 in the Harbourfront neighbourhood a three-bedroom, 2,200 sq. ft. unit with a wrap-around balcony and water view sold for $900,000, or $409 per sq. ft.

Four condo units in Toronto’s Downtown West sold for over $1 million each. The highest sale price in the Harbourfront area was over $3 million – for a 5,000 sq. ft. unit that included 1,000 sq. ft. of outdoor space with a large hot tub.

In Toronto’s Downtown East neighbourhoods (east of Yonge Street) the market was also busy with 37 sales recorded under $300,000. There were a further 100 sales recorded in the $300,000-$1 million price range. A random sample of sales shows:

 a two-bedroom-plus-den 1,138 sq. ft. condo in the Downtown East neighbourhood that sold for $620,000, or $550 per sq.ft.
 a two-bedroom unit of 1,557 sq. ft. in the St. Lawrence Market neighbourhood that sold for $675,000, or $433 per sq.ft.
 in Corktown a 1,335 sq. ft. two-bedroom-plus-den hard loft in a boutique building sold for $659,000, or $493 per sq.ft.
 the highest sale in downtown Toronto east of Yonge street so far in 2011 was for a condo near Bloor Street: a 1,953 sq. ft. unit on a high floor with spectacular views and a large outdoor terrace with beautiful vistas; the oversize terrace and views account for much of the $1,759,000 – or $900 per sq. ft. – price tag

So there you have it. Condo sales are alive and well in downtown Toronto neighbourhoods. And contrary to popular sentiment, the prices per square foot are still very reasonable and affordable by international standards. As long as affordability remains at these levels the current level of activity should be sustainable.

Ingram Gallery located at 49 Avenue Road in Yorkville is hosting a show titled In The Neighbourhood that will run from February 26-March 19. This show will pay homage to the some of the great artists who once proliferated in the Yorkville and Annex neighbourhoods prior to gentrification and lofty real estate prices sent many artists packing for new frontiers in the west-end and east-end downtown neighbourhoods. Their legacy are the many fine galleries that now proliferate in Yorkville.
Tarah Aylward, Director at Ingram Gallery says the inspiration for the show came from a 6x5.5 ink on paper by O.C. Madden, circa 1922, that depicts the artist at work in his Annex studio at 310 Huron. This small rendering was the epiphany that led Tarah and her colleagues to search for other local paintings, drawings and sketches from yesteryear and to create a show. Tarah explains that these local works of art gave "new eyes to look at the neighbourhood around us".
Artists featured in this show include Albert Franck, Caven Atkins, Jack Beder, Barker Fairley, O.C. Madden, and Nicholas Hornyansky. Contemporary local work by Toronto based Sean Yelland and works by Rachel Berman are also part of the show. The iconic works of Albert Franck are particularly striking and touch a chord with those who love Toronto history. Franck's 16x12 oil on board titled Behind Major Street (1964) is pictured here.
For more information on In The Neighbourhood see the following http://www.ingramgallery.com/exhibitions/in_the_neighbourhood_2011.html

Luxury Toronto Real Estate

The luxury real estate market in Toronto is off to an excellent start so far in 2011. In the Old Toronto Midtown neighbourhoods west of Yonge Street including: Yorkville, Forest Hill and Deer Park there have been a robust 22 sales over the $1 million mark. One house in historic Yorkville sold for more than $3 million and two houses in the affluent Forest Hill neighbourhood sold for over $5 million. Just as impressive were the 21 sales in the Old Toronto Midtown neighbourhoods east of Yonge Street including: Bennington Heights, Moore Park and Rosedale. One sale in the Bennington Heights enclave and another sale in stately Rosedale surpassed the $3 million mark.
The Old Toronto North corridor was remarkably frothy with 58 houses selling for over a $1 million. The neighbourhoods west of Yonge Street including Bedford Park, Ledbury Park, Cricket Club, Allenby and Lytton Park were the most busy with 30 sales including 7 sales over $2 million and 1 sale each over $3 million in both the Cricket Club neighbourhood and Lytton Park. In the popular North Toronto neighbourhoods east of Yonge Street including: North Toronto, Lawrence Park, Davisville Village, Lawrence Park and Wanless Park there have been 21 sales in excess of $1 million. One of these sales in the exclusive Teddington Park neighbourhood surpassed the $17 million mark.
North York neighbourhoods including: the Bridle Path, Hoggs Hollow, and York Mills, were also busy with 27 sales over $1 million recorded. One sale in the Bridle Path topped the $8 million dollar mark. In the east end The Beach saw 5 houses sell for over $1 million. In East York the popular Leaside neighbourhood had 10 sales over $1 million. Noteworthy is that 6 of these sales sold for over the asking price which likely reflects the more affordable real estate here, as this is a fairly new entry in Toronto's luxury real estate market. The west end neighbourhoods north of Bloor Street along the picturesque Humber River including: Kingsway Park, Humber Valley Village, Princess Anne Manor and Gardens and Thorncrest Village had a combined 18 sales over $1 million with 3 of these selling in excess of $2 million.
The price for luxury real estate in Toronto is definitely up from 2010. This is not entirely unexpected as new home luxury builders have had to raise their prices due to the Toronto land transfer tax and then a double whammy in the HST. They have simply passed these costs on to the end user. In fairness to the builders their margins have shrunk dramatically with all these new taxes which has pushed many reputable builders to the sidelines creating a pent up demand for quality new homes. Expect prices to stabilize after this initial flurry for the balance of this year.

Skiing and Snowboarding in Toronto and Suburbs

When you think skiing in Toronto you immediately think about heading north of the city to Collingwood, or other destinations north of Barrie. However; there are also many excellent options closer to home. Right in the heart of the city; Earl Bales Park in North York and Centennial Park in Etobicoke both offer a myriad of ski and snowboard programs for all ages and levels of ability. I will admit at first it seems a bit strange staring down an icy ski hill at Earl Bales Park with residential houses and the North York condominium skyline in full view but it does provide an interesting juxtaposition and backdrop that is kind of urban cool.
Toronto's suburbs feature a topography that has been shaped by ancients glaciers and the monumental hills they left behind. These landforms known as the Oak Ridges Moraine and the Niagara Escarpment have made for some pretty picturesque ski hills. Uplands Ski Centre in Thornhill, Skyloft Resort in Uxbridge, Mount Chinguacousy in Brampton, Albion Hills Conservation Area in Caledon, Dagmar in Whitby and Glen Eden in Milton all offer affordable skiing and snowboarding options for the whole family.
These facilities all wind down operations in mid March but there is still plenty of time to hit the hills. Many of these ski centres are also operating programs during the upcoming March break, weather permitting. See you on the slopes.