Loft styles in Toronto

In one of the previous articles I wrote about two different style of downtown Toronto lofts that the core offers. The first one that I wrote about was the “soft loft” and the second one was the “hard loft”. Just to reiterate the “soft loft” is a basically new construction building that features exposed concrete, high ceilings and in some cases concrete pillars. These are usually “boutique” styles lofts with a limited number of suites approx 30-60 units. The “hard loft” is an authentic conversion from an old industrial / commercial “century old” building that has been converted into residential live/work lofts. Again, in most cases these are “boutique” style buildings with a limited number of suites. These Toronto hard lofts usually feature exposed bring, wooden beams and high ceilings.

Let’s talk about a third style of downtown Toronto Lofts that uniquely brings together both hard and soft. You may be asking… how is it possible to bring the best of both worlds together? Well there are certain downtown Toronto Lofts that have an old original converted section and a new construction soft loft attached to it on the side or even in some cases built on top. When looking at this type of Toronto lofts from the outside and especially from the inside it is usually very easy to see where the old building stops and the new building begins. From the outside this is very evident if the old historical section has a glass and steel addition. Out of all the downtown Toronto lofts a very good example of this style would be the Tip Top Tailor Lofts @ 637 Lake Shore Blvd West Toronto, ON M5V 3J6.

Here is some information about this amazing downtown Toronto loft!

This 1929 Historic Art Deco landmark on the waterfront is one of the biggest and best award winning conversions. Its fantastic location offers waterfront / park living with a short stroll to trendy King West shopping and entertainment. Features like huge windows and a U-shaped structure helped bring natural light into the working areas of the factory. Thank to this smart design these lofts have bright and functional layouts. The hard loft converted section is from the 1st to 5th floor and features massive 13-14 foot ceilings with mushroom style cement pillars. The new addition from the 6th to 9th floor houses the soft lofts double level layouts and 17 foots ceilings and windows. Building amenities include fitness centre / spa, gym, Jacuzzi, lounge and huge event room with kitchen for catering.

In some “soft loft / hard loft” the developer does a good job in trying to match the new section with the original building. A good example of this downtown Toronto lofts is the Broadview Lofts @ 68 Broadview Avenue Toronto, ON M4M 3G8. Click to view the loft profile with pictures. You can see that the developer did a fantastic job with giving the new section an industrial feel. This is one of the bigger Toronto downtown lofts so the selection is usually pretty good.

Let’s touch base today and I will tell you about other Toronto downtown lofts!

Read about Toronto area & condo building amenities

The amenities are the key benefits to buying Toronto downtown condos. And for most buyers the main reason for buying a condominium in downtown is strictly location location location. Yes the price is a bit higher compared to other neighbourhoods and the space a bit smaller but the benefits you receive far outweigh the extra cost for most buyers. When buying Toronto Downtown condos the amenities are split up into two categories. One category being the amenities that the Toronto condominium building offers and the other being the amenities that the Toronto neighbourhoods offers. Let’s talk a bit about both.

Some of the Toronto downtown condos offer some spectacular amenities that are great selling features. Also, the investors out there should take note that from a rental perspective it makes sense to buy in a building that has nice amenities because tenants see this as a huge benefit. The fact that they would probably cancel their gym membership would already save them $50-$70 per month so your Toronto condo rental would stand out from other potential rentals. Some of the other building amenities that tenants usually like are; pools, Jacuzzis, party rooms etc... 

The developers of some downtown Toronto Condos are building fantastic new condominium with huge amenities that something span up to 50,000 SQFT. However, don’t worry much about the cost to maintain these huge facilities because unlike some of the older building the new ones share facilities between three and sometimes even four huge skyscrapers. In some of these Toronto downtown condos the amenities are in a separate standalone building which offers, running track, cardiovascular room, juice bar, lounge area, library, bowling, basketball court, squash courts, tennis court, full size pool, full gym facilities with great equipment, outdoor patio and more. Truly spectacular!

Downtown Toronto condos offer fantastic area amenities that are hard to beat! One of the greatest benefits to living in the Toronto downtown core is most definitely the Toronto Path System that runs under the core. The Toronto Path system basically links many commercial skyscraper, hotels, area attraction, mall and shopping centres, subway and last but not least some residential condominiums. There are a limited number of Toronto condominiums that have direct Path access but there are plenty of condos that are steps away from it. Toronto downtown core residents would use this Path system most often in the winter months due to the fact that we don’t live in Florida!:) Also, the core residents will be pleased to know that the PATH system is being added onto so it’s always a work in progress.     

The Toronto Path system map can be found by clicking on this link: http://www.toronto.ca/path/.

Different buyers look for different area amenities that their Toronto neighbourhood offers. For some the big gyms and pools are not important… And some would not want to live smack-dab in the downtown core… The choice is yours and lucky Toronto has a perfect neighbourhood to suite your needs. Let’s start the search today!

Toronto's old condo vs new; the solarium / den standoff

You may be renting in a certain building now and might absolutely love it… or perhaps you own something already and want to update… There are plenty of condos for sale in Toronto! Which one is right for you?  Let’s go over a few key criteria that you should consider when searching for condos for sale in Toronto.

Many buyers these days are searching for one bedroom plus den or two bedroom plus den options. The key word here is den… searching for condos for sale in Toronto with dens is becoming a must criteria for buyers that require a separate office / computer area. As more companies are letting employees work from home the need for condos for sale in Toronto with dens is obviously increasing. Also, let’s not forget about the countless business owners out there that require a separate home office. So you may be asking where I’m going with this… well in most layouts the den is located at the very back of the suite which if you can imagine does not make a very good full day working environment for most people.

The condos for sale in Toronto that are located in older building are coming to the rescue and solving a modern day issue that new condominium construction planning has created. The answer is pure and simple! They are called solariums:)! When searching for condos for sale in Toronto you may want to consider a smarter layout which has a solarium at the front of the suite instead of the den at the back near the entrance door. This layout is superior in many different way if you spend allot of time at the computer and or need a separate office area. First and foremost you’re in a naturally bright part of the suite, secondly you have a window for fresh air and finally you would probably feel less claustrophobic and more alert and productive.

Definitely one downside to buying condos for sale in Toronto with solariums, if you do plan to use them as an office you must be very neat and tidy. Since the solariums are typically connected to the main living room with a simple sliding glass door… so you would see everything that’s inside the solarium. You could potentially put up some sort of blinds on the sliding glass door but you would in turn restrict the amount of natural light passing into the living area OR in some layouts the bedroom. As with everything in this world there are certain advantages to buying condos for sale in Toronto with solariums and some disadvantages.

Your budget will determine what options we will find that best match your needs. Obviously in a perfect world if you need a home office and can afford a two bedroom suite then you can truly have the best of all the features we talked about. If you are looking to buy condos for sale in Toronto that are three bedrooms layouts then unfortunately the selection is considerably more limited. This 3 bedroom criteria is a bit harder but not impossible. I can help you locate condos for sale in Toronto that match your needs and wants.

Unravel downtown Toronto's neighbourhoods

Condos downtown Toronto cannot hide from us anymore!:) Just this year the Toronto MLS system had a huge overhaul of the neighbourhood searching criteria and now we are finally on the right path to getting the huge Toronto condo selection organized. The system is not perfect but at least it’s somewhat helps to narrow down certain areas of the Toronto downtown core. I find that these new neighbourhood searches are extremely helpful for all my clients looking for a house so I would give it two thumbs up. 

Condos downtown Toronto are primarily split up into two different districts called C01 and C08. The C08 district encompasses a huge area from Don Valley Parkway to Yonge Street and Bloor Street East to Lake. The C01 district encompasses an area from Yonge Street to the GO train tracks along the West part of the DT core and Bloor Street West to Lake. The issue before was that if you want to find condos downtown Toronto option in a particular neighbourhood then this would be very challenging indeed considering that these two districts contain many different neighbourhoods with different Toronto vibes, price and styles. Luckily we have something better now! Let’s go over the new Toronto MLS system neighbourhoods.    

Like I said before these “new” Toronto neighbourhoods are not perfect! The main issue lies in the fact that the new neighbourhoods that they created within the Toronto downtown districts C01 and C08 would also encompass multiple neighbourhoods that are different vibes, different prices and in some cases would include completely different part of town. A good example of neighbourhood that encompasses a huge area is called Church-Yonge Corridor which runs from Yonge Street to Jarvis Street and Bloor Street East to Front Street East. Obviously as you can imagine the selection of Toronto condominium suites is very impressive here and finding the right one really depends on the style of condos downtown Toronto you want to live in and proximity to Yonge Street or Bloor Street.

This “new” neighbourhood encompasses a bit of everything… including the St Lawrence Market, King East, Queen East, Ryerson and Gay Village just to name a few. The condos downtown Toronto that you will find here ranges greatly from price, size, style etc… You can find everything like unique Toronto loft conversions like the St Lawrence Market Lofts @ 81A Front Street East Toronto. Click the link to view more information about this loft and to view pictures. Another unique Toronto lofts that this neighbourhood has is called the Boiler Factory Lofts @ 189 Queen Street East Toronto. Click the link to view more information about this loft conversion and pictures.

If you’re looking for condos downtown Toronto that give you a nice bang for the buck… This neighbourhood has what you’re looking for! There are certain condominium complexes on Jarvis Street | Wellesley Street East | Gerrard Street East | Maitland Street and others that offer some amazing deal!

Let’s connect today if you would like to know about these or any other Toronto Condos and Lofts. 

Toronto's hard & soft loft info

We as Torontonians have a great selection of lofts for sale Toronto. For the right price you can truly get everything you ever desired and dreamt about.

Whether you’re looking for a hard or soft loft… there are plenty of options to the east, west, north and south. Some of the lofts for sale Toronto are hidden away on small residential street so you would probably never know that they are there unless you live nearby. This in my opinion makes loft ownership so unique and special. I have nothing against “generic condos” but I do think that owing something unique and limited is special because no one in the city has exactly the same loft like yours.

Since the “hard “ lofts for sale Toronto were originally warehouses and factories you can imagine that they feature some dramatic characteristics. The hard lofts for sale in Toronto generally feature two different original construction methods that both give off a different feel. The first building style was the brick and beam construction which offers a cosier feel. The original bricks give off character with different colours together that create kind of a mosaic effect. The second style was built with concrete so with the right layout this creates an impressive dramatic effect since in most cases the ceiling height is close to twenty feet.

Here is some information about raw lofts for sale Toronto. Often times when a client of mine is interested in finding a raw loft space they say “Roman find me a raw loft space without any finishes so I can design / finish it off myself”. This all sounds good but there is a common misconception that a raw condo loft space exist and that they are cheaper since no finishes are installed. Well the reality is that when a developer buys an old commercial / industrial building and applies to rezone it into residential condos they would incur many costs in doing so. They would need to install independent electricity in every loft, they would need to install new energy efficient windows, they would need to redo all the plumbing in the building, create layouts for the suites to match up with the plumbing for the kitchens and washrooms, install sound insulation / fire proof the entire building… the list goes on and on… The cost is enormous so the developer must sell the loft suites for a cost that includes a premium for the finishes like kitchen / tiles / washroom etc… Otherwise this project wouldn’t make any sense for the developer to take on.

I’m sure that if you catch the redevelopment early enough in the process you may be able to negotiate an “empty loft” but in my opinion the price between empty and fully finished would be almost identical. The developers for lofts for sale Toronto buy all the finishes / fixtures in bulk so this proposition would not save them much.

Whether you’re looking for lofts for sale Toronto in brick and beam or concrete pillar you really can’t go wrong with either one. If you need more information about the two let connect today!

Luxury lives in Toronto

New condos in Toronto are being built quicker than ever and are changing the city skyline daily. If you look east, west, north and south you probably won’t see an exposure that’s doesn’t include at least one crane. The demand for new condos in Toronto has remained strong even in the current economic situation so this shows that Canadians and foreign investors are “condo happy”. Most buyers weather local or foreign see new condos in Toronto as a relativity safe and stable investment so the demand remains constant. Developers see the numbers and are happy to keep pumping out the “goods” at incredible speed and efficiency!

Toronto is a world class city and some new condos in Toronto are being built in a fashion that supports this fact. Some incredibly luxurious new condos in Toronto are scratching our skyline now, and you can be the lucky one to own one of these estates in the sky. How would you like to live in the Yorkville Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences? Well a foreign buyer was looking for luxurious new condos in Toronto and bought a 55th floor estate for a cool $28-million, the most expensive penthouse in Canadian history. At the end of the day you may be thinking that this is a bit excessive… but like the saying goes, you get what you pay for. This luxurious estate features panoramic views of the city skyline through 12-foot floor-to-ceiling windows and 9,038 square feet of living space. All this for an incredible $3,100 per square foot!

Another one of the incredible luxurious new condos in Toronto is the Shangri-La Hotel and Residences. It’s currently under construction and is located at the corner of University Avenue and Adelaide Street West just west of the financial district. It will be one of the top ten tallest buildings in Toronto and feature the finest luxurious finishes and amenities. Obviously with a building this size you can expect to have some tremendous exposures! The Shangri-La is a well known hotel brand that has multiple locations around the world. This particular project is being built by Westbank Projects Corp. which was also the builder for the Vancouver Shangri-La. Private estate start from almost $3-million and residences from $1-million.

These are just a couple luxurious new condos in Toronto that we can look forward to be completed in the near future. The possibilities for future luxurious development are endless so long as the demand is there for them. In general when comparing Toronto new condo prices to other world class cities you would see that we have a long way to go before we reach the prices that buyers can expect to pay elsewhere. Properties in more expensive markets such as Hong Kong, New York or Paris are far more pricy compared to Toronto. Toronto is extremely multi-cultural city and we have foreigners buying luxury estates at over $3,000 per square foot. This might seem excessive to us but not to them. So what is the future of luxury new condos in Toronto?

about King West | the quiet & the loud

King West in one of Toronto’s most vibrant and popular street from many different reasons. It offers the condo seeker many different atmospheres that you wouldn’t usually find together in one neighbourhood. Toronto’s downtown core in general is known for its “fine lines” when it comes down to neighbourhoods… a good example is when you see a huge neighbourhood change simply by looking east and west of a certain street. So on one side you have eclectic shops, trendy restaurant and unique fashion stores and on the other side rundown commercial storefronts and a high concentration of homeless people. The King West neighbourhood is nothing like this but it does offer fine lines from a different perspective.

I find that King West offers a nice combination of high energy entertainment such as lounges, clubs & bars but at the same time some very quiet sections that are a perfect getaway from the business. A perfect King West example is if you look at King west of Spadina to Bathurst Street. This is definitely a high energy pocket of King West. You can find anything and everything in this high energy / high traffic pocket of King West. If you looking for world class food… it can be found here. If you’re looking for some of the most popular clubs in the city… they can be found here… If you’re shopping for clothing… it can be found here. And the list goes on and on…

This pocket of King West also has a good selection of contemporary condos and lofts. Some are newer then others but they are all very popular and are hard to come by because the demand in this area is huge. Also, since the demand in this King West strip is high the prices per square foot is also on the high end… especially if you’re looking at contemporary condos and lofts. Be prepared to pay a bit more to live in these styles of Toronto condos. The other Toronto neighbourhoods are not any different then King West when it comes down to paying a premium for Toronto condos in unique contemporary building / boutique condos / soft lofts / hard lofts.

Now let me tell about the King West pocket of the street that’s definitely quieter. Looking further west on King Street is strip starts around Tecumseth Street and goes to Sudbury Street. This section of King Street West is filled with a fantastic section of low rise contemporary condos and lofts that are also among the most popular Toronto condos and Toronto Lofts. Also, I highly recommend this neighbourhood for anyone looking for Toronto townhouses. The selection for townhouses is equally amazing. Some of the popular condos and lofts in this pocket of King West include; Electra Lofts 1029 King Street West, Electra Lofts 954 King Street West, DNA condos & DNA lofts 1005 King Street West & 1 Shaw Street, Massey Harris Lofts 915 King Street West, West 833 Lofts 833 King Street West and many more.

Toronto condo market over the last decade infomation

The Toronto Condo Market has really changed the landscape of the city over the last decade. I’ve been selling in the Toronto Condo Market for nearly a decade now and the change is astounding to say the least. The truth is that the Toronto Condo Market is actually very new compared to other metropolitan cities across North America. Most of the Toronto downtown core has been built in the last decade so there really are not many old condominiums around the core. In fact the Toronto Condo Market is so new that you can practically count the number of old (15+ years) condominiums on your fingers.

It’s actually not very surprising that the Toronto Condo Market has exploded in the last decade. With 8% of the Canadian population calling Toronto home and an estimated 30% of all recent immigrants settling down here in the GTA. This is the reason why the Toronto Condo Market has sprung up and developers around the GTA are buildings condos and houses at an astonishing rate. I’m always shocked when looking at the Toronto skyline from 15-20 years ago. The tall residential glass and steel condominiums are almost nowhere to be found. The Toronto Condo Market has changed all this very quickly and efficiently. Out of curiosity take a look at this google links for some old Toronto pictures.

Some of the older Toronto condos are The Harbour Square complex located on the South East corner of York Street and Queens Quay. The addresses there are 33 Harbour Square, 77 Harbour Square, 99 Harbour Square, 65 Harbour Square and 1 York Quay. The unique advantage that this complex has compared to the rest of the Toronto Condo Market is that it’s located on the South side of Queens Quay. Almost all other newer Toronto condominiums are located on the North side. The South side of Queens Quay is mostly federal land it’s primarily designated for parks, tourist attractions and activities. The Toronto Condos Market on the Queens Quay West of Yonge Street has almost all been redeveloped with residential condos. There are only one or two lots that can still be developed and they are on the North side. If you’re in the market for a spacious Southern exposure suite near the lake… I would highly recommend the Harbour Square complex. The Toronto Condo Market demands a premium to be paid for these Southern exposure suites so if you see one with a balcony… run don’t walk… It’s usually sells very fast.

The Toronto Condo Market is now full of fantastic options that you couldn’t find a decade ago. Some developers like Adex Concord CityPlace have been fortunate enough to purchase massive pieces of land in the heart of the Toronto downtown core. They were in the right place at the right time so the price they paid for a golf course that was West of Spadina Avenue, South of Front Street West, East of Bathurst and North of the Gardiner was a steal. Concord CityPlace has really changed the Toronto condo skyline over the last decade and now has approximately 20 massive condominiums near this location. They truly have changed the Toronto Condo Market.