Do you ever walk through your home only to find yourself thinking, “Gosh, this place feels cramped?” Or perhaps you wish you had a larger backyard to lounge in during the much-too-short warm season. Or maybe, you’ve been fortunate enough to earn a promotion and can afford to elevate your style of living. If any of these things ring true, the time may have come to consider an upgrade. 

The nice thing about living in Midtown Toronto is that you don’t have to venture far from the neighbourhood you love to get more space. The vast and diverse housing market provides many opportunities to buy a newer, bigger, or more luxurious home. Let’s take a look at what you can expect when you’re moving up in Midtown.

Types of Houses in Your Toronto Neighbourhood

Stroll through any of the quiet, tree-lined streets in any midtown neighbourhood, and you’ll primarily encounter detached single-family houses. You’ll find everything from gorgeous, meticulously-maintained heritage homes to custom, one-of-a-kind new builds. Breathtaking Victorian, Tudor, and Colonial structures abound, perfect for the family that needs plenty of space or loves to entertain.

Just think of the large driveways and luscious backyards full of greenery where you can relax and the kids can safely run and play! Midtown may be home to many of the most luxurious residences in the city, but you can also find modest options. Small bungalows and semi-detached houses are also available, allowing those with lower budgets to secure their neighbourhood of choice!

Condos are more plentiful in the downtown core, but opportunities do arise in Midtown from time to time. Your real estate agent can help you keep an eye out for the perfect listing.

Want to know more about the real estate opportunities in Midtown? The following posts are a great place to begin your research:

Fixer-Upper or Turnkey: What’s the Best Choice for You?

For most people, a move-in ready home is the gold standard, where there’s nothing to do except argue over what goes where and who gets first dibs on the room with the biggest window. Those rare opportunities do exist, but they often come at a higher price. However, a turnkey home is often well worth the extra investment if you don’t have the time or skill to make extensive renovations.

Other buyers love the idea of a fixer-upper they can gut and rebuild to their specifications. If you have a background in construction or are exceptionally handy, this could be a way to save money while creating your customized dream home. However, you’ll need to perform thorough research and budget carefully before deciding on this route. 

A cosmetically imperfect property can be a fantastic investment. But without due diligence, you could also find yourself spending more on repairs and renovations than if you had bought a turnkey home in the first place. 

A local real estate agent can help you run the numbers to ensure you have an accurate estimate of how much it will cost to transform your fixer-upper into your perfect dream home.

Ready to start searching for the right house? Here’s how we can help!

What Amenities Are You Looking For?

Much of what makes up the “perfect” home has nothing to do with the house itself! Instead, it’s all about what’s nearby in the neighbourhood. Perhaps there’s an incredible playground and splash pad just up the street where you can spend hours laughing with your little ones. 

Maybe access to fantastic shopping and dining options is your primary concern. If you commute, you may want to be close to transit or the highways. 

Everyone has different priorities, which is why the search for your new home nearly always means spending a lot of time talking about amenities.

When buying in Midtown, that conversation becomes a whole lot easier – because Midtown has everything! 

Many neighbourhoods run along the Bloor – Yonge subway line, giving you easy access to public transit. From there, you can get anywhere else in the city. Not that you have to go far to find anything you need. If you’re looking to escape into nature, Midtown offers some of the best parks in Toronto, including:

  • Eglinton Park
  • Oriole Park
  • Blythwood Ravine

The shopping districts in Midtown include the Holt Renfrew Centre, Bay St Shopping Mall, Yorkville Village, and more, where you’ll find everything from upscale boutiques to affordable clearance outlets. And the dining options rival anything in downtown Toronto, minus the crowds and long wait times!

Want to know more about the beautiful neighbourhoods that make up Midtown Toronto? Check out our community guides right here.

Tips for Finding the Right House in Any Market

Is it time for you to move up in Midtown? Your first step is to determine what type of house you’re looking for and make a list of your needs and wants. This list will come in handy when narrowing down your choices. Next, you’ll want to visit your lender to get pre-approved for a mortgage. This allows you to act quickly when you find a home you love, and can help you stand out in competitive situations. 

Before viewing potential homes, it also pays to research the current market so you know what you’re up against in terms of competition. For example:

  • If it’s a buyer’s market, you’re in luck! Plenty of listings are available, and few people are searching for them. Sellers may be open to conditional offers and negotiation.
  • Is it a seller’s market? You may have your work cut out for you. There are a lot of other buyers you may be competing with, and suitable listings can be scarce.

Whatever the market is doing, your next step is to choose a local Realtor® who can guide you through everything, from uncovering hard-to-find listings to negotiating the best possible terms. Together, you’ll find yourself upgrading to a larger home and elevated lifestyle before you know it.

Are you curious about what homes are available in Midtown Toronto today? We live, breathe, and sleep this area and would love to chat more about all it has to offer. Send us an email today or call (416) 485-7575 for more information or to start your home search.