East York, Toronto Homes
Almost 100 years old, East York is one of Toronto’s older and more colourful neighbourhoods. The area, extending north from Danforth Avenue to Cosburn Avenue and east from Broadview Avenue to Victoria Park is great for first-time home buyers and younger families looking for a place that will provide excellent services, access to some of the city’s best restaurants, markets and events as well as a sense of community.
In recent years East York has been undergoing a renaissance of sorts. New home owners are renovating (and in many cases “topping”) their signature WWII-era “East York” bungalows. Some of the area’s less “iconic” houses are being replaced with modern, architecturally interesting new single-family dwellings. On tree-lined streets, newer, more modern houses now sit next to many older, well-kept homes, creating a very interesting streetscape. Residents find the area provides an “away from the city” feel with its carefully tended gardens, a wide variety of older trees, a “small town” sense of community and easy access to literally hundreds of acres of parkland, trails and recreational facilities. Now consider the fact that the Bloor/Danforth subway line is, for the majority of the people living in the area, within walking distance from their homes and you’ve got a neighbourhood that will give you that elusive perfect work/life balance.
East York real estate is still considered to be some of the most affordable in the city. For the most part, the areas’ older long term residents went to great lengths to care for their homes and gardens. Now that their owners are downsizing or moving on, these older homes are coming into the market at a fast pace and are in high demand, often selling within days of being listed. In this era of “home staging” it is important to remember that many East York homes are “diamonds in the rough”. Savvy buyers look past dated interior décor. Carpeting, old paint and faded wall paper should not be obstacles to giving a home your serious consideration. Many new East York residents have found that with just some minor interior structural work – they’ve created a more open, lighter and more functional interior space.
There is no end of things to do in East York. Restaurants, cafes, locally owned shops and bars are moving eastward along the Danforth creating an even more interesting and eclectic main street and shopping district. Older locally owned businesses like the Sunset Grill and The Bus Terminal Family Grill, perennial favourite sports bar and family restaurant – “Jawny Bakers” and newer, trendier destinations like “Relish” and “Nutralicious Kitchen” combine to provide the perfect combination of “friendly” and “new” that also reflects the style and feel of the entire area.
East York homes are interesting and affordable. The area is eclectic, interesting and fun. There is plenty of new inventory coming into the market this summer. So if you’re looking for your first home or you need a bit more space now is a great time to head east in search of your ideal East York home. As a long-time resident of East York I am looking forward to showing you my neighbourhood and to helping you to find your place in it.














