A detached house in Etobicoke ($750K)

A detached one-storey house (bungalow) in Toronto (Etobicoke district).

Location
Address: 181 Royalavon Cres, Toronto, Ontario.
Main intersection: Kipling / Burnhamthorpe, Toronto, Ontario.
MLS district - W08.


Price
$749,000.

Area
about 1000-1200 square feet (100-120 square meters).
Plus the basement of the same measure

The age of the house is
about 50 years old.
But, frankly speaking, you won't tell by it.
It looks a spry man.

Type of real estate
A detached house with finished basement (with a separate entrance).
Single car garage.

The size of the lot
50 x 150 feet (15 х 45 meters).

Kitchen and household appliances
Everything's new, stainless steel, combined into kitchen furniture.
Counter tops of granite
Central air-conditioner.


The main rooms
In spite of the age, everything is designed sensibly.
All looks quite spacious.
It's seen that recently (in 2006) certain alterations and renovations have taken place.
Gas fireplace.
There is parquet on the first floor.
High ceillings and windows in the roof (even in the toilets) impress greatly.
It looks super.
It's just the thing for those who suffer from claustrophobia.


Bedrooms
2 bedrooms on the first floor, and two more in the basement.


Basement
A finished basement with a separate entrance without any strange smells.
Average lightness, but in general, it's suitable for living.
A separate entrance from Burnhamthorpe, so you can subrent it or use the house for two families.

Driveway
The house is in the corner of Burnhamthorpe и Royalavon St., so it has two driveways - one from both entrances. The only garage, though, more than that for one car, and more than that a kind of ancient and decrepit.
Each driveway would accommodate 2 cars.

Backyard
The backyard is average in its size, but very cosy.
It's seen nothing from the street, encloused by thick bushes.
There's a pool with a fountain-falls (naturally, electric) in the backyard. It looks beautiful, impresses greatly.

The walls of the pool are concrete, not plastic. Built in 2002.
The agent asserts that you can leave the water in for winter season, as concrete is durable, It won't be broken. I would have argued to this, but didn't do that. It's better to pour the water out for winter season, it'll be much more healthful. So be ready for addituonal costs. Besides, the insurance for a house with a pool is a bit higher, as a pool, you know, water and nature, there's no fence, children running, and two metre depth ...

District
The area is good, without any doubt.
The most of newcomers can't afford to buy a lodging here, but the district is not at all bad.... So, Etobicoke is regarded here as quite a pleasant district (of course, excepting such monsters as Forest Hill or Post Road).

Schools
The nearest schools - Islington JMS (a 10-15 minutes walk) и Etobicoke CI (somewhat farther).

Parks
Quite near - Islington Golf Club, Thomson Riley Park и Echo Valley Park (farther north to the districts of other parks).

Shops
It seems there are no large supermaekets within the distance of a short walk, but there are small shops in Dundas (a 15 minutes walk),and within the distance of 10 - 15 minutes ride - No Frills, and Costco, and many others.

Transport
Subway Kipling - within the distance of 15 - 20 minutes walk.
Or two minutes to the bus station, and the bus will bring you to the subway.
It's probably one of the main reasons of popularity of this district.
It will take you 3 minutes of ride to reach the highway (427), and from 427 - 5 minutes to 401, and to QEW.

Property tax
$3500 in 2008th.
Impressively low.
The agent explains that it's an old bungalow, aged to the times of baby-boom, and the municipal government has kept low taxes,haven't let them rise since long ago.
Maybe out of respect for the people living here who aren't to blame that their houses cost more than a million.

Pros
The district is old, comfortable and well settled.
Sky lights windows in the ceiling look very nice.
The pool and the falls are not at all bad.
The subway is at arm's length.

Cons
The price is a bit high, but no one is to blame that for lower price you can find either something sensless or in Newmarket.
The windows look out a street with intensive traffic (it's very dangerous to let the children out).

General thoughts
The house is in good state and seems to be quite pleasant.
The subway and the highway (427) are quite near.
The price seems to be a bit high, but to my mind, it'll be going down.
My rating of the house is - 8 out of 10.


Technical details
Living room: 4.32 m x 5.04 m
Dining room: 4.32 m x 5.04 m
Kitchen: 4 m x 3.17 m
Family room: 4.01 m x 5.76 m
Master bedroom: 3.33 m x 3.60 m
Bedroom 2: 3.38 m x 3.65 m
Room in the basement: 5.60 m x 3.60 m
Bedroom 3 in the basement: 5.58 m x 3.90 m
Bedroom 4 in the basement: 3.20 m x 3.10 m

Detached house for sale in Sharon / East Gwillimbury ($740K)

Detached bungalow in Sharon, East Gwillimbury.

Location
Address: 65 David Wilson Trail, Sharon, Ontario.
Main intersection - Leslie / Green Lane, East Gwillimbury, Ontario.
MLS area - N15.


Price
$739,000.
The price has recently been reduced for $40,000 (the previous price - $779,000).

Footage
Near 2500 sq.ft (250 sq.m)


The House Age
Built in 1996, so now it's near 12 years old.

Property Type
A detached one-storey house (bungalow) plus started but not completely finished basement. Three cars garage.

Lot Size
98 x 233 feet (29 х 70 metres).


Kitchen and Appliances
Marble counter tops (renewed in 2007).

Spacious, bright and very clean.

All the appliances in very good condition.
Although you can see they are not new.

There are central air conditioner (CAC) and central vacuum.


Main Rooms
There are enough rooms and it looks that's enough for everyone.

Some rooms have strange green carpet.

Some other have hardwood floor, in very good shape, no even any scratch.

The house includes eight rooms including three bedrooms.


Bedrooms
3 bedrooms.

There are 3 washrooms - per each bedroom.


Basement
The basement is big and potentially nice, like the house itself.
The floor is just painted, and all the walls are covered by drywall (I guess some insulation stuff is hidden under it) - that's pretty much it.
But there is really enough space.
Not much light though.

Driveway
Driveway is professionally landscaped.
Can accomodate 6 or even 9 cars.
I also must say that everything in the house shows some expanse so no compromises in any rooms or even any detail.

Backyard
Backyard faces absolutely open space,
it looks like a farmer's field at the backyard.
We can guess such situation can be for a long time (or even forever) but the selling agent gave a tip to contact municipality and confirm plans about this area development.

To be honest we have to note the civilization is far far away so we can assume no builders will be here for a nearest (or even not only the nearest) future.

Area
The area is very nice and it looks the neighbours are doctors, lawyers, business owners, i.e. not newcomers and first time buyers.

There are no 300K houses in the neighborhood so paying this price you can be sure your neighbours are at the same level as you.


Schools
There is a school within ten minutes of walking.


Parks
Rogers Reservoir Conservation Area is in 15 minutes of walking.


Shopping
A few small convenience stores can be found in the area but more serious grocery stores are in Newmarket which is in 10-15 minutes of driving.

Public Transit
It's almost unbelievable but there is a line of YRT (York Region Transit) buses here. But for sure in such remote areas our own car is the primary way of commuting. 5 minutes of driving - East Gwillimbury Go Station where you can start you trip to Toronto downtown (approximately one hour of train trip).

Property Tax
$6245 in 2008.

Pros
Really nice and beautiful house,
very pleasant neighborhood.


Cons
Price.
No sewer system (there is a ceptic).


Resume
The house is very nice if you are ok with the price.

Far away from city's noise,
right on fresh air,
with all the advantages of modern life (all amenities are within 15 minutes of driving).

The owner is a lady 80+ years old so all the walls/floors/appliances are in just perfect condition.
Overall the price looks reasonable.
My personal opinion - 8 out of 10.


Technical Details
Living room: 4.90 m x 4.13 m
Dining room: 4.49 m x 3.42 m

Family room: 5.28 m x 4.27 m

Kitchen: 4.32 m x 3.91 m
Eating area: 2.30 m x 3.91 m

Master bedroom: 4.03 m x 6.12 m
Bedroom 2: 4.08 m x 3.35 m

Bedroom 3: 4.34 m x 3.35 m