June 14, 2017 | Real Estate Musings

It’s a common query for everyone: How do I find the best place to live in Toronto? It is so much is packed into this seemingly simple question. But we all know there is a lot of thought that goes into how to decide where to live in Toronto.

Here are my 8 key points to help you find the best place to live in Toronto:

  1. Proximity to work – If it takes too long to get to work do you really want to live there?
  2. Quality of schools – Are the local schools appropriate for your children or future children? (better to pay more for a good home in a quality neighbourhood than to shell out the big bucks for private schools that are a 45 min drive from where you live.
  3. Transportation – Work, play and ease of traffic in your immediate area are all affected by the quality of transportation. You want options.
  4. Socioeconomics/Demographics – Do you feel comfortable and familiar with your neighbours? Are they at a similar life stage as you?
  5. Crime – No explanation needed here.
  6. Shopping – Local shopping saves a great deal of hassle. So ask yourself if you want the ease of walking down the street to pick up your staples and accessories.
  7. Restaurants & Cafes – Great places for inspiration and community.
  8. Parks – Despite Toronto being situated on one of the Great Lakes we don’t often utilize it. We end up valuing parks in Toronto. There are many excellent parks to play in with the kids or kick back and read a book. Tapping into nature is a wonderful thing that you cannot put a price tag on!

After considering all of the above the next thing to do is ask yourself: Can I afford to buy in this neighbourhood or would it be better for me to rent? Depending on your finances, lifestyle desires etc it may make more sense to rent. Yes, this bucks the trend of the western world’s social norms but it is worth serious consideration.

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