Toronto ideas to buy

Looking for houses for sale in Toronto?

The Toronto real estate market offers a great variety of residential property – family homes in the suburbs, modern condos in downtown, and even fixer-uppers for more investment-oriented buyers.

To ensure that you have access to all active MLS listings, HomeSmile synchronizes with MLS every 20 minutes. We are working hard to make sure you are the first to see new MLS updates. If you’re interested in older offerings, HomeSmile has functionality to get information about sold listings and expired listings.

However, before setting your mind on a particular house, townhouse, or condo for sale in Toronto or opting for a neighbouring city – Brampton, Ajax, Burlington, Mississauga – you need to consider various factors, including actual deal prices, available on HomeSmile.

We provide you with comprehensive MLS sold history to ensure that you will make a grounded decision for one of the most important life events - buying a new home!

Toronto City Guide

On the northern shore of Lake Ontario lies the financial and cultural capital of Canada – the vibrant Toronto. Home to multiple cultures, Toronto is the largest city in Canada with its 2.9 million inhabitants. The number goes even up to 6 million if we take into account the Greater Toronto Area.

You can feel the city welcoming diversity just by looking at some of the ethnic neighbourhood names – Chinatown, Greektown, Little Italy, or Little Portugal. The eclectic diversity also manifests in the unique mix of architecture, including 19th-century Georgian buildings, luxury mansions, and 21st-century skyscrapers.

Demographics

The city’s diversity welcomes people of different origins – Chinese, English, German, Portuguese, Filipino, and many others. More than a half of the population (51.2%) are immigrants (born outside Canada).

The diversity in Toronto’s demographics is also evident in the 2011 National Household Survey. It showed that 54.1% of people registered in the census consider themselves Christians, and 24.1% – irreligious. Among other religions present in Toronto are Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, and Sikhism.

Neighbourhoods & Districts

Old Toronto refers to the central business part downtown and more suburban historical surroundings, where you can enjoy a more relaxed and laid-back life. The district can be separated into four parts, each with its own character: Downtown Core (Central or South), West End, East End, and North End.

East York includes two residential areas, namely Old East York and Suburban East York. Its convenient location – just near Old Toronto’s downtown – and affordable housing attracts young families to the district. You’ll find elementary, junior, and senior schools in the neighbourhood. as well as various recreational facilities – baseball diamonds, tennis courts, outdoor ice rinks, and sports fields.

Etobicoke has a lower population density due to industrial development and extensive expressways. The district is divided into Lakeshore, Central Etobicoke, and North Etobicoke. Tudor and Gregorian are the most popular architecture styles in the suburbs; however, you’ll find high-density apartment complexes in the central part. Etobicoke is home to the most beautiful public gardens, golf courses and lakeshore recreational centres.

North York is the centre of corporate areas, filled with office buildings and malls. It is on a fancier side thanks to an abundance of museums and a former military base turned into a huge park with sports facilities. The variety of public transportation – buses, subways, and railways – makes North York the busiest part of Toronto. Yonge Street divides the district into an east and a west section.

Scarborough is the greener part of Toronto, thanks to its rural lands and multiple farms. Once a destination points for many immigrants, it is now one of the most multi-cultural and multi-religious districts in the GTA. Waterfront neighbourhoods and rustic cul-de-sacs are well-connected by roads and highways, although you may feel the district is not as densely populated as others.

York is known for its small one- or two-storey detached houses and broad cultural diversity, resulting in many ethnic neighbourhoods. You’ll feel at home thanks to winding streets, little local shops and restaurants. It’s famous for its hilly area of Silverthorn where you will find steep streets and staircases similar to San Francisco.

Infrastructure

Toronto is a part of the Toronto Public Health division and houses over 20 public and specialized hospitals and health-focused non-profit organizations.

Toronto also offers a great variety of public transport, including subways, buses, and streetcars and provides accessible ways of commuting for everyone.

As well, ten airports, a railway hub, and an intercity bus terminal help people reach their destinations across the whole Greater Toronto Area.

Education

Four school boards provide elementary and secondary education in the Greater Toronto Area: The Conseil scolaire Viamonde (public-secular; first language – French) The Toronto District School Board (public-secular; first language – English) Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir (public-separate; first language – French) The Toronto Catholic District School Board (public-separate; first language – English)

The GTA also accounts for a number of private schools, including both non-denominational and faith-based institutions. There are also five public and two private universities, four public and five faith-based colleges, several supplementary schools and seminaries.

Landmarks & Entertainment

Toronto offers many indoor and outdoor activities for all ages, including art galleries, sports and recreation centers, parks, markets, malls, bars, and restaurants.

The world-famous Niagara Falls is just 90 minutes south, so you can enjoy the majestic waterfall every so often. Other landmarks include the CN Tower, the Royal Ontario Museum, Roy Thomson Hall, the Hockey Hall of Fame, and the famous Casa Loma mansion.

Toronto Real Estate Board

Toronto Real Estate Board, currently known as Toronto Regional Estate Board, is an organization of real estate agents across the Greater Toronto Area. The organization was founded in 1920 and now has over 56,000 members.

In 1944, the Multiple Listing Service was created to facilitate the interaction between real estate brokers and clients. MLS listings also help to accumulate and share information and appraise houses in Toronto.

FAQ

How do I find real estate in Toronto?

HomeSmile has all the information you need to find a vacant home for purchase. You can use filters and the map to locate the options that fit your needs. The HomeSmile website makes sure all the data and prices are up-to-date.

Is Toronto a good place to live in?

Toronto is one of the top two places to live in the world, as stated by The Economist. The ranking system took into account such factors as digital and health security, infrastructure, and personal safety. It is a very diverse city with both rural and urban areas and multi-cultural heritage.

Is Toronto expensive to live in?

When moving to Toronto, you have to be aware that it is not a cheap city. Of course, the cost of living depends on the neighbourhood and the size of your family. The average monthly cost (without rent) for a family of four is around 4,500 CAD, and for a one-person household, it is estimated at 1,250 CAD.

How much does it cost to buy a house in Toronto?

Please check actual prices for Toronto real estate on our map-centric search tool. You should also add the property tax of 0.66% per year, as well as Land Transfer Tax (LTT) that varies from 0.5% to 2.5%, depending on the purchase price.