For die-hard downtowners, 1,000 square feet is a reasonable amount of living space. It’s definitely enough room for a couple—and even enough to squeeze in a pet or a baby or (maybe) both.
MIMICO: 39 Thirteenth St. #ETO (pictured above)
The price: $379,000
Last sold price: $185,000 (1989)
The draw: Backing onto Colonel Samuel Smith park, this two-bedroom bungalow is on a 110-foot-long lot. If you feel like sharing the precious square footage with a tenant, there’s a separate entrance to the basement, which has roughed-in walls.
The catch: The kitchen is dated and basically needs to be ripped out. Adding a basement income unit without also building a back addition would leave the main living space at about 700 square feet.
RIVERDALE: 485 Pape Ave. #RIV
The price: $539,000
Last sold price: $375,000 (2011)
The draw: This three-bedroom, three-bathroom semi is a quick walk from busy Withrow Park. Thanks to a new reno, all of the guts (wiring, furnace) and much of the glory (dark hardwood floors, mosaic backsplash) have been updated. Awesome transit access.
The catch: It’s right on Pape, which can be loud and isn’t quite as pretty as the tree-lined inner streets nearby. The design is very safe—fashion-forward types will paint over those middling beige walls fast.
MIDTOWN: 20 Glebe Rd. W., Unit 8. #MID
The price: $319,000, maintenance fees $597
Last sold price: $152,000 (1997)
The draw: This is one of just 23 units in a lowrise a mere five-minute walk from Davisville Station (and an LCBO). High ceilings, a foyer, and a wood-burning fireplace give it the feel of a real home, not a cookie-cutter one-bedroom.
The catch: Older buildings generally offer more space than new ones do, but they also offer older styling—the carpet and outdated kitchen haven’t been touched in 15 years. There’s a communal patio, but no private outdoor access.
KING WEST: 701 King St. W., Unit 110. #KGW
The price: $339,900, maintenance fees $681
Last sold price: N/A
The draw: There are two bathrooms and new blond hardwood floors in this 1,045-square-foot space. The complex has a slew of amenities: an indoor pool, an outdoor pool in a private park out back, and plenty of fitness facilities.
The catch: All those amenities come at a cost—namely, high maintenance fees. The kitchen needs serious modernizing, and both bedrooms are carpeted.
