It was controversial and cost-ineffective to build, but the TTC’s 512 right-of-way now makes St. Clair West a more attractive neighbourhood to transit users. Here, some homes within walking distance of a streetcar stop.
DAVENPORT: 74 Brandon Ave. (pictured above)
The price: $399,900. Last sold for $126,000 (1998).
The draw: Pale pastels coat the walls of this four-bedroom semi, located halfway between St. Clair and Bloor. There are hardwood floors on the main level and in the finished basement, and cute built-in diner seats in the kitchen.
The catch: It’s not even 13 feet wide. The carpet upstairs is a bit fusty, and one bedroom is just 78 square feet. There’s no parking, and no street or alley access from the backyard, rendering the separate basement entrance rather useless.
CALEDONIA-FAIRBANK: 57 Norman Ave.
The price: $429,900. Just sold for $405,000.
The draw: Both of the apartments in this two-level semi have been recently renovated with hardwood floors and new bathrooms. One unit is divided into a one-bedroom, while the other is an open-concept bachelor. There are three parking spots.
The catch: Both units are quite small (the larger one is just under 700 square feet). One of the living rooms has a weird structural beam in the centre of nowhere—make sure to ask a home inspector what that’s all about.
CORSO ITALIA: 2 Innes Ave.
The price: $519,900
The draw: A former storefront has become a three-bedroom, three-bathroom home, its big windows letting in lots of light. The renovation palette is typical—dark hardwood, gray kitchen backsplash—but the end look is modern.
The catch: It’s perplexing that such a stylish interior reno ended up so bland and ugly on the outside. Paint that stucco a moody blue-grey, stat, and yank out those beige patio tiles while you’re at it.
DAVENPORT: 99 Chandos Ave., Unit 103.
The price: $458,000, maintenance fees $457
The draw: Loft-high ceilings make this almost-1,200-square-foot, two-bedroom unit seem extra spacious, especially in the big master bedroom. There’s a tiny personal patio as well as a shared rooftop deck with a barbecue.
The catch: Don’t be fooled by the notion of a dining room—the family-sized table is in the middle of the second bedroom. There’s no privacy on the front patio, which faces the sidewalk. The most pressing question: Why is the outside Barney purple?
