Cradled between two belts of parkland, Weston Village is just 20 minutes northwest of downtown via the GO train. The lots are huge, the community is thriving, and the crime rate is going down. All you need are the guts to move up to Lawrence.
WESTON: 38 Gibson Ave., Unit 4. (pictured above)
The price: $329,900, maintenance fees $378
Last sold price: N/A
The draw: This bright, brand-new townhouse has three bedrooms split over two storeys. There are hardwood floors and two balconies, as well as two parking spots and storage lockers. The condo complex has a park with a full playground.
The catch: There’s no private yard for gardening or letting kids and dogs run wild. The slightly south-of-Lawrence location isn’t quite as Pleasantville as the rambling streets on the north side.
WESTON: 126 John St.
The price: $474,800
Last sold price: $0 (1986). A free house is usually the result of an inheritance. These houses have definitely been in the same family a long, long time.
The draw: It’s a fully detached, all-brick behemoth with three decent-sized bedrooms and a finished basement, a redone bathroom, and a huge backyard. From May to October, you’ll be on the same street as the Saturday farmers market.
The catch: The main floor is painted Barbapapa pink. The GO train lines at the end of the street will soon cater to airport-bound diesel trains—which will either be great for transit access, or an environmental nightmare.
WESTON: 221 Church St.
The price: $524,900
Last sold price: $377,000 (2008)
The draw: It’s not just agent-speak: The natural stone on the outside of this bungalow is, in fact, charming. The three-bedroom main floor is about 750 square feet and newly renovated. A two-bedroom apartment downstairs provides some income.
The catch: The backyard is one big blank canvas—the fence is greying and could use replacing, plus there’s no landscaping or garden to speak of. But that’s why you wanted a yard, right?
WESTON: 188 John St.
The price: $379,000
Last sold price: $0 (1971)
The draw: Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, lots of parking, and a really big backyard for under $400K—this 25-foot-wide semi will have you laughing at downtowners dieting to fit into their skinny rowhouses.
The catch: It needs cosmetic updating right away. Start with the mint-green kitchen, then strip the dated wallpaper that overshadows the handsome wood trim. One room upstairs is only 50 square feet, which will do for a small office, but not a bedroom.
