Here comes some hypocrisy!
I’ve never been an advocate of superior amenities in a condominium, and I always maintain that I would never use the gym, billiard room, golf net, bowling alley, or swimming pool.
But my last couple trips to 33 Mill Street and the new 33 Charles Street have led me to believe otherwise…
For the last couple months, I’ve had this draft of a blog post about “new age” condominium pools sitting half-complete in my WordPress dashboard.
And then The Globe And Mail goes and does an entire article about rooftop pools in new condominiums like 33 Mill Street and 550 Wellington!
So here’s what I’ll do: today I’ll post the article, which was first published a couple weeks back, and tomorrow I’ll add in my thoughts and recent experiences…
As much as I love to write, sometimes, I just can’t say it as well as somebody better.
Bruce Bell is one of Toronto’s foremost historians, and in the July issue of our local St. Lawrence Market newspaper, “The Bulletin,” Mr. Bell writes about the history of the North Market on Front Street, and surmises that “anything is better than what stands there now.”
As much as I dislike the “winning” design of the new North Market, I have to agree with Mr. Bell that the current structure has got to go…
Here is a building that had so much potential, and failed to meet my glorious expectations.
The Foundry Lofts look beautiful from the outside, but there is something about the inside that I just can’t quite put my finger on….
…..oh wait, that’s right……it reminds me of jail…
Yesterday, I wrote a post about 160 Frederick Street and how FIVE almost identical condos are for sale at the same time.
The building is old and I suspect this is a major reason why units aren’t selling; or aren’t selling as quickly as the rest of the market in general.
Today’s buyers want, new, new, NEW! And when you really think about it - can you blame them?
This story goes way beyond the laws of supply and demand.
There are FIVE similar units for sale at 160 Frederick Street, all priced within a few thousand dollars of eachother.
The buyers certainly have their choice, but I still think it’s tough sell…..like the photo below…
How much of a premium would you pay to live directly across from a park?
Is it something that you actively seek, or is a “nice to have?”
After seeing a condo at Chocolate Lofts sell for a premium because it had a slight glimpse of the park, I’m re-evaluating the importance of the park-principal…
What’s the only thing worse that a bad idea?
How about five bad ideas?
The five finalists for the design of the new North Market have been released, and each one is more awful than the next….in my humble opinion.
If the sink ain’t broke, don’t fix it…
You won’t find this in any real estate textbook, nor will it show up in any “investor’s guide to real estate.”
And while others may have noted this effect before, I’d like to think I’m one of the pioneers as I put this in writing.
Simply put: real estate is worth more if there is a Starbucks close by…
“Carlaw” used to have a very commercial/industrial connotation, but in recent years, the street has developed into one of the most thriving locales for unique loft spaces.
There are so many now that it’s difficult to keep track.
Let’s take a closer look…
(182)
(310)
(115)
(127)
(60)
(68)
(37)
(62)
(17)
(101)
(10)
(201)
(51)
(136)
(27)
(10)
(23)
