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Category Archives: Toronto Soft Lofts

New in Toronto Real Estate: 383 Sorauren

April 9, 2013 New Toronto Condos & Lofts, Toronto Lofts For Sale, Toronto Neighbourhoods, Toronto Soft Lofts, West Toronto Real Estate

Sarah Ratchford – blogTO

383 Sorauren Avenue as a condo development is basically still a fetus. The sales office just opened last weekend, and the condos themselves won’t be ready for moving day until fall 2016. As the city expands ever outward, though, condo life is getting pushed farther west. Behold: the latest condos in family-focused Roncesvalles.

383 Sorauren Avenue

SPECS

Address: 383 Sorauren Ave.
Floors: 11
Total number of units: 161
Elevators: 2
Types of units: studio, one bedroom, one plus den, two bedroom, three plus den, townhouses on the first floor, penthouses.
Unit sizes (in square feet): 470 to 1500
Ceiling heights: 9’0″ to 10’0″
Prices from (available units): $250,000
Maintenance fees: $0.48
Developer: Gairloch and Centrestone Urban Developments Inc.
Amenities/building features: Fitness room, outdoor lounge, guest suite

THE GOOD

The developers have paid attention to the importance of outdoor space here. Every unit will be equipped with a balcony of sorts, and there’s a communal outdoor space as well. And while these condos are definitely, um, condo-sized, their stark whiteness comes off as more gallery-esque than boring and drab. There’s also en-suite laundry, and en-suite baths off of the master bedrooms. Ceilings will be exposed concrete, and there’s a choice of interior finishes.

As for the neighbourhood, it has most of the amenities of downtown living, minus a little noise, the hectic atmosphere and subways (do I sound like Rob Ford?). Mitzi’s and Balluchon are just down the street for brunch and coffee dates. There are countless awesome fruit and veggie markets on Roncesvalles, just a main street over. Even with all of this, the area is quiet enough that you can hear birds singing and children playing other such things that make people feel happy and warm inside.

THE BAD

These condos run the risk of feeling very cell-like. The washrooms look like they belong in a middle-of-the-road hotel. The suite pictured goes for $391,900. If I’m spending $391,900, I don’t want to feel like I’m chillin in a HoJo. The model kitchen is also rather anonymous (read: I almost walked through without noticing it). There are condo-sized appliances and very minimal counter space. In fairness, though, this is a pretty common issue when it comes to condo living, and unless cooking is a major hobby, the space is serviceable. But then there are the terribly teensy closets, and that, ladies and gentlemen, could be a deal-breaker for the fashion-inclined.

The model I toured is really light on storage. Other than the aforementioned narrow bedroom closets, there’s a hall closet, and that’s about it. (Again, a common hazard with condos, and could be remedied by vertical storage solutions). The gallery-esque appearence I refer to above also just might have something to do with the fact that the model suite I visited was fully outfitted by an interior designer. Your unit might not look so pretty.

For some, the family vibe of this neighbourhood might actually be a bad thing, as well. The ‘hood is pretty tame. There are a few bars nearby on Roncesvalles, but most spots close pretty early, and the area can be pretty dead by 11 p.m. or so.

(Though Betty notes that not too far east on Dundas you can find Wallflower, 1602, Mr. Pong’s, the Henhouse and Black Dice.)

OUR TAKE

If you want a relaxed space in a sought-after neighbourhood, and you’re not an aspiring chef or a snob for lovely washrooms, then this place is..alright. It just depends on what you’re after. Some people are into the plain Jane condo feel, but overall this place seems like it’s coming up short of its potential.

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Contact the Jeffrey Team for more information – 416-388-1960

Laurin & Natalie Jeffrey are Toronto Realtors with Century 21 Regal Realty.
They did not write these articles, they just reproduce them here for people
who are interested in Toronto real estate. They do not work for any builders.
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New in Toronto real estate: Volta Lofts

March 21, 2013 New Toronto Condos & Lofts, Toronto Lofts For Sale, Toronto Soft Lofts, West Toronto Real Estate

Robyn Urback – blogTO

Volta Lofts is “loft-inspired” living set to arrive at Annette and Runnymede. This project is modest in scale with fewer than 20 units, with its greatest amenity set outside its front door. Yes, fresh pies and specialties cheeses just steps from its entrance. While this condo will surely appeal to those backing low-rise living and west-end personality, its roomy suites are limited only to those with grandiose pocketbooks to match. Here is a closer look at Volta Lofts.

SPECS

Address: 588 Annette Street
Floors: 5
Total number of units: 19
Ground level retail units: 2
Elevators: 1
Types of units: One bedroom plus den, two bedroom plus den
Unit sizes (in square feet): 812-1,313
Ceiling heights: 9.0′
Prices from (available units): Mid-$500,00′s
Maintenance fees: $0.28
Developer: Terra Firma Homes
Amenities/building features: Computer entry access, rooftop solar panel system
Expected occupancy: 2014

THE GOOD

Annette Street is a little west end gem that’s not typically given the love it deserves. It has a charming almost small-town feel complete with people who actually smile to each other on the sidewalk, offering a nice alternative to the, “Hey buddy; stop leaning on my bike,” that you might find on, say, Richmond Street. Volta Lofts inhabitants will have everything country-chic at their doorstep, including a cheese shop and market food store, a place to pick up fresh pies, a mom & pop pizza shop, an organic butcher shop, and lots more. So, in terms of community, this address is great. Other location perks include proximity to High Park, Bloor West Village and the Junction, along with Runnymede subway station about a 15-minute walk away.

The building itself seems to do its best to not disrupt the delicate ecosystem of Annette. Space for two retail shops means it will offer something to the area beyond a handful of new neighbours, and while I don’t find the architecture to be particularly stunning, Volta Lofts does come off as fairly inoffensive. Now, the suites themselves do deliver in terms of dazzle, outfitted with walk-in closets, spacious terraces (some with a private master suite terrace), kitchen islands with double-basin sinks, and some with washrooms equipped with separate bathtubs and shower stalls. Naturally, however, you get what you pay for, and Volta Lofts is far from a $300,000 shoebox in the sky.

THE BAD

What is this – a kitchen for ants?! Okay, that’s not totally fair (buyers can customize their kitchen packages, after all), but Volta Lofts’ kitchen rendering looks as though developers took a regular-sized kitchen and scaled it down for Fisher Price size. I’d wager it’d be a huge hit for kids. In any case, the big drawback of Volta Lofts floorplans seems to be with its two-bedroom and two-bedroom-plus den units. In short, only one bedroom (the master) gets a window. The other (or others, in the case of an extra bedroom plus den) is typically relegated to a corner of the suite, blocked off from natural light and usually equipped with a simple sliding door. It’s not ideal, to say the least, for a buyer spending upwards of $750,000; at the very minimum, he or she should be guaranteed a window in every bedroom.

The other drawback, of course, is price, with Volta figures sort of steep compared to other properties in the area. If you head a couple blocks north you can find three-bedroom detached homes priced in the $500,000 to $600,00 — options which, notably, come with a little bit of land and freedom from mandatory maintenance fees.

THE VERDICT

Great location. You’ll get more room, sunlight, (and potentially, return on your investment) with a house a few blocks north, but those private terraces and master bathrooms sure are purdy.

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Contact the Jeffrey Team for more information – 416-388-1960

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New in Toronto real estate: 707 Lofts

March 15, 2013 New Toronto Condos & Lofts, Toronto Soft Lofts, West Toronto Real Estate

Robyn Urback – blogTO

707 Lofts is a new Bloorcourt development that will replace a Dovercourt funeral home and a row of adjacent houses. In other words, not for the ghost-fearing condo buyer. Designed with loft living in mind (read: it’s a new structure), this project has seen much community input and developers have eventually settled on a plan of five floors instead of eight. Amenities are minimal and so too is unit square footage, but the location can’t be beat and the price is just about right. Here is a closer look at 707 Lofts.

SPECS

Address: 707 Dovercourt Road
Floors: 5
Total number of units: 77
Elevators: 2
Types of units: Studio, one bedroom, two bedroom, two-plus-den
Unit sizes (in square feet): 384 – 866
Ceiling heights: 9.0′-10.0′
Prices from: Low $300,000′s
Parking: Included
Locker: $4,500
Maintenance fees: $0.49
Developer: Enirox Group
Architect: Tact Architecture
Amenities: Party room, outdoor BBQ area
Expected occupancy: TBD (currently under construction)

THE GOOD

Excellent suite-to-elevator ratio. I’m consistently baffled when it comes to developers who try to get away with two elevators for a 300-unit building. Yes, elevator wells can’t rake in the same type of cash as 20 storeys of studio suites, but you would think some potential buyers would be deterred by the perpetual wait that comes with too few elevators serving too many people. In any case, 707 Lofts clearly won’t have this problem.

Location, naturally, is the big draw for this project. Steps to Bloor and walking distance to both Ossington and Dufferin Stations, this area has a heavy residential presence with plenty of independent restaurants, shops and cafes within a few minutes of the loft site. Dufferin Grove Park is also less than five minutes away, offering potential residents the opportunity the shop its farmers’ market every Thursday afternoon. The five-storey structure will certainly stand out from the semis and detached homes presently blanketing the area, but it shouldn’t be such a stark contract as to upset the family-community vibe. In other words – could be worse? A compelling reason to laud a condo, indeed.

Pricing is, perhaps, a more persuasive point. Maintenance fees are starting off low, and with any luck, they will remain low due to 707 Lofts’ relatively few building amenities. Most suites can be purchased for somewhere in the $550-per-square-foot range, which is probably right where it should be for this address in Bloorcourt Village. However, since many of 707′s units have already been snatched up, you may have to fork over a little more if your floor plan of choice is being offered by a third party.

THE BAD

Believe it or not, Enirox, some one-bedroom units are given 600 square feet of living space. But here, you’ve assigned 609 square feet (and, granted, a 224 square foot terrace) to a two-bedroom unit with one bathroom. That’s almost as bad at the 384 square-foot bachelor, and the collection of one-bedroom condos wherein the unit bedrooms don’t have windows. Poor show.

This project is symptomatic of the developer trap of trying to cram as many units as possible into a single structure (“trap”) resulting in floors of narrow units with little by way of natural light. Some of the smaller one-bedroom layouts also don’t lend themselves to any sort of dining setup, meaning you’ll either have to eat on the couch or over that single under mounted stainless steel sink. If you can spring for one of the two-bed, two-bath, fifth floor suites you’ll be all set, but otherwise, you’re left with slim pickings in terms of livability.

THE VERDICT

Good idea, poor execution. Not for the superstitious.

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Contact the Jeffrey Team for more information – 416-388-1960

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Laurin and Natalie Jeffrey are Toronto real estate agents. We would be happy to help you find your new Toronto home — be it house or condo or loft. We would also be more than pleased to help you sell your current Toronto property.

Century 21 Regal Realty Inc. Brokerage
1332 Queen Street West
Toronto Ontario M6K 1L4
Office Phone: 416−849−5360
Office Fax: 416−849−8987

Laurin Cell: 416−388−1960
Laurin Email: laurin@jeffreyteam.com

Natalie Cell: 416−318−7917
Natalie Email: natalie@jeffreyteam.com

The vast majority of content on this blog is not written by Laurin or Natalie Jeffery. It is written by many different authors, for many different publications and websites.

We re-print these articles here as a collection of Toronto real estate news and information. We aim for this blog to be a one-stop shop for people looking for information on Toronto real estate.

We do not claim any of the information we did not write as our own. We do not work for any publication, nor any builder. We are Registered Real Estate Sales People working for Century 21 Regal Realty Inc. Brokerage.