Professionals looking for a large, character homes for sale in Toronto in a trendy (read: not stuffy) neighbourhood.

Parkdale was once one of Toronto’s wealthiest neighbourhoods and it shows in its housing stock of large, semi-detached brick Toronto homes for sale and detached Victorian mansions that whisper of a bygone era of luxury and affluence.

This neighbourhood has a diverse demographic but is particularly popular with young professionals due to its convenient location and relatively affordable Toronto houses for sale given their size, location and character. It’s also steps from numerous restaurants and bars along Queen Street West.

Parkdale is within walking distance to two distinct shopping districts–Queen West and Roncesvalles Village–as well as multiple streetcar routes along Queen, King, Roncesvalles and Dundas. It’s just minutes to the Gardiner and Lakeshore for motorists travelling in and out of the city.

Parkdale is divided into two zones: North Parkdale north of Queen and South Parkdale south of Queen. Some of the best property values in the city strictly from a cost per square foot perspective can be found in South Parkdale homes for sale with its stock of unrenovated, historic four and five bedroom mansions that can be converted back into luxury estates with the right budget.

Homes

Property in Toronto’s Parkdale neighbourhood is as diverse as its residents. Parkdale offers everything from semi-detached and detached Victorians to new build townhomes, high-rise apartment buildings, boutique condos and authentic hard lofts.

If you have the budget, the best deals from a price per square foot basis tend to be the massive, original-condition Victorian mansions in South Parkdale. Many have been divided into separate rental units but can be converted back into single-family residences. These grand old darlings have as many as five bedrooms–practically unheard of in a location this close to central Toronto–with sturdy brick construction and welcoming front porches.

With a decent budget and some time, these historic Parkdale homes can be transformed back into majestic estates for under $2M including renovation costs. Although hardly inexpensive, for those buyers with the budget, these massive Parkdale homes for sale offer fantastic value considerng the size, convenient location and quality of property that you’ll end up with once the project’s complete.

If your budget is south of $1M, fear not. There are still semi-detached and row-houses available for six figures along with some great townhomes although given the upward trajectory of the Toronto market, we recommend getting in now. Any community this close to downtown may have most buyers priced out soon.

Although West Queen West–arguably Toronto’s hippest commercial stretch–technically ends at Gladstone Avenue in Beaconsfield just east of Parkdale, the spread of hipster bars and restaurants keeps coming westward, filling up retail spaces between Parkdale’s galleries and vintage shops.

Many new hotspots have opened doors along Queen Street west of Dufferin over the last few years including the Grand Electric Bar, a popular Mexican restaurant meets funky watering hole opened by Black Hoof alumni, and Chantecler, known for its delectable Asian fusion tasting menu.

And we can’t forget The Rhino, the veteran restaurant cum bar that took pride of place near Queen and Dufferin before it was cool to do so, heralded for its extensive, international beer menu and laid-back atmosphere.

While not an officially designated neighbourhood, Little Tibet has informally grown near Parkdale’s Queen Street West strip over the last decade where many of Toronto’s Tibetan community now live and work.

The community is both tight-knit and welcoming, working hard to preserve their language, religion, cuisine, history and art in their new home of Toronto while showcasing it to local residents.

There are numerous Tibetan restaurants along Queen. Our favourites include Tibet Kitchen where you can sample some of the best momos (Tibetan dumplings) in the city and Om restaurant where reviews of its authentic Tibetan Indian fusion menu are always strong.