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Young families priced out of The Beach who are looking for a good value, east-end Toronto home for sale. This is a highly underrated neighbourood and prices tend to be more moderate here than in neighbouring areas like The Beach and Leslieville.

This family-friendly community is just north of the prestigious Beach neighbourhood but Upper Beach homes offer much greater bang for your buck for buyers on average budgets looking for houses for sale in Toronto. There’s also a greater heterogeneity here than in The Beach with residents coming from a variety of income levels and cultural backgrounds. It’s not unusual to see young, hipster parents pushing designer strollers along streets filled with dive bars.

It’s slightly further out from amenities than some of its neighbours (although still a walkable community), which is perhaps the only reason that the Upper Beaches hasn’t gentrified as quickly as surrounding areas.

However, you just have to take a look at what’s been happening in nearby Little India with house flips and skyrocketing home prices to see the value in a Toronto house for sale in the Upper Beaches–particularly when Upper Beach homes tend to be on quieter tree-lined streets, more picturesque lots and are often much better maintained than homes in Little India (although it lacks the trendy vibe of its neighbour to the west and so may appeal to a more mature crowd).

The Upper Beaches is a relatively new neighbourhood designation for Toronto. You may see it lumped in with East End Danforth in official City of Toronto maps but Upper Beaches has been used in popular vernacular for over a decade, coined by developers and agents in the early 2000s to attract investment to the area. The western portion of this neighbourhood between Woodbine and Coxwell is sometimes referred to as the Woodbine Corridor.

The Upper Beaches runs from Kingston Road north to the railway tracks between Coxwell and Victoria Park. Its proximity to the eastern gateways of the city, the Queen and Gerrard streetcars and the Danforth GO station make it a popular choice for commuters.

Homes

The Upper Beaches neighbourhood is a great option for buyers who want moderately-priced houses for sale in Toronto in a mature, established neighbourhood - a combination that's hard to find within 15 mins of downtown.

Upper Beaches homes offer some of the best value in east end Toronto for what you're getting which is typically a well-built, classic home in a family-friendly neighbourhood for less than their pricey equivalents just a few blocks south. There are plenty of quiet, tree-lined residential streets that offer a great family environment as well as affordable property options along main arteries like Dundas and Gerrard which can make for a great first step onto the housing ladder because they don't demand the premium of houses down side streets.

For buyers interested in growing their investment, your best bet is to scoop up one of the charming, detached homes on coveted streets like Bowmore Road, Normandy Boulevard and Kingsmount Park Road that have been “lovingly maintained by the same owner” for decades. Typically Edwardian in style, these homes are often structurally and mechanically sound and just need cosmetic updates to turn them into perfect, modern family houses that still have some old-world charm. Property in the pocket around Bowmore school is, in our opinion, often under-valued even in today's hot market and may be a great opportunity to grow your home equity as the Upper Beaches continues to develop with new, mixed-use condo buildings and businesses coming to the area.

If you're interested in new condos, there are a number of projects underway in the area including The Southwood on Kingston Road, The Glen near Kingston and Main and the Beach Hill Residences near Gerrard and Woodbine. As well, a number of deals have been struck for new developments on Queen between Woodbine and Coxwell. Give it five years and this area's going to look very different.

With property prices continuing to increase across Toronto, the Upper Beaches is a great investment opportunity because prices here are still affordable (relatively speaking) yet it’s within walking distance to prestigious areas like The Beach.

It’s on the front-end of a major change movement (there are numerous stylish condo and townhome developments under construction) which means that you’ll likely see your property values increase higher than average if you plan on a buy and hold strategy for at least five years. Plus, it’s developed enough now to live in comfortably without some of the issues that other up-and-coming Toronto neighbourhoods face. It's already a mature, family neighbourhood, it's just that it hasn't had the popularity and trendy brand image of its neighbours. But that's about to change. So get in while you can.

There are plenty of older homes that have a cozy, old generation feel we love. With a bit of updating, you can get a functional, modern family home with the charm of bygone eras all at prices that are hard to beat for the location.