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Wallace Emerson homes for sale tend to be modest, detached and semi-detached houses with laneway parking. Streetscapes are bleaker than more established neighbourhoods–you won’t get the mature tree canopies of some other west-end areas–but it’s hard to beat the value anywhere else this close to the Bloor-Yonge subway line.

There are turn-key, renovated homes to be found but if you’re willing to do the work on an original condition home, Toronto real estate in Wallace Emerson can be an excellent investment. This is a great choice for first-time buyers, particularly for those in a position to hold onto the property as a source of rental income after moving onto their second home a few years down the road.

There are also a bunch of newer condos and townhomes along with a great, authentic loft building - the Foundry Lofts - along Lansdowne, on the border of Wallace Emerson and the Junction Triangle. The Galleria Mall and other parcels of land along Dupont have been bought out by developers, no doubt for mixed-used developments bringing more condos and shopping options to the area in the years to come.

The area is primed for such a massive transformation that we bet newcomers to this area will fall in love with the Wallace Emerson neighbourhood, choosing to move up within its borders when they outgrow their starter homes or condos.

First-time buyers and investors looking for houses for sale in Toronto in an up-and-coming neighbourhood.

Pegged by Toronto Life as one of the top ten neighbourhoods to buy into back in 2012, interested buyers need to bite the bullet within the next few years to score Wallace Emerson homes at comparatively reasonable prices before property values skyrocket.

Over the last few years, there’s been an influx of hipster restaurants, bars, vintage stores and indie cafés, particularly along Bloor at the southern border of this neighbourhood known as Bloordale Village. All of this is making Wallace Emerson, along with nearby Brockton Village and the Junction Triangle, look suspiciously like West Queen West did in the early 2000’s just before the opening of its two major game-changers, the revitalized Drake and Gladstone hotels. And anyone familiar with Toronto's west end knows the major transformation that areas like Beaconsfield Village have undergone.

True, Wallace Emerson still has a long way to go to compete with its Queen Street cousin–empty storefronts and run-down rentals are keeping the area just left of “made it” status–but we predict it’ll take less than a decade for this area to experience a major overhaul. The rest of the market is sure to catch on to what its resident artists, architects and writers have known for years–Wallace Emerson has art and soul. Buyers that choose one of Wallace Emerson’s funky, Toronto homes for sale may just put down roots for longer than they expect.

Wallace Emerson is conveniently situated to both the Lansdowne and Dufferin subway stations as well as various north/south bus routes.

The arrival of art galleries and working artists’ studios–before the hipsters and long before the Starbucks–is often the first signal of a neighbourhood in transition. Once a few galleries take hold, it’s not long before the artistic vibe spreads as we’ve seen in Wallace Emerson that has quickly evolved from gritty to edgy.

Wallace Emerson boasts a number of independent art galleries including Mercer Union, a centre for contemporary art including exhibitions, monthly talks and edgy evening soirées. The artistic vibe also shows in many of the re-sale homes that have been renovated by previous owners with a keen architectural eye and bold interior design aesthetic. And we can’t forget the annual Big on Bloor festival in July, run by the Bloordale Village BIA, that showcases local art and culture.

Wallace Emerson has a fantastic community centre that is well used by local residents. Facilities and services include a stellar fitness centre and gymnasium, a warm water pool, a ton of kids’ and youth programs and various fitness, dance and yoga classes.

Wallace Emerson boasts one of the city’s only official bike parks. At 8,000 square feet, the park is large enough to fit a 500-foot single-track trail, quarter pipes, jump boxes, ramps and more for BMX enthusiasts. There are also clinics where BMX experts teach over 700 kids each summer.