The Modern on Richmond started selling units back in November 2007. I remember this project launch clearly because it happened right at the same time as the original 1 Bloor project and it seemed everyone in Toronto was talking about pre-construction condos at the time. Oh wait, not much has changed in the last 4+ years!

The Modern is nearing completion now and owners are starting to get occupancy of their suites which means that many units are now coming up for sale as assignments. For investors who bought at The Modern circa 2007-2010, values have gone up significantly and now is a great time to sell and cash in on the gains. If you own a unit at The Modern and you are interested in selling by assignment, please contact me to discuss.

If you are a buyer and looking for a brand new condo in a great downtown location that offers excellent value, consider The Modern. With average prices in most new downtown buildings hovering around $600 per square foot and up, many suites at The Modern can be had for around $500 per square foot – including parking! For example, at the moment we have a 920 square foot suite available for $449,900 including parking and locker, which works out to $489 per square foot!

The resale and pre-construction market are red hot right now, and getting what you want at a good price can be challenging if you are a buyer. The assignment market represents a sort of ‘third way’ of getting into the condo market without having to face as much competition. But it’s important to understand the details of how assignment sales work. Not all agents are experienced or trained in this specialty area! Contact me for more details or check out some of the articles on this website that I have written about assignment sales.

The lobby is going to be really nice in this building with a dropped floor and see-through fire place.

This condo is launching in 2012. Contact me for floor plans and pricing and your chance to buy before the public launch!

If you are interested in investing in this area, I would suggest considering the upcoming 365 Church Street development by Menkes which will be steps away from this amazing new Loblaws. Contact me for details.

Coming soon from Streetcar Developments: The Carlaw. REGISTER NOW for access to VIP pricing and floor plans.

If you are looking for an investment condo in an emerging neighbourhood with plenty of upside, there is reason to get excited about this project from Streetcar Developments. Streetcar has built several smaller-boutique style buildings over the last decade in Toronto, mostly around Queen Street. Their buildings do very well in resale and those who have bought into their projects in the early stages have consistently done very well on their investment.

Details are scarce so far, but what we know is this:

• 321 units
• 12 storeys
• Retail component
• Commercial component
• “Green P” parking + regular parking spots available for residents
• Pricing at or below $500 per square foot + MANY small units = great price points. 1 bedrooms in the mid $200s and 1+dens in the high $200s

Leslieville is a booming neighbourhood and Dundas and Carlaw is the epicentre of the condo district of Leslieville. Worklofts and Flat Iron Lofts are both nearly sold out with construction well underway for both of them right across the street from where The Carlaw will be. Pricing for Worklofts and Flat Iron Lofts are around $500 per square foot, but there are mostly larger units left, meaning price.

Being a mixed-use building means that it will bring even more ‘people traffic’ to the area, all part of helping this once derelict part of town become a viable area to live, work, and play in which makes it a perfect area for investment.

Please contact me for all the details and your chance to buy at the upcoming VIP sales event.

Launching very soon from Urban Capital: River City Phase 2. Contact me for floor plans and pricing.

River City phase 1 launched in late 2009 to much fanfare and success. Urban Capital hit this project out of the park with incredible architecture and design and great price points to boot. Investors were attracted by the long-term potential of being part of the master-planned community of The West Don Lands. End-users were attracted by the cutting edge design, affordable price points, and the low maintenance fees (only $0.38PSF for phase 1).

Phase 2 is to be 3 mini-towers of about 12 storeys each. Not a massive project, I am expecting there will be less than 300 units, so this one will sell quickly.

Prices of remaining inventory at River City phase 1 is in the low $500s PSF on average which is very reasonable compared to anything else downtown. I am anticipating prices around mid $500s for phase 2.

Much like Paintbox Condos in the Regent Park master-planned revitalization, the best is yet to come for this area. Not until around 2015 when the PanAm games comes to Toronto and the West Don Lands will play the central role in hosting the events will the real potential of River City be realized. Those who get in early will be in the best position to reap the rewards!

For pricing and floor plans for River City phase 2, please contact me today!

Oxygen Maisonettes by Empire Communities and Identity Developments is launching now. Contact me for your chance to buy before the public release.

Located at George and Shuter, on the former site of Walnut Hall, Oxygen offers something unique to Toronto condo buyers: S P A C E. There are only 48 suites in this 14-storey building, and the average size is well over 1000 square feet. Most suites are full 2-storey maisonette style units. There are a few single level ‘flats’, as well as 3 great street-level townhomes. These are not the typical ‘loft’ style 2-storey units that we have grown accustomed to downtown, the second floor is a full floor and not open to below like the 2-storey lofts (e.g. Liberty Market Lofts). So in effect they are like 2-storey homes in the sky.

I recently toured the presentation centre where they have a model kitchen and bathroom. The finishes will be very modern and sleek with a distinctly European style. I was surprised to see laminate counter tops in the kitchen, however, this is not your grandmother’s laminate. The 7cm edging and seemless integration of the sink and appliances make this the best laminate I’ve ever seen. Still, for those wanting to say they have granite counter tops, that is an option at no extra charge. Another highlight of the finishes are the open-riser staircases. Very dramatic and once again, not something typically seen in new condos in Toronto. Overall I would say the finishes are excellent, however the key selling feature will be the floor plans themselves and the space they offer.

The location is obviously not for everyone. Located across from Moss Park, in between Jarvis and Sherbourne, with plenty of known social service centres in the immediate area. Still, in 5 minutes you can walk to the Eaton Centre and Dundas Square. 10 minutes takes you to the St Lawrence Market. 15 minutes and you’re in the heart of the financial district.

Finally, one unit that is a true standout to me, is the 2050 sq ft 3 bedroom townhouse. Listed at $1.25M, this is a very rare beast downtown. Buyers looking for a true townhome, will love this suite. But there is only 1, act fast!

For pricing and floor plans for Oxygen, please contact me.

The latest addition to the Leslieville Loft District that is Carlaw Avenue between Queen and Dundas is Showcase Lofts. VIP sales are happening now, contact me for your opportunity to purchase a suite today.

Leslieville has arrived. It’s not up and coming anymore. The people who would tell you that Leslieville is up and coming will probably also try to tell you that Twitter is the next big thing. They missed the boat. Leslieville was up and coming in 2007. We are now midway through 2011 and I can tell you it has arrived.

Buying a house in Leslieville is now out of reach for many, but buying a condo or loft is still very much doable. Showcase Lofts enters the scene with one MAJOR thing going for it: value. While the architecture Junior 1 bedrooms are starting from about $225K and 1 bedrooms including parking can be bought in the low $300s or roughly $530 per square foot. The largest 2 bedrooms are coming in at around $500 PSF including parking. This puts prices right in line with what units are selling in resale across the street at the recently completed building Printing Factory Lofts.

Some neat things about this project:

1. Each suite will have a ‘feature wall’ which will be made of reclaimed Toronto brick. Nothing like this has been done in a Toronto development before, should be interesting to see how the market responds to this.
2. Penthouse units will feature skylights.
3. All suites (except the junior 1 bedrooms) come with 1 parking spot included in the price. Somewhat of a bold move for the developer, but obviously fitting with the target market of end-user buyers looking for great value in this hot ‘hood.

The suites themselves will have some nice features like 9′ exposed concrete ceilings, GE Cafe stainless steel appliances (including gas cooking and built in microwave), all suites will have balconies or patios, quartz counters, engineered hardwood in living and kitchen areas, track lighting in common areas and pot lights in ares like the kitchens and bathrooms.

The building will have what sounds like a substantial exercise room and cardio area along with a theatre and party room. The developer is Aragon Properties which has no experience in Toronto with condos, but they do have plenty in British Columbia.

The architecture of the building itself will leave something to be desired to many buyers, but for those looking for excellent value in Leslieville, I definitely recommend taking a look at this project.

For more details and your opportunity to purchase a unit in this project, please contact me.

Post House condos located at George and Adelaide is having a sale (sort of). The prices are not on sale, but the deposit structure they are offering is. Check it out:

• $3K with offer
• balance of 5% in 30 days
• 5% in 120 days
• 5% in June 2013
• 5% at occupancy

Only 10% is required up front, with nothing more for over 2 years until June 2013, then another 5% at occupancy (estimated to begin August 2013). Buyers and investors are always looking for an edge on the deposits, and while the days of 5% down are behind us for now, this offer is excellent for the buyer who is looking to really stretch their dollar on a pre-construction purchase.

1 bedrooms are still available starting from $278,990, 1+dens from $318,990, 2 bedrooms from $365,990. Average price per square foot is around the mid to high $500s. Parking is $39,500. Penthouses are also available with this promotional deposit structure.

This offer is on for a limited time only. Contact me for details.