Sponsored By:

Real Estate Guide › Central

Willowdale East

Average 2008 sale price:

$379,798

Property crime:

very high

Crime against people:

average

Neighbourhood map:

See map

Every year a few more of Willowdale’s original bungalows and two-storey homes are torn down to make way for luxury condos, townhouses and mini-mansions. There’s nothing mini about the area’s prices, though, with custom-builds commonly listed between $1 and $2 million; fixer-uppers on 50-foot-wide lots start at about $500,000. Two-thirds of the residents are first-generation Canadians, with a large population of Chinese, Koreans and Persians attracted, in part, to the area’s well-regarded schools, including Cardinal Carter and Earl Haig. Restaurants and retail shops are increasingly reflective of that diversity. Most shoppers find pretty much anything they need on Yonge Street. While the Yonge and Sheppard subway lines offer some relief for commuters, the congested crawl along main arteries during rush hours is rage-inducing.

HOUSING STOCK: Condos dominate Yonge, and several stylish townhouse complexes line Finch, Bayview and Sheppard. Doris Avenue marks the transition to detached homes, where 1940s- to 1960s-era bungalows and backsplits sit side by side with newly constructed four- and five-bedroom homes.

BARGAIN ZONES: Prices can exceed $750,000 and easily stretch above the $1 million mark. Better value can be found farther from Yonge. South of Sheppard, the odd two- or three-bedroom house lists for just under $500,000, while Yonge Street condos start in the low $200s.

THE VERDICT: Yonge’s amenity-rich condos are often priced well below their downtown counterparts, and are attracting everyone from first-time buyers to downsizing seniors. Likewise, detached housing appeals to the Yonge and Eg crowd’s desire for spacious new homes for less than they’d pay farther south.

NEIGHBOURHOOD HOT SPOTS:
Mitchell Field Community Centre Mitchell Field Centre includes the area’s only indoor skating rink, with ice time divvied up between public skating, hockey leagues, and figure skating programs run by the Upper Canada Skating Club. 89 Church Ave., 416-395-0262.
Sheppard Centre and Empress Walk These two multi-storey malls, each topped with high-rises, house restaurants and banks as well as bargain and brand-name shops. A 60,000-square-foot Loblaws at Empress Walk is a major draw for discerning home chefs. Sheppard Centre: 4841 Yonge St., 416-226-5151. Empress Walk: 5095 Yonge St., 416-226-3332.
Spring Garden Avenue This street reflects the area’s Asian heritage. Packed with Japanese and Korean restaurants, the strip tempts diners with simple noodle bowls, fresh sushi and Korean barbecue.