Real Estate Guide › East

Birchcliffe - Cliffside

Average 2008 sale price:

$434,614

Property crime:

high

Crime against people:

high

Neighbourhood map:

See map

The most coveted digs in the area are, of course, closest to the lake, where winding streets sprout stately mid-century homes, many with second-storey expanses of glass. Fallingbrook Drive slopes down eastward from Fallingbrook Road, with a thickly wooded ravine on the left. (Units in a new eco-friendly loft proposed for Fallingbrook Road recently sold for $300,000 all the way up to $1 million.) Those with kiddies, doggies or a simple hankering for fresh air appreciate the abundant parkland, which stretches west from the Scarborough Bluffs to Rosetta McClain Gardens. Smaller budgets opt for infill townhouses and condo developments at the northern end of the district. The shopping could be better—the main Kingston Road strip has more tattoo parlours than boutiques—but it’s a trade-off residents accept for the area’s space and privacy.

HOUSING STOCK: Buyers will discover a mixed bag of Tudor, Elizabethan and post-war standards.

BARGAIN ZONES: The farther north of Kingston and east of Kennedy you go, the friendlier the prices will be. There are plenty of 1930s and ’40s semis and detached houses, as well as a few smaller homes that used to be lakeside getaway cottages for affluent downtowners.

THE VERDICT: Just east of the Beach but without the bustle, this is one of Toronto’s most charming districts, with dramatic views of Lake Ontario and plenty of property for your dollar.

NEIGHBOURHOOD HOT SPOTS:
Birchcliff Village Farmers’ Market On summer and fall Fridays, farmers set up shop at the St. Nicholas Church garden. 1512 Kingston Rd.
Vincent’s Spot The veal Villeroy here is famous, the atmosphere is cozy, and the continental fare satisfies. 2496 Kingston Rd., 416-267-2778.

Today in Toronto: February 9, 2010

• Hub 14: The postage stamp measurements of the Hub 14 space will ensure close encounters with the performers taking part in the new series Under a Paper Moon
• More things to do tonight
• Something to do this weekend

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