Real Estate Guide › East

Guildwood

Average 2008 sale price:

$377,514

Property crime:

average

Crime against people:

very high

Neighbourhood map:

See map

Guildwood—referred to by residents as The Guild—was established in 1932 as an artists’ colony. When the colony patrons started selling off their acreage in 1953, Guildwood’s housing development began in earnest; it’s now a small, up-and-coming neighbourhood where every house is within a breezy 10- to 15-minute walk to the lake. Though downtowners may deem it too suburban, the area is seeing a new burst of activity as buyers push east in search of affordable housing. The GO train stop shuttles commuters to Union Station in 30 minutes or less.

HOUSING STOCK: The area’s bungalows, backsplits, sidesplits and two-storeys were built during the ’50s and ’60s; regardless of their price point, homes often feature shingled mansard roofs and carports.

BARGAIN ZONE: Greyabbey Trail features semi-detached homes that average around $275,000. Homes get less expensive farther from the shoreline, ranging from $350,000 to $600,000.

THE VERDICT: Though Guildwood has suffered some indignities since the 1950s—including being lumped in with the much-less-carefully planned parts of Scarborough—the quiet, curving streets, deep lots and remarkably cool architecture make it an eminently habitable part of the city.

NEIGHBOURHOOD HOT SPOTS:
Cornerstone Bakery Cafe A doughnut and coffee shop with vaulted ceilings, regulars of all ages, and the only real patio in the neighbourhood. Guildwood Village Shopping Centre, 93 Guildwood Pkwy., 416-261-9537.
The Guild This popular, central park is perched on the Scarborough Bluffs and displays remnants of Toronto’s architectural past, such as sculptural portions of the old Bank of Montreal building and the Guild Inn, a 1914 Arts and Crafts–style hotel. 191 Guildwood Pkwy.

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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