Media & Press

Everyone wants to love their neighbourhood. It’s about more than the streets you use to get home after work, more than how far you are from transit or the dentist. t’s about connecting with the place and the people. This multi-part series explores some of the many vibrant neighbourhoods in and around the GTA and what makes them thrive

oronto’s capricious spring real estate market has lots of people feeling perplexed.

Sales have been tumbling for months in a row but prices have held on or continued to climb.

Some houses draw 11 bids; others see their offer dates come and go.

Buyers question whether prices are finally on the verge of a decline, and they only have to look as far as Vancouver to see people who bought last year only to see their new house slide in value in 2013.

For Bill Gairdner, the launch of 383 Sorauren represents a maiden voyage of sorts, the first condo he’s developed since striking out on his own just over a year ago.

383 Sorauren, a 10-storey mid-block masonry building designed by Peter Clewes of architectsAlliance, is meant to be a modern interpretation of the old warehouses that dot Roncesvalles Village. (Next door to 383 Sorauren is Robert Watson Lofts, a turn-of-the-19th-century factory that was converted into condos several years back, with much of the original gritty character kept intact.)

There’s been a lot of noise lately about the bursting bubble that is the real estate market in Canada. But according to industry insiders, there’s no bubble and nothing’s bursting.

“There’s an urban myth at large right now that home prices are falling,” says Paul Maranger, Broker and Senior Vice-President, Sales, with Sotheby’s Canada. “There’s absolutely no softening of prices in the housing market. We’re in an undersupply situation right now, and very special homes are always in short supply.”