16 Relmar Road Townhouses: Four 2003 Condo Homes in Lower Forest Hill

16 Relmar Road is a small, newer exception on one of Forest Hill’s quiet residential streets: four condominium townhomes registered in 2003, on a block otherwise made up of large single-family houses. For a buyer who wants a lower Forest Hill address without buying a detached house, this is the kind of rare, small complex worth knowing about. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

A four-home infill on a street of houses

Relmar Road is a residential street of substantial single-family homes in lower Forest Hill, close to Spadina Road. A four-home condominium built here in 2003 is unusual. Much of the surrounding area was built up in the decades when Forest Hill’s rules required architect-designed houses and a tree in every front yard.

I could not find a public record of the builder, the architect or the floor plans, and condos.ca does not record any amenities. So I will not describe sizes, layouts or finishes. Anything a listing says on those points should be checked against the registered plans and an inspection of the home itself.

What the age tells you is useful on its own. At about 23 years old, the complex is newer than nearly every condo townhouse in the area, which usually means fewer original systems near the end of their lives and more modern construction standards than the 1970s complexes nearby.

Four owners and a professional manager

With four homes, every shared decision rests on four owners, and every shared repair is split four ways. That keeps the corporation personal and usually easy to run, but it also means one large item, such as a roof or a shared driveway, is a big cost per home.

Condos.ca lists City Sites Property Management as the manager. Having a professional manager in a corporation this small is a good sign: it suggests the owners have chosen to keep budgets, insurance, records and reserve fund studies in professional hands rather than leaving them to volunteers.

As with any townhouse condo, the declaration decides which parts of each home are yours to maintain and which belong to the corporation. Roofs, windows, exterior walls, yards and the systems inside the home are handled differently from one corporation to the next, so read it carefully.

Renovation plans also run through the corporation. Changes that touch the common elements, such as a rear addition, a new deck or altered windows, generally need the corporation’s approval and are often documented in an agreement registered on title. With four owners, that is a conversation with three neighbours, so ask whether past alterations were approved properly before you buy.

Insurance follows from that. Ask what the corporation’s policy covers, what the deductibles are and how they are charged back, and match your own policy to it. With four owners, a single claim can be a large share of the bill.

What a 2003 complex needs now

A 2003 complex is past its Tarion warranty years and into its first major renewal cycle. Roofing installed at construction may be approaching replacement, sealants and caulking around windows usually need attention by this age, and original furnaces and air conditioners in the homes may already have been replaced or soon will be.

The reserve fund study tells you how the corporation plans for those items. In a four-home corporation, I want to see a realistic plan for the roof and any shared paving or garage, and a fund that is building toward it, not a fee kept low by deferring work.

Inside the home, ask which systems are original and which have been replaced, and have an inspector check the roof, windows and mechanicals in the specific unit.

Living near Spadina and Heath

This pocket sits in lower Forest Hill, near where the Spadina Road shopping strip and the side streets meet. The Forest Hill Village shops at Spadina and Lonsdale, with boutiques, a grocer, banks and cafés, are an easy walk, and that daily convenience is a big part of the appeal.

Forest Hill was a separate village from 1923 until it joined Toronto in 1967, and Toronto Life calls it one of the city’s most expensive neighbourhoods. The streets are leafy and quiet, and the housing is mostly large brick homes in Tudor and Georgian styles. The data panel on this page covers transit, schools and the Walk Score.

Because Relmar is a side street rather than Spadina itself, it is quieter than the main road, and the setting feels residential rather than commercial. Visit at different times of day to judge traffic and parking on the street for yourself.

Pricing: a scarce format in an expensive area

There were no active listings here when I checked, and with four homes, a sale can be years apart. I cannot give you a responsible asking range or per-square-foot figure for this complex, and I will not invent one.

A home here is valued against Forest Hill semis and detached houses, which cost considerably more and come with full lots, and against the area’s larger condo apartments and older condo townhomes. Being a 2003 build gives it an edge over the 1970s complexes nearby, because fewer components are at the end of their lives.

Condos.ca did not publish fee inclusions, so ask for the budget and status certificate before you judge the monthly cost. For comparable sales, look at the data panel on this page or ask me for a building sold report on Forest Hill condo townhomes.

Building specifications

Jatin’s honest take on 16 Relmar Road Townhouses

16 Relmar Road Townhouses — frequently asked questions

Looking at Yonge & Eglinton, Davisville and North Toronto more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.