Oxford Court I, San Remo Terrace: Dunpar Townhomes in Mimico

Oxford Court I is the kind of place I send families who have outgrown a two-bedroom condo but cannot stretch to a detached house in south Etobicoke. It is 54 Dunpar townhomes from 2000, tucked off Evans Avenue, with garages and private entrances. It is not glamorous, and it is not trying to be. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

A Dunpar townhouse community, phase one

Dunpar Homes has been building in the GTA for more than 35 years and is known mainly for townhomes, including the Lake Shore Village collection in south Etobicoke. Oxford Court is an older Dunpar community; this first phase, MTCC-1356, was registered in December 2000.

A second phase, Oxford Court II, followed a few months later on James Stock Path and Superior Creek Lane, with its own corporation, MTCC-1372. The two look and feel like one neighbourhood but have separate budgets, boards and rules. When you read anything online about Oxford Court, check which corporation it refers to.

The addresses can also be confusing. Condos.ca groups this phase as 1, 3 and 5 San Remo Terrace with 116 Evans Avenue, while other listing sites describe it as 112 to 116 Evans Avenue. The corporation number, MTCC-1356, is the reliable way to confirm you are looking at the right one.

Townhome living: the format and the space

These are condominium townhomes rather than apartments, and parking is included in the fee. For a family moving out of a high-rise, that usually means no elevator, no shared hallway and parking close to your door. Confirm whether the home you are seeing has a private garage, a driveway space or both.

Condos.ca records homes in this phase at about 2,200 square feet, though its sample is narrow, and the homes in the second phase are smaller at about 1,600. I would not rely on a single recorded figure. Ask for the floor plan of the home you are seeing, confirm whether the basement is counted, and measure where you can.

Position within the complex matters as much as size. End units get windows on three sides and usually sell for more; interior units share both side walls and can feel darker on the middle level. Homes that back onto Evans Avenue will hear more traffic than those on the inner lanes, so walk the site before you choose.

I could not find published floor plans or ceiling heights. Townhomes of this age and type are usually spread over several levels, so think about stairs if anyone in the household has mobility concerns.

What a townhouse corporation covers, and what it does not

The fee includes common elements, building insurance and parking. Heat, hydro and water are not on the published inclusion list, so each owner pays those directly. Ask the seller for a year of utility bills.

In a townhouse corporation, the split of responsibility is where buyers get surprised. The declaration decides whether the corporation or the owner looks after roofs, windows, doors, decks, driveways and the yard. Two complexes that look identical can divide these very differently, and the answer affects both your fee and your own repair budget.

Maple Ridge Community Management manages both Oxford Court phases, according to condos.ca. Ask how long the current manager has been on site and how the board plans larger work such as roof replacement across the complex.

One more point on timing. Townhomes in a complex like this were mostly built at the same time, so their roofs, windows and decks tend to wear out together. A reserve fund study should show when that wave of work is expected and whether the money is already set aside, or whether fees will have to rise to catch up.

Living off Evans Avenue in Mimico

Oxford Court sits back from Evans Avenue in the northern part of Mimico, between The Queensway and Lake Shore Boulevard. Daily life here is suburban in feel: you are close to Sherway Gardens and the Gardiner, and Mimico’s lakefront and Lake Shore shops are a short drive south.

Mimico GO station is the area’s main rail link. A large plan to rebuild the station alongside new apartment buildings, called Grand Central Mimico, was ended by Metrolinx, so do not count on that project when you think about how the area will change.

The data panel on this page covers transit, schools, parks and nearby food in more detail.

Pricing a townhome when few are for sale

No homes in this phase were listed for sale when I wrote this, and condos.ca does not publish a reliable building average. With 54 homes, sales are irregular, so a fair price has to be built from a few sources.

I start with recent sales in this phase, then in Oxford Court II next door, adjusting for size since the two phases differ. Then I look at other condo townhomes and freehold townhouses nearby. Condition, a finished basement and an end-unit position can each move the price more than you might expect.

Comparing the two Oxford Court phases on price per square foot can be useful, but only if you use the same measurement. If one listing counts a finished basement and another does not, the per-foot figure will mislead you, so ask how the area was measured each time.

Townhouse corporations usually carry lower fees per square foot than high-rise buildings because there is no lobby, elevator or concierge. The fee here includes parking but not utilities. For recorded sale figures, see the data panel on this page or ask me for a building sold report.

Building specifications

Amenities at Oxford Court I

There is no gym or party room, and that keeps fees lower. What matters day to day is visitor parking for guests, permission to barbecue, and your own entrance and parking.

Jatin’s honest take on Oxford Court I

Oxford Court I — frequently asked questions

Looking at Humber Bay Shores, Mimico, the Queensway and central Etobicoke more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.