Upper Beach Villas II: 40 Townhomes North of Gerrard Near Victoria Park

Upper Beach Villas II is what I show buyers who want a three-bedroom townhouse with a garage in the east end and do not need to be on Queen Street. It is a 2011 complex of 40 condo townhomes on three short streets north of Gerrard near Victoria Park, finishing a block the City spent years arguing about. It is newer than most townhouse condos in this part of town, and the published information about it is thin, so the status certificate does most of the talking. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Finishing the last vacant block

In 2007, a City of Toronto report described the block bounded by Dengate Road, Belleville Street, Enroutes Street and Brockville Street, north of Gerrard and west of Victoria Park, as the last undeveloped block in the recently built Upper Beach neighbourhood. The plans for it went through several versions: 187 stacked townhouses over an underground garage in 2003, 96 townhouses with garages off rear lanes in 2005, then 128 stacked homes with a private garage each in 2006.

City planners pushed back on that last plan. They wanted every home to front a public street, ground-level homes to have their own outdoor space, and no parking in integral garages.

What stands on and around that block today includes two neighbouring condominium corporations. Upper Beach Villas, TSCC-2089, registered in 2010 with 40 units. Upper Beach Villas II, TSCC-2191, followed in October 2011, also with 40 units, on Philpott Gardens, Enroutes Street and Carnahan Terrace. Condos.ca does not name the developer of phase II. The first phase is attributed to The Conservatory Group, but I could not confirm that the same company built this one.

Two storeys, three bedrooms and a garage

Condos.ca describes the complex as one floor, which does not match the homes. Recent listings describe two-storey townhomes with three bedrooms and three bathrooms in the 1,400 to 1,599 sq ft range, with an open kitchen and living area on the main floor, bedrooms upstairs and laundry in the home. One listing described the primary bedroom with a high ceiling, a walk-in closet and an ensuite.

Parking is the interesting detail. Despite the City’s 2007 position against integral garages, a recent listing described a private garage with direct access into the home. Whether every home has one, I cannot say. Check the status certificate for the parking arrangement of the specific home, and ask where visitors park.

Listings also mention a balcony and a patio, and forced-air heating. Ask which outdoor areas are exclusive-use common elements and who maintains them, and ask the age of the furnace and air conditioner, which in a home from 2011 may be nearing their first replacement.

A newer complex, but not a new one

At about 15 years old, Upper Beach Villas II is younger than most townhouse condos in the east end, many of which date from the 1980s. That usually means fewer surprises. It does not mean none: roofs, sealants, balconies and paving on a 2011 complex are entering the stage where the reserve fund study starts to call for real money.

With 40 owners, those costs are shared reasonably widely. Read the reserve fund study and the budget, and look at the last two years of board minutes for any discussion of warranty items, drainage or exterior repairs.

The bigger issue is information. Condos.ca does not list amenities, fee inclusions or a developer. That is common for townhouse corporations and not a warning sign in itself, but it means you have to ask the questions directly.

Start with the basics. Ask the property manager what the fee covers, whether the corporation or the owner is responsible for windows, doors, garage doors and decks, and when the last reserve fund study was done. In townhouse corporations, the split between owner and corporation responsibilities varies a lot, and it decides how much of the next repair lands on you.

Life in the Upper Beach

The Upper Beaches is a name, not an official neighbourhood; the City calls this area East End-Danforth. It sits north of Kingston Road and the Beach proper, and much of the land along the rail corridor was industrial before the new streets went in. This complex is part of that change, on short residential streets with little through-traffic.

You are a walk from the shops along Gerrard and a bike ride from the Danforth and the lake. The automatic panel on this page has the transit options, schools and parks, and it is worth testing your commute at rush hour before you buy.

The trade-off is that this is a residential pocket, not a main street. If you want to walk to a café every morning, Queen Street or Main Street suits you better. If you want quiet, parking and space for a family, this suits you well.

Pricing and comparables

There was one home listed when I checked. Condos.ca does not publish an average price per square foot for the complex, and with 40 homes and few resales, any average would be thin.

The best comparables are recent sales here and at Upper Beach Villas next door, along with other newer condo townhouses north of Gerrard. A two-storey, three-bedroom home of 1,400 to 1,600 sq ft with a garage competes with semis on the nearby streets, so weigh the monthly fee against the roof, furnace and exterior costs a freehold owner carries alone. My building sold report pulls the aggregate sales for both phases.

Ask the seller for the current fee and exactly what it covers. In townhouse condos like this one, owners usually pay their own heat, hydro and often water, so a year of utility bills tells you the real monthly cost.

Building specifications

Jatin’s honest take on Upper Beach Villas II

Upper Beach Villas II — frequently asked questions

Looking at Leslieville, Riverdale, the Beaches, Danforth and Leaside more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.