50 King Henrys Boulevard Townhouses: 1971 Townhomes in Tam O’Shanter

50 King Henrys Boulevard Townhouses was registered in July 1971 as YCC-39, which makes it one of the earliest-numbered condominium corporations in Toronto. Its 82 homes sit between King Henrys Boulevard and Bonis Avenue near Sheppard and Birchmount, and the fees on current listings are low by today’s standards. Low fees on a 55-year-old complex deserve a closer look, and that is what this review is for. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

A 1971 corporation with 55 years of records

Ontario first allowed condominium ownership in 1967, and corporations in this part of the province were numbered in order as they registered. Number 39, registered in July 1971, puts this complex in the very first wave of condominium townhouses in what is now Toronto.

Age is not a weakness on its own. A corporation this old has already been through more than one round of roof, window and paving work, and it should have decades of minutes, budgets and reserve fund studies for you to read. That track record is far more useful to a buyer than the projections that come with a new building.

The other side is that some of the oldest components, such as underground water and sewer lines, site lighting and the internal roads, may be original or near the end of a second life. Find out which, because that is where the next large bills tend to come from.

It also helps to know how the corporation’s rules have changed. Declarations and by-laws from the early 1970s were written for a different era, and many corporations have amended theirs on matters such as renovations, leasing and pets. Ask for the current rules rather than relying on a summary.

Low fees: good management or deferred work?

The three homes for sale when I checked carried fees of about $416 to $438 a month. For a townhouse, that is low, and it is a big part of why these homes appeal to first-time buyers. But a low fee only helps you if the reserve fund is keeping pace with the work ahead.

Ask RealWorld Property Management Corp. for the latest reserve fund study, the current budget and several years of fee history. If fees have been held flat while the study calls for steady increases, the gap usually closes later, through a sharp increase or a special assessment.

Condos.ca does not list what the fee includes here. Do not assume water or every part of the exterior is covered. Read the declaration and the budget to see what the corporation pays for and what you pay separately, such as hydro, gas and the furnace.

Townhomes on two streets

The complex fronts two streets, with homes numbered 3 to 50 on King Henrys Boulevard and 2 to 132 on Bonis Avenue. Which street a home faces, and what it backs onto, can affect both daily life and resale, so walk the whole site rather than judging it from one listing’s photos.

Current listings include three- and four-bedroom homes, which is the core of the appeal: family-sized space with your own front door and no elevator to wait for. I could not find published floor plans or square footage for the complex, so compare homes room by room.

Ask how parking works, too. Condos.ca does not list a garage or visitor parking for this complex, so confirm where each home parks, how many spaces come with it, and where guests are expected to go.

Pay particular attention to the basement. Whether it is finished, how high the ceiling is, and whether there is any sign of past water will tell you a lot about how a 1971 home has been cared for, and a good home inspector will also look at the wiring, the electrical panel and the age of the furnace.

Tam O’Shanter is changing around it

Bonis Avenue is now as much about towers as townhouses. Newer condominiums such as Love Condos at 175 and 185 Bonis Avenue are close by, and they show where this area is heading: more density near Sheppard Avenue and Agincourt Mall, with townhouse complexes like this one becoming the lower-rise fabric between them.

Agincourt Mall, at Sheppard and Kennedy, began a redevelopment process in 2018 and has been described as one of the largest active residential applications in Toronto. If it proceeds, it will bring a great deal of new housing and retail to this stretch of Sheppard over the coming years, along with the construction that comes first.

The neighbourhood takes its name from the Tam O’Shanter Golf Course, and Agincourt GO station on the Stouffville line serves commuters along this part of Sheppard. The panel on this page shows the exact transit options from this address.

What 50 King Henrys Boulevard Townhouses costs

When I checked, three homes were for sale, asking between $599,000 and $714,983, with fees of roughly $416 to $438 a month. The fee band is narrow, which suggests a consistent formula across similar homes.

The spread in asking prices mostly reflects condition and size. In a 1971 complex, a fully updated home with a finished basement and newer mechanical systems should command a clear premium over one that still needs work. Whether these asking prices reflect that properly is something to test against recent sales.

Condos.ca does not give a square-foot average here, so the best benchmark is recorded sales in this complex and in nearby townhouse corporations. The panel on this page shows those figures, and I can prepare a building sold report before you make an offer.

Remember that the fee is only part of your monthly cost. Add hydro, gas, your own unit insurance, and the furnace and air conditioner if the declaration makes those yours.

Building specifications

Jatin’s honest take on 50 King Henrys Boulevard Townhouses

50 King Henrys Boulevard Townhouses — frequently asked questions

Looking at Agincourt, L’Amoreaux, Milliken, Dorset Park and Wexford in Scarborough more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.