Four Winds Condos, 21-37 Four Winds Dr: Big 1970s Suites Near York U

Four Winds Condos is where I look when a buyer near York University needs three or four bedrooms and a budget that a new tower cannot meet. The suites at 21-37 Four Winds Drive date from the early 1970s, they are generously sized, and the fee includes parking. The records for this address also contain some contradictions, and I would sort those out before writing an offer. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

A 1970s complex built for families, not investors

Four Winds Drive was built in the era when developers like Cadillac Fairview were putting up large suburban complexes for households, not for one-bedroom investors. You can see it in the unit mix. Of the seven suites for sale when I checked, every one had at least two bedrooms, and several had three or four bedrooms plus a den.

That is the main reason this building exists for a buyer today. A new condo near the York University and Finch West stations will give you a glossy one-bedroom; it will rarely give you a four-bedroom suite at a price an ordinary family can carry. Four Winds does, and the trade-off is a building that is more than 50 years old.

Listing addresses run from 21 to 37 Four Winds Drive, and the suites do not all look alike. Some carry low unit numbers that suggest ground-related or multi-level suites, while others are on upper floors of an apartment block. Ask your agent which kind of suite you are looking at, because the floor plan, the entrance and the parking arrangement can all differ.

The records here do not all agree

Condos.ca lists 3,360 suites for this corporation. I do not believe that number describes 21-37 Four Winds Drive; it is far too large for an 11-storey building and its neighbours, and it may be counting a wider area. Treat the suite count as unconfirmed and get the real figure from the status certificate.

The second puzzle is the corporation number. TSCC-1749 sits in a range Toronto issued in the mid-2000s, yet the recorded registration date is 1972. One explanation is that the property was built in the early 1970s and registered as a condominium later, but I have not confirmed that. If it is the case, the corporation’s own reserve fund history is shorter than the building’s age, and that is worth understanding.

There is also a conflict on amenities. One online building profile mentions a seasonal outdoor pool, while condos.ca lists only visitor parking, a parking garage, BBQs permitted and pet restrictions. Do not pay for a pool until you have seen it in the declaration and the budget.

Fees, parking and what a 50-year-old building costs to run

The fee covers common elements, building insurance and parking. Heat, hydro and water are not listed as inclusions, so ask for actual utility bills before you compare this with an all-inclusive building nearby.

Across the active listings, fees averaged about $0.88 per square foot. Monthly fees ranged from roughly $376 to $1,051. The lowest figure is far below the rest, so check whether it reflects a different suite type or a data entry error rather than a bargain.

Age is the real cost driver. A complex from the early 1970s has been through windows, roofs, garage repairs and at least one generation of mechanical systems, or it has those projects still ahead. The reserve fund study tells you which. It is the single most important document in this purchase. Read the last few years of board minutes too, because they show which projects the board has been putting off and why.

Living in York University Heights

The daily reality here is shaped by York University. Demand for rentals is steady because students and staff want to live close to campus, which helps an investor. For an owner-occupier, it can mean more turnover in the hallways than a quieter suburban building would have.

The neighbourhood has changed a great deal since this complex was built. The subway extension and the stations it brought have made the area far easier to reach, and the data panel on this page shows the nearest stops. Black Creek Pioneer Village and the green space around the campus are part of the local landscape.

That rental demand has a financing side too. In a building near a campus, some lenders look closely at how many suites are owner-occupied and what the leasing rules allow. If you need a high-ratio mortgage, ask your lender early whether this corporation raises any questions, and get the leasing figures from the status certificate rather than guessing from the hallway.

Pets are listed under restrictions rather than as allowed. If you have a dog, read the declaration and rules before you fall in love with a suite.

What Four Winds Condos costs

Condos.ca puts the building average at about $613 per square foot. That is modest for Toronto, and it reflects both the age of the building and the large suite sizes, which pull the per-square-foot figure down.

When I checked, there were seven suites for sale and none for lease. Asking prices ran from $410,000 to $769,900. That is a lot of bedrooms for the money compared with newer buildings around the subway, but asking prices are not sale prices. My building sold report will show you what actually traded here.

When you compare fees, add the utilities that are not included back in. A newer one-bedroom nearby may have a lower fee, but it is not the same product, and per-square-foot fees in older buildings almost always look higher because they fund more repairs.

Building specifications

Amenities at Four Winds Condos

This is not an amenity building. What you are buying is space and parking, and if a pool or gym matters to you, confirm what actually exists and what it costs to run before you count it.

Jatin’s honest take on Four Winds Condos

Four Winds Condos — frequently asked questions

Looking at Downsview, Weston, York University Heights, Rexdale and northwest Toronto more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.