120 Murison Blvd Townhouses: 26 Homes Near Sheppard and Morningside

120 Murison Boulevard is one of the smallest condominium corporations I have reviewed in Malvern: 26 townhouses, registered in 1979, near the corner of Sheppard and Morningside. Small complexes can be quiet, well-run and good value, but they leave little room for a bad surprise. Here is what I would want to know before buying. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

A late-1970s complex in Malvern East

Malvern grew out of a planned community. In the late 1950s, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation expropriated farmland here to build a model community of affordable homes, and the first residents arrived in 1972. By the time 120 Murison Boulevard registered in December 1979, the neighbourhood was filling out eastward towards Morningside.

YCC-500 sits late in the old York County series of corporation numbers, which predates the Metro Toronto (MTCC) and Toronto (TSCC) series. Its next-door number in that series, YCC-501 at 4662 Kingston Road in West Hill, registered just six days later.

Condos.ca does not name the builder, and I could not confirm one. At 47 years old, the more useful history is in the corporation’s records: what has been replaced, when, and how it was paid for.

What 26 owners share

In a 26-home complex, every major project is divided among very few owners. A roofing or paving job that costs a high-rise owner a few hundred dollars can cost each owner here many thousands. The work does not get smaller because the complex is small.

That makes the reserve fund study the first thing I would read. Check the balance, the planned contributions and the major items due in the next ten years, such as roofs, windows, doors, paving and any shared parking structure, and compare the contributions with the budget. Then read two or three years of board minutes, and ask in writing whether any special assessment or major project has been discussed.

The good news about small complexes is that problems tend to be visible. Board members live on site, and the fee is not carrying a concierge, gym or pool. Condos.ca lists Eastway Property Management as manager, so ask how long they have been in place and how often the reserve fund study is updated.

Family-sized homes, and what to inspect

Condos.ca does not publish suite sizes for this complex, but the home on the market when I checked was listed as four bedrooms, which tells you these were built with families in mind. Measure what you are buying rather than relying on a listing description, because finished basements and renovations change usable space.

Inside, a 1979 townhouse is only as current as its last update. Ask about the age of the furnace, air conditioner and water heater, the electrical panel and the windows, and check for permits on any basement or kitchen work. The declaration will tell you which of those items are yours to maintain and which belong to the corporation.

Condos.ca lists a parking garage and visitor parking, and barbecues as permitted. Confirm what parking comes with the home and how it is held, and read the rules for any limits on barbecues.

Townhouse living also changes the day-to-day compared with an apartment. You get your own front door and usually more storage, and the noise you share with neighbours comes through the side walls rather than the ceiling. You also get stairs, which suit a young family well and suit some downsizers less as the years go on, so think about how long you plan to stay.

Sheppard and Morningside, now and later

This corner of Malvern East is residential, with townhouse complexes and houses on the surrounding streets. A short walk along Murison Boulevard is 200 Murison Boulevard Townhomes, an 82-home Perez Corporation complex from 1985, which is a useful comparison. The Rouge Valley and the Toronto Zoo are both in the vicinity of Malvern.

The proposed Scarborough East Rapid Transit line would come north on Morningside Avenue from the University of Toronto Scarborough campus and then run west along Sheppard Avenue, with a Morningside–Sheppard stop and a Sheppard–Brenyon stop before it splits towards Malvern Town Centre and Sheppard and McCowan. A 2017 version of the plan even included a stop named for Murison Boulevard.

The same plan includes a short non-revenue track along Sheppard east of Morningside to a proposed maintenance and storage facility at Conlins Road, although the City has also said it would look at other sites. All of this is still in planning, so treat it as a long-term factor. The panel on this page shows today’s transit, schools and shops.

What 120 Murison Boulevard costs

Condos.ca showed one home for sale when I checked. A single listing is not a market, so I am not quoting its price or fee, and condos.ca does not publish sizes or an average price per square foot here.

With 26 homes, sales are rare, and a single sale can make the complex look cheap or expensive in any given year. Look at several years of sales, and compare with 200 Murison Boulevard and other Malvern townhouse complexes of a similar age.

Within the complex, condition and the corporation’s finances will matter more than size. Updated kitchens and bathrooms and newer mechanical systems are what buyers pay for, and in a corporation this small, a healthy reserve fund is worth paying for too.

For recent sold figures, use the panel on this page, or ask me for a building sold report.

Building specifications

Amenities at 120 Murison Blvd Townhouses

Parking, visitor parking and permission to barbecue are the whole list. That suits a small family complex: there are no shared facilities to staff or replace, and the Rouge Valley close by is the outdoor space.

Jatin’s honest take on 120 Murison Blvd Townhouses

120 Murison Blvd Townhouses — frequently asked questions

Looking at Scarborough Bluffs, West Hill, Guildwood, Woburn, Malvern and Rouge more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.