425 Walmer Rd: 17 Suites, House-Sized Plans in Forest Hill South

425 Walmer Road has 17 suites across 11 storeys, which makes it a very small condominium corporation and an unusually private one. The suites run from about 1,650 to more than 3,200 square feet, closer to a house than a condo. Buying here is less about the market and more about the building’s finances and the handful of people you will share them with. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Seventeen suites, and what that really means

With 17 suites over 11 storeys, most floors here hold only one or two homes. Toronto Life, featuring a suite in its condo-of-the-week column, called it a boutique building and noted how quiet it is, which is what you would expect with so few neighbours.

That privacy is the main reason people buy here. You share an elevator with a handful of households, you know everyone on the board, and there is no stream of strangers through the lobby on a Saturday. For a buyer leaving a large Forest Hill house, that is about as close to a house as a condo gets.

The other side is that every cost is split 17 ways. A roof, an elevator modernisation, a garage repair or a window replacement lands on very few owners, so each owner’s share is larger than it would be in a 300-suite tower. The reserve fund study is the most important document you will read.

Governance works differently too. On a board drawn from 17 owners, a few people make most of the decisions, and getting a quorum or filling a seat can be hard. Read the minutes to see how decisions are made and whether owners stay involved, because in a building this small the board’s habits shape your costs directly.

Suites sized like houses

Condos.ca puts suite sizes at about 1,654 to 3,212 square feet. There is nothing small here: even the smallest suite is larger than most two-bedroom condos in midtown, and the largest is the size of a substantial detached house.

At this scale, layouts matter more than finishes. Look at how the living, dining and family spaces relate to each other, whether there is a proper principal suite with a dressing room, and how much natural light the suite gets from more than one exposure.

A building from 1986 with only 17 owners will have suites in very different states. Some will have been fully renovated, perhaps more than once, and some may be largely original. Ask what work was done, when, and whether the corporation approved it.

A rooftop terrace and a short amenity list

Toronto Life described a shared rooftop terrace with views of the downtown skyline and the Nordheimer Ravine. In a building this small, that terrace is the main shared outdoor space, and it is a real asset.

Beyond that, the amenities are about service rather than recreation. Condos.ca lists a concierge, security guard and security system, an elevator, an underground garage, visitor parking and a library. There is no pool or large gym, which keeps the operating costs under control.

Note what the fee does not include. Condos.ca lists cable TV, common elements, building insurance, parking and water, but not heat, hydro or air conditioning. In suites this large, your own utility bills will be significant, so ask the seller for 12 months of bills.

Parking is in the fee and there is an underground garage. Buyers moving from a house often have two cars, so confirm how many spaces and lockers belong to the suite, and whether any extra space could be rented or bought within the building.

Life on Walmer Road

Walmer Road north of St. Clair is a quiet, tree-lined street of mid-rise condominiums and apartment buildings at the edge of Forest Hill South. The Nordheimer Ravine runs nearby, and the shops and restaurants of St. Clair West and Forest Hill Village are close.

The street is changing. UrbanToronto lists a pre-construction proposal at 429 Walmer Road by Stafford Developments for a 20-storey, 98-suite building on the east side of Walmer north of St. Clair. If it proceeds, it would be much taller and denser than this building, so check its status and how it would affect your views and light.

Transit, schools and walkability are covered in the data panel on this page. For most owners here, the appeal is a quiet residential setting with the city close by.

What 425 Walmer Road costs

Condos.ca does not publish a building average price per square foot here, and there were no suites listed for sale when I checked. With only 17 suites, a sale may come up once in a long while, and when it does it may not be on the open market at all.

That makes pricing a matter of judgement rather than averages. The useful comparisons are other large-suite boutique buildings in Forest Hill and the Annex, and detached homes in the area, adjusted for the condition of the specific suite and its outdoor space.

If you are thinking of buying or selling here, ask me for a building sold report, and I will put together the closed sales in comparable buildings nearby. In a building like this, a single good comparable is worth more than any average.

Building specifications

Amenities at 425 Walmer Road Condos

The package is built for privacy and service: a concierge, security, a library and a shared rooftop terrace with skyline and ravine views. There is no pool or big fitness centre, which keeps the fees focused on the building itself.

Jatin’s honest take on 425 Walmer Road Condos

425 Walmer Road Condos — frequently asked questions

Looking at Yonge & Eglinton, Davisville and North Toronto more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.