65 Alvin Ave: A Two-Home Condominium Near Yonge and St. Clair

65 Alvin Avenue is a condominium with two homes. Not two buildings, two homes. That makes it closer to owning half of a semi-detached house than to owning a condo, with a legal structure that most buyers have never dealt with. If you understand what you are signing up for, it can be a smart way to get a large house-sized home in midtown. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Two homes, one corporation

Most people picture a condominium as an apartment building. Legally, a condominium can be as small as two homes, and that is what MTCC-668 is: 65 and 67 Alvin Avenue, registered together in 1985, sharing whatever the declaration defines as common property.

In practice, each owner has a house-sized home and one neighbour who is also their only fellow board member. There is no manager listed, no amenities, and no buffer. Every decision about the roof, the driveway, insurance or the exterior is a decision the two of you make together.

That can be the easiest arrangement in the world if the neighbours get along and plan sensibly. It can also be very hard if they don’t, because a two-owner corporation has no tie-breaker. Before you buy, you need to understand both the paperwork and the person next door.

A sensible two-unit corporation usually has a simple written arrangement for the basics: a shared bank account for common costs, an agreed way to get quotes and approve repairs, and a plan for the roof and any shared structure. Ask whether that exists here, and ask to see it in writing rather than relying on a handshake between the current owners.

What the homes are like

One home here has been described as a two-storey townhouse with four bedrooms and three bathrooms, about 302 to 325 square metres, or roughly 3,250 to 3,500 square feet. That is the size of a substantial detached house, and far larger than almost any condo apartment in midtown.

The same record lists forced-air heating and garage parking, though it shows the number of spaces inconsistently. Confirm how many spaces come with each home, whether the garage is part of your unit or a common element, and how the driveway is shared.

The homes date from the mid-1980s, so expect a layout of that era unless they have been renovated. Kitchens, bathrooms, windows and mechanical systems may be original or updated depending on each owner. Ask what has been done and when, and get a full home inspection, as you would for a house.

If the two homes are attached, pay special attention to anything physically shared between them: the party wall, the roof where the two halves meet, the foundation, and any shared drains or services. These are the items most likely to become joint repairs, and the declaration will tell you whether they are common property or each owner’s responsibility.

The paperwork matters more than usual

With two units, the declaration is the most important document you will read. It sets out what you own outright, what is common property, who pays for what, and how decisions are made. Some two-unit condominiums are set up so that each owner is responsible for almost everything on their side; others share far more.

Ask your lawyer to review the declaration, by-laws, any shared agreements and the status certificate in full. Ask whether the corporation has a reserve fund study, a bank account, insurance in its own name and up-to-date financial records. Very small corporations sometimes let these slide, and it becomes your problem on closing.

Speak to your lender early. Some lenders treat a two-unit condominium differently from a freehold semi or a larger condo, and you want to know that before you firm up an offer. Your insurer will also want to know exactly what the corporation covers and what you need to insure yourself.

Living on Alvin Avenue

Alvin Avenue is a residential street near Yonge Street and St. Clair Avenue, in the area where Deer Park meets Moore Park and Summerhill. The shops, restaurants and services of Yonge and St. Clair are a walk away, and the ravines and parks of Moore Park are close. The data panel on this page covers transit, schools and parks.

For buyers comparing options, the nearest alternatives are other small townhouse condominiums around Yonge and St. Clair, such as 11 Woodlawn Avenue West and 95 Summerhill Avenue Townhouses, and freehold semis on the surrounding streets.

Pricing: value it like a house

There were no homes listed for sale or rent when I checked, and with two homes there is no building average to speak of. A sale here might happen once in many years.

I would value a home at 65 Alvin like a semi-detached house of similar size in Deer Park, Moore Park or Summerhill, then adjust for the condominium structure. Some buyers will pay slightly less because of the shared decision-making and lending questions; others will see the shared costs as a plus. Condition, parking and the quality of the paperwork will move the price more than anything else.

As a seller, the same logic applies in reverse. A tidy file, with the declaration, insurance, a simple budget and records of past shared repairs, makes a buyer and their lender comfortable and protects your price.

Because comparables are so few, be ready to support any offer with your own research. My building sold report can show what has traded nearby, or book a call and I will walk you through the comparable houses.

Building specifications

Jatin’s honest take on 65 Alvin Avenue Townhomes

65 Alvin Avenue Townhomes — frequently asked questions

Looking at Yorkville, the Annex and Midtown more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.