8 Hawthorn Avenue: 13 Suites in South Rosedale, Fireplaces and a Roof Deck

8 Hawthorn Avenue is how you get into South Rosedale without paying South Rosedale house prices. It is a 1984 brick building of 13 suites over four storeys, on a quiet residential street among older houses, with a shared roof deck, a backyard and wood-burning fireplaces in the suites. It is also one of the cheapest buildings per square foot in the area, and the reasons for that are worth understanding before you buy. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

A brick boutique on a house street

Many of Rosedale’s condominiums are towers along Bloor Street East. 8 Hawthorn sits instead on a residential street of older houses and mature trees, and from the sidewalk it reads as a low brick building rather than a condo. Listings describe a wooded setting, and that is the main reason people choose it.

With 13 suites over four storeys, it is small enough that you will know every neighbour. There is an elevator, which matters for anyone planning to stay into later life, and the shared spaces are outdoor ones: a rooftop terrace with room for barbecues and a small garden, and a backyard that residents share.

For buyers who want Rosedale’s streets, the ravines and the Evergreen Brick Works within walking distance, without a house to maintain, the format makes a lot of sense. It is the opposite of a tower: no lobby scene, no amenity floor and very little turnover.

Small buildings have a governance side too. With 13 owners, a handful of people sit on the board and every decision, from a roof replacement to a new rule on renovations, is made by neighbours you will see in the elevator. Read the last year or two of board minutes; they are short in a building this size, and they tell you more about how it is run than any listing will.

Suites, fireplaces and the size question

Condos.ca records suite sizes of about 1,318 to 1,853 sq ft, but recent listings do not all fit that range. One described a single-level two-bedroom of about 989 sq ft, and a two-level penthouse was described as about 1,520 sq ft in its text while its listing data put it at 1,200 to 1,399 sq ft. Sizes here are not settled, so measure, or ask for a floor plan, before you compare prices per square foot.

The suites have character. Listings describe wood-burning fireplaces, walls of windows with Juliette balconies, sunrooms or solariums off the main rooms, and, on the top floor, two-level penthouse plans with skylights. Those are features you rarely find in a newer building, and they suit buyers who want a suite that feels like a home rather than a unit.

A wood-burning fireplace is also something to check. Ask when the chimneys were last inspected and cleaned, whether the corporation or the owner is responsible for them, and whether there are any rules on use. In a 1984 building, that is a reasonable question to put to the manager.

Electric heat and what the fee leaves out

The maintenance fee includes common elements, building insurance, parking and water. Heat and hydro are not included, and listings describe the suites as heated by forced-air electric systems. That is the detail I would want every buyer to understand before making an offer.

Electric heat in a Toronto winter can be expensive, particularly in a suite with large windows or a top-floor plan. Ask the seller for twelve months of hydro bills, and add that monthly average to the fee when you compare this building with one where heat is included.

Fees themselves are not low. Two recent listings showed fees of roughly $1,570 to $1,890 a month, which on suites of these sizes works out to about $1.20 to $1.60 per square foot, before hydro. Small buildings carry their roof, elevator and garage costs across very few owners, and that shows up here.

Parking, pets and daily life

Listings describe one underground parking space with suites, with additional rental parking sometimes available, and an out-of-suite storage locker. Confirm exactly what is attached to the suite you are buying.

Recent listings describe the building as pet-friendly, and one specified a limit of one cat or one dog. I would not rely on a listing for that, so read the declaration and rules if you have a pet. Day to day, you are among the ravine trails and quiet streets of South Rosedale, with the Bloor Street East shops and the walk toward Yorkville within reach. Transit, schools and Walk Score are shown in the data panel on this page.

Pricing and fees at 8 Hawthorn

Condos.ca puts the building average at about $602 per square foot. That is low for Rosedale, and it is in line with older towers nearby, such as the Rosedale Ravine Residences at 388 Bloor East at about $604 and The Three Sixty at 360 Bloor East at about $578.

No suites were listed for sale or for lease when I checked, which is normal for a 13-suite building. The low average reflects the building’s age, electric heat that sits outside the fee, and finishes that vary widely between suites. It also reflects the size question above: if the recorded square footage is off, so is the per-square-foot figure.

If you are waiting for a suite here, it helps to know the recorded resale history in advance. Ask me for the building sold report.

Building specifications

Amenities at 8 Hawthorn Avenue Condos

The amenities are outdoor and low-key: a roof deck for summer evenings, a shared garden and a backyard. If you want a gym or a concierge, this is the wrong building, but for a South Rosedale address that is rarely the point.

Jatin’s honest take on 8 Hawthorn Avenue Condos

8 Hawthorn Avenue Condos — 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.