The Evergreens, Rameau Dr: 1974 Townhouses With Garages and Yards

The Evergreens is where I point families who want the pieces of a house, a garage, a backyard and a basement, without paying for a detached lot in North York. It is a 1974 townhouse complex on two quiet composer-named streets off Leslie and Finch, and many of the homes have been updated well. The question is never the house alone; it is the 50-year-old corporation behind it. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Two streets, one complex, and a neighbour across the road

The Evergreens spreads across two addresses: 55 to 65 Rameau Drive and the odd-numbered side of Liszt Gate, 1 to 23. Like the rest of this pocket, the streets are named after composers, part of the townhouse building wave that filled North York between Finch and Steeles in the 1970s.

The even numbers on Liszt Gate, 2 to 8, are a separate complex on condos.ca, with Wilson Blanchard listed as manager rather than ICC. Further east on Rameau Drive there are more townhouse complexes again. When you compare homes on these streets, check which corporation each one belongs to, because fees, reserves and rules can differ a lot between neighbours.

Condos.ca records 1974 as both the build and registration year, with no developer or corporation number. That is normal for a complex this age; your lawyer will confirm the corporation from the status certificate.

Garage, yard and a lower level that earns its keep

Recent MLS records here describe three-bedroom brick townhouses with a room on the lower level, about 1,200 to 1,400 square feet above grade, gas forced-air heating, central air and a fireplace. Homes come with an attached garage, and the records show two parking spaces, which in practice means the garage plus the driveway.

The detail I like most is the yard. Homes here have their own backyards, and MLS notes that barbecues are allowed, which is not a given in every condo complex. A finished lower level, sometimes with a separate entrance, gives you a family room, office or space for an older child or a parent.

Condition varies widely. Some homes have been renovated top to bottom with new windows, doors and furnaces; others are closer to original. That spread is why two homes in the same complex can sell very differently, and why the inspection matters as much as the price.

What the fee covers, and what to confirm

Building insurance is recorded as included in the fee. Condos.ca does not list the rest, so ask for the full breakdown before you compare with another complex. In townhouse complexes of this era owners often pay their own heat, hydro and water, which belongs in your monthly budget.

Pets are marked on MLS as allowed with restrictions. I have not seen the rules themselves, so read the declaration and by-laws in the status certificate before you count on bringing a large dog. The same applies to leasing: homes here do come up for rent, but check the rules before you buy as an investor.

Ask, too, who is responsible for windows, doors, fences and driveways. The declaration sets out the split between owner and corporation, and in a complex where many owners have already replaced their own windows, that split affects both your costs and the reserve fund.

Daily life north of Finch

This is a quiet, family-oriented part of North York. Hillcrest Village runs from Finch to Steeles and from Leslie east to Victoria Park, with the Don Valley and Duncan Creek giving the east side its ravines. Listings here mention a short street that ends at a trail leading into a park, which is the kind of thing children notice before their parents do.

Errands mostly happen by car or bus. Highway 404 and the 401 are a short drive, and TTC buses run along Finch and Leslie. Seneca College’s Newnham campus is in the neighbourhood. The panel on this page lists the nearest stations, parks and schools with walking times.

The trade-off is clear. You are not walking to a subway or a strip of cafes, and a second car is common for families here. In return, the internal streets carry little traffic, the trees are mature, and the yards and ravine parkland give children room to play outside.

Pricing: space for the money, condition is the variable

There was a single home for sale here when I prepared this review, plus a couple of homes for lease, so there is no meaningful range of active asking prices to quote. Condos.ca does not publish a building average per square foot for the complex.

Three-bedroom condo townhouses with a garage in this part of North York generally sell well below detached houses on the surrounding streets. Inside The Evergreens, the biggest swing factors are renovation level, lower-level finish and the yard, so compare a home with recent sales in this complex first, then with the neighbouring Liszt Gate and Rameau Drive complexes.

A renovated home with new windows and a newer furnace is worth more, but only up to a point; buyers here are mostly paying for the space and the garage, so do not overpay for finishes you would have chosen differently.

Add up the full monthly cost, the fee plus your utilities and property tax, before deciding a fee is high or low. For recent sold figures here and nearby, request a building sold report and I will send them to you.

Building specifications

Amenities at The Evergreens

There is no gym, pool or concierge listed here. The amenities are the ones built into each home, a garage, a yard where barbecues are allowed and visitor parking for guests, which for most families matter more day to day than a party room would.

Jatin’s honest take on The Evergreens

The Evergreens — frequently asked questions

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