Upper Beaches Residences, Gerrard St E: 28 Large Townhomes Near Woodbine

Upper Beaches Residences is a condo you buy for the house, not the building. It is a 2010 complex of 28 four-level townhomes of about 1,875 sq ft each, on Gerrard East, Ted Reeve Drive and Sargent Lane, east of Woodbine. If you need family-sized space in the east end and cannot stretch to a detached house, this is one of the complexes I would look at first. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Townhomes under a condo corporation

This is not an apartment building. Condos.ca’s own description calls the complex Upper Beach Manors, a set of townhomes on the Gerrard-Woodbine corridor, and the sales pitch was finishes that would normally count as upgrades. Each home is set over four levels, and condos.ca shows about 1,875 sq ft, which puts these among the larger condo townhomes in the east end. That size is the reason to buy here.

Because it is a condominium rather than freehold, you own your unit and share ownership of the common elements, such as the lanes, landscaping and parts of the exterior. Exactly which parts each owner maintains is set out in the declaration. Read it before you buy, because that list decides who pays for the roof, the windows and the front steps.

One naming warning. There are several similar names nearby: Upper Beach Townes at 2320 Gerrard Street East and the Upper Beach Villas townhomes on Philpott Gardens are separate complexes. Make sure the status certificate and the comparables you look at are for TSCC-2068.

Four levels: what that means day to day

Four-level townhomes give you a lot of space on a small footprint, and usually a separation between living, sleeping and work areas that apartments cannot match. The trade-off is stairs, every day, with groceries and children and laundry. Walk the whole house, top to bottom, and picture doing it daily.

Ask about parking for the specific home, since condos.ca does not list parking as a fee inclusion. In townhomes like these it is typically an integral garage or a pad that belongs with the unit, so confirm what comes with the one you want. Condos.ca also lists visitor parking, BBQ permission and a pet-friendly designation; check the declaration for any limits on pets.

Think about outdoor space as well. Depending on the plan, a four-level townhome may have a terrace, a balcony or a small yard rather than a full garden. Check which outdoor areas belong exclusively to the home and who is responsible for maintaining them, because that is set by the declaration and can differ between units in the same complex.

What a 2010 townhouse complex needs now

At more than 15 years old, this complex is past its warranty years and heading toward its first round of major exterior work. In condo townhomes the usual items are roofs, windows and sliding doors, balconies and terraces, caulking, private lanes and paving, and in some complexes a shared underground garage. Which of these the corporation pays for, and which you pay for, depends on the declaration.

Because the fee here covers only common elements and insurance, the monthly figure can look low next to an apartment condo. That is fair, since you pay your own utilities, but make sure the low fee is not hiding a thin reserve fund. Read the reserve fund study and compare the planned contributions with the work it lists over the next ten years.

Finally, ask about upgrades. Four-level homes of this age often have owner renovations, such as finished lower levels or changed rooftop terraces. Confirm that any work touching common elements or the structure was approved by the corporation, and get the paperwork.

Gerrard and Woodbine, the Upper Beach edge

The complex sits on Gerrard Street East east of Woodbine, on the edge between the Danforth’s East End and the Upper Beach. It is a more residential, less touristy stretch than Queen Street in the Beach, with local shops along Gerrard and the larger retail strips a short drive away. Main Street and the Danforth are within reach for bigger errands.

The real appeal of this pocket is family life: the street grid is quiet, and the parks and schools nearby are a big reason people move here. The automatic panel on this page shows transit, schools, groceries and parks for the address, so I will not repeat them here.

What Upper Beaches Residences costs to own

Condos.ca does not publish an average price per square foot for this complex, and there were no homes for sale or for rent at the time of writing. With 28 homes and long-term owners, listings are infrequent, so expect to wait.

The right comparison is not condo apartments but other townhomes and semi-detached houses nearby. A 1,875 sq ft condo townhome should trade at a discount to a freehold semi of similar size, reflecting the monthly fee and the shared decision-making, and at a premium to a smaller stacked townhouse. My building sold report will show you what has actually traded.

The fee covers only common elements and building insurance. Heat, hydro and water are the owner’s, as they would be in a house, so ask for a year of utility bills. The upside of a short inclusion list is that you pay for your own use, not your neighbours’.

Building specifications

Amenities at Upper Beaches Residences

There are no shared amenity rooms; the amenity is your own house, with its own entrance and outdoor space. That keeps fees modest and the common elements simple to run.

Jatin’s honest take on Upper Beaches Residences

Upper Beaches Residences — frequently asked questions

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