Vista, 275 Bamburgh Cir: Suites to 1,800 sq ft, Hydro in the Fee

Vista is where I look on Bamburgh Circle when a buyer needs house-sized space in a condo. Condos.ca lists suites up to about 1,824 square feet, a fee that covers hydro, heat and air conditioning, and both an indoor and an outdoor pool. It is a 1987 building, and the fee is substantial, so the numbers have to be read carefully. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

The bigger twin on Bamburgh Circle

Vista and Trillium, at 275 and 225 Bamburgh Circle, are a matched pair. Both were registered in 1987, both have 223 suites, both are run by Del Property Management and both list indoor and outdoor pools, according to condos.ca. Vista registered first, in February, and Trillium followed in July.

The difference that matters is suite size. Vista’s range runs from about 863 to 1,824 square feet, against about 876 to 1,644 at Trillium, so the largest plans here are noticeably bigger. A suite over 1,800 square feet is genuinely rare in Toronto at this price level.

Expect 1980s planning in those large suites: enclosed kitchens, separate dining rooms, generous closets and more hallway than a modern open plan. Many have been renovated piecemeal over the years, so two suites of the same size can feel very different. Budget for updating if the suite is original, and price that into your offer rather than discovering it later.

They remain separate corporations: Vista is MTCC-726, Trillium is MTCC-741. Each has its own board and reserve fund, so a strong record at one tells you nothing certain about the other. I could not confirm the original developer of either; the declaration will name it.

Read the fee list closely: parking

Condos.ca lists common elements, heat, hydro, air conditioning, water, cable TV and building insurance in Vista’s fee. Unlike Trillium’s list, it does not mention parking.

That may be a gap in the data or a real difference between the two buildings. Before you compare the twins, ask whether parking is owned with the suite, included in the fee or charged separately, and whether a locker comes with it. On a large suite where you are likely to have a car, that question changes the monthly math.

The rest of the list is generous. Hydro, heat and cooling are the biggest variable bills a condo owner usually pays, and in an 1,800-square-foot suite they would be considerable. Here they are folded into one number, which suits anyone on a fixed budget.

The trade-off is that energy price increases reach every owner through the fee. Ask the manager how the last two budgets handled utility costs, and whether the bulk cable contract is still in place and when it renews.

The height question

Condos.ca lists Vista as two storeys and calls it a low-rise, but listings at this address show suite numbers in the 1700s, so it is a high-rise tower. I could not confirm the exact storey count from a reliable public source.

If height and view drive your decision, check the condominium plan or ask the manager. On a loop of similar towers, the floor and exposure of your suite matter more than anything in the brochure, and a high floor facing open space is worth paying for.

Large suites in older buildings also sell to a narrower audience than one-bedrooms do, and that cuts both ways. Fewer buyers compete with you when you purchase, but fewer will compete for your suite when you sell, so buy here with a long holding period in mind.

Two pools on a quiet loop

Condos.ca lists an indoor pool, an outdoor pool, a sauna, a security guard, a security system and a parking garage. An indoor pool for the winter and an outdoor one for the summer is a package almost no building since 2000 has offered.

Pools are also among the more expensive items for an older corporation to maintain, so look for them by name in the reserve fund study and ask when each was last refinished.

Bamburgh Circle is a quiet residential loop of 1980s towers, including Bridlewoode Place I to III, Monterey, Skypark and Trillium. It is not a walk-everywhere location for most errands. The data panel on this page shows the transit, shops, parks and schools around it.

What Vista costs

Condos.ca puts the building average at about $432 per square foot. On the same loop it lists Trillium at about $461, Bridlewoode Place II at about $434, Bridlewoode Place III at about $428, Monterey at about $420, Bridlewoode Place I at about $393 and Skypark at about $367. Vista sits in the middle.

Two suites were listed for sale when I checked, asking from $499,000 to $659,000, with monthly fees between about $1,310 and $1,511. Two more were listed for lease. The data panel on this page shows aggregate sales and rents over the last twelve months.

Those fees are large in dollars, and a buyer used to a $600 fee in a newer one-bedroom will flinch. Set them against what they replace: hydro, heating and cooling for a large suite, plus water and cable. Compare total monthly cost, fee plus tax plus any separate parking charge, against a newer building’s fee, parking and utilities before you decide it is expensive.

The two lease listings tell you there is a rental market here too, though I would not buy a suite this size mainly as an investment. With fees above $1,300 a month, the numbers work best for an owner who lives in the suite and values the space.

Building specifications

Amenities at Vista

Two pools and a sauna give Vista a year-round recreation package that newer towers rarely match. For a family or a retiree who swims, that is a daily benefit; for everyone else, it is a cost to weigh in the reserve fund.

Jatin’s honest take on Vista

Vista — frequently asked questions

Looking at Agincourt, L’Amoreaux, Milliken, Dorset Park and Wexford in Scarborough more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.