York Mills Heights, 1338 York Mills Rd: Three Bedrooms Under $600K

York Mills Heights is where I look when a family needs three bedrooms in Toronto and the budget will not stretch to a townhouse. This 1975 Greenwin tower in Parkwoods has 213 suites, an outdoor pool and a fee that covers hydro, heat and parking. Most of what was listed when I checked was a three-bedroom, at prices that are hard to match anywhere near the Don Valley Parkway. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

A Greenwin building you can own

Condos.ca lists Greenwin as the builder. Greenwin is better known today as a rental landlord than as a condo developer; it still runs apartment buildings across North York, including the pair at 15 and 25 Canyon Avenue near Earl Bales Park. York Mills Heights was registered as a condominium in August 1975, the same year condos.ca gives for its completion.

That history matters less than how the corporation has been run for the 50 years since. A building of this age has been through at least one full cycle of major repairs, so the board minutes and reserve fund study will tell you far more than the builder’s name.

At 18 storeys and 213 suites, the corporation is mid-sized: big enough to spread repair costs across many owners, small enough that the board and the manager can know the building well. Resale buyers here tend to be first-time buyers and families moving up from renting.

Compact three-bedrooms around 800 to 1,000 square feet

Condos.ca’s size data runs from about 795 to 1,036 square feet. Of the five suites listed for sale when I checked, four were three-bedrooms. That tells you what this building is: a place where families get a third bedroom in under 1,050 square feet.

A three-bedroom of that size is efficient rather than generous. Bedrooms will be modest, storage will be tight and the living and dining room will be one space. For a young family, that is often a very good trade against a two-bedroom in a newer building at the same price.

Renovation history is a large part of value in a 1975 building. Ask for the floor plan, ask what has been updated inside the suite and whether the work had permits, and compare suites on the same stack before you decide.

Two practical points for families. First, ask which suites face the quieter side of the building, since York Mills Road carries steady traffic. Second, ask about storage: with compact bedrooms, a locker and a good front closet make a real difference, and not every suite in an older building comes with a locker. The status certificate will show what is attached to the unit you are buying.

A fee of about $0.94 a square foot, and what it buys

Fees on the current listings run from about $892 to $952 a month, which condos.ca works out to about $0.94 per square foot. Condos.ca lists the fee as covering common elements, heat, hydro, water, parking, cable TV and building insurance.

On a per-foot basis that looks high next to a newer building in the $0.60s, but the newer building almost never includes hydro, heat or parking. Once you add those bills back, the gap closes and sometimes reverses.

Air conditioning is not on the condos.ca inclusion list. Ask how the suite is cooled and who pays to run and replace the equipment. When the corporation pays the hydro, energy prices flow into the fee, so ask how the budget has moved over the past few years.

Parkwoods day to day

This is a residential part of North York with ravines and parks close by and the Don Valley Parkway and Highway 401 a short drive away. The Parkwoods Village plaza on York Mills Road, west of the building, handles the everyday shopping. The panel beside this review shows the bus routes and nearest stations.

The plaza has been a redevelopment site on paper for years. A 2010 rezoning application from DiamondCorp proposed five apartment buildings with about 741 homes on the 2.46-hectare site. Later reports on the UrbanToronto and SkyriseCities forum describe a focus on renovating the retail instead, and I could not confirm the current status of the residential plans.

If those homes are eventually built, owners here would see construction for a few years and more services after it. For now, expect the neighbourhood to look much as it does today: settled, family-heavy and car-friendly, with the convenience of the plaza a short walk away and the parkway close enough for a quick run downtown outside rush hour.

Pricing: one of the lower entry points for three bedrooms

Condos.ca puts the building average at about $418 per square foot, which is low for Toronto and low for a 1970s tower with a pool and parking included in the fee.

Five suites were listed for sale when I checked, asking from $499,900 to $588,000, with monthly fees of about $892 to $952. One suite was listed for rent. Having five listings at once gives a buyer real choice and some room to negotiate. It also means you can compare condition, floor and exposure side by side, which is the best way to tell a fairly priced suite from one that is asking too much for an original kitchen.

For what has actually traded, use the panel beside this review, or ask me for a building sold report. When you compare this building with a newer two-bedroom at the same price, line up the full monthly cost: fee, utilities, parking and property tax.

Building specifications

Amenities at York Mills Heights

An outdoor pool is a real summer asset for families, and a gym and sauna save a membership. A security guard is a plus in a building where many residents have young children. The pool and garage are the items to watch in the reserve fund.

Jatin’s honest take on York Mills Heights

York Mills Heights — frequently asked questions

Looking at York Mills, Don Mills, Lawrence Park, Bathurst Manor and midtown-north Toronto more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.