Yorkdale Court, 2961 Dufferin St: A 60-Suite Starter Building

Yorkdale Court is a building for one kind of buyer: someone who wants to own a small place in Toronto for the price of a large down payment elsewhere. It is an eight-storey, 60-suite condominium from 1977 on Dufferin Street, with suites from studio size to about 730 square feet. It is small, plain and practical, and the questions it raises are the ones every small old building raises. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

One of the smallest corporations you will find

Sixty suites over eight floors is a very small condominium. There are only a handful of suites per floor, the lobby and corridors are shared with few neighbours, and you are likely to know the people on your floor by name. For buyers coming from a large rental tower, that is a real change.

The cost of that intimacy is concentration. Every repair, from the roof to the elevators, is split among only 60 owners. A major project that would add a few dollars a month in a 400-suite tower can mean a noticeable fee increase or a special assessment here. That is why I treat the reserve fund study as the most important page in the status certificate for this building.

Condos.ca lists Mynik Investments as the builder. I could not find a published architect or much else about the original project, so I would judge the building on its records rather than its pedigree.

Small suites, from about 280 to 730 square feet

Condos.ca’s size data runs from about 281 to 734 square feet. The small end is a true studio, smaller than most new condo studios; the large end is a comfortable one-bedroom. There are no family-sized suites in that range.

That makes this a building for singles, first-time buyers and investors looking for an entry-level suite. If you might need a second bedroom within a few years, you will outgrow it, and you should buy with an exit in mind.

In a 1977 building, the condition of each suite varies. Ask what has been updated, including the kitchen, bathroom, flooring, electrical panel and windows, and whether the work had permits. In a suite this small, a good renovation of the kitchen and storage changes how the whole space works.

If you are buying to rent the suite out, read the declaration and rules for anything that affects leasing before you firm up, and ask the manager how many suites are currently rented. I have not seen those documents for this building, so I am not going to guess what they say. Small suites near a major mall and highway tend to draw steady tenant interest, but the building’s own rules come first.

Heat and parking in the fee, hydro on you

Condos.ca lists the fee as covering common elements, heat, water, parking and building insurance. Hydro, air conditioning and cable are not on that list, so expect your own electricity bill and ask how the suite is cooled.

Parking included in the fee is unusual for a building with suites this small, and it is a real saving if you drive. Confirm that the suite you are buying has a space, since not every small suite in an older building comes with one, and ask whether there is a locker. Condos.ca also lists visitor parking.

There were no listings when I checked, so I cannot give a current fee range. Ask for the fee schedule and the latest budget, and look at how the fee has moved over the past five years.

Dufferin Street, south of Yorkdale

This is a busy stretch of Dufferin Street with Highway 401 and Yorkdale Shopping Centre to the north. Daily life here means the mall, the shops along Dufferin and quick highway access. The panel beside this review shows the nearest stations and bus routes.

The bigger change is at Yorkdale itself. Oxford Properties has presented a master plan to keep the mall and redevelop its surface parking into 19 towers of 12 to 40 storeys with about 5,126 homes, plus offices, a hotel and three new city parks, according to UrbanToronto. The tower heights depend on the decommissioning of the Downsview airport, and the plan was described as a 20- to 30-year build-out.

For an owner at Yorkdale Court, that means a long period of construction a short distance north and, over time, new parks and more services near the mall. It is not likely to change the character of this stretch of Dufferin in the next few years.

Pricing: about $540 a square foot

Condos.ca puts the building average at about $540 per square foot. That is higher per foot than many older North York towers with larger suites, which is normal: small suites almost always trade at a higher price per foot than large ones, even in older buildings.

Nothing was listed for sale or for rent when I checked. With only 60 suites, listings come up rarely, so the per-foot average can move a lot on just a few sales. Treat it as a rough guide, and lean on comparable small suites in nearby older buildings as well when you decide what to offer.

For what has actually traded, use the panel beside this review, or ask me for a building sold report. If you are comparing this building with a new studio, line up the full monthly cost: fee, hydro, parking and property tax. In the new building, parking is usually extra.

Building specifications

Amenities at Yorkdale Court

The amenity list is short: a party room, visitor parking, a parking garage and a security system. There is no pool or gym to maintain, which keeps a lid on costs in a small corporation, but you will need a gym membership if you want one.

Jatin’s honest take on Yorkdale Court

Yorkdale Court — 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.