Buying a Home in Etobicoke

If you are looking to buy a Toronto home, living in Etobicoke is one possibility. Etobicoke is an area in the west of Toronto, Canada. It is bordered by Lake Ontario, the Humber River, Etobicoke Creek and Steeles Avenue West. The Toronto Pearson International Airport sits on its border.

Etobicoke is less densely populated than the rest of Toronto due to the high level of industrial land, which are served by the major highways that serve the area. Unfortunately public transport is not so common, with few rapid transit connections, so most people use the very frequent bus routes.

The central and southern areas have better public transit systems as they are closer to the city centre.

Etobicoke has many public parks including The Humber Bay Park and James Garden, both on the banks of the Humber River. The areas such as The Kingsway, New Toronto and Long Branch have many open spaces, restaurants and a certain café society. St George’s Golf and Country Club, the third best in Canada, is situated in Etobicoke. The area is well served by schools, including several private Catholic schools.

Although there are several new multi storey condominiums, most of the real estate consists of single family dwellings. The large condominiums are mostly along the Humber River and these have given Enotbicoke a “skyline”.

Kingsway South, in particular is an area for the more affluent where over 50% of the households have a net income in excess of CAN$100,000 per year. The price of houses matches these incomes as does the shopping and recreational facilities.

The centre of Etobicoke is more middle class. There are some areas, such as Rexdal that are more neglected. The north, in particular consists of numerous high density apartments, although they are set amongst large parks and fields.

Etobicoke is generally divided into three large neighbourhoods:

• The Lakeshore: This is, as the name suggests is along the north shore of Lake Ontario. The signature development of this area is the McGuiness Whiskey factory, converted into a high-rise loft condo in the late 1990s, and now the key building of the Mystic Pointe development.

• Central Etobicoke: This is an elite area if you are thinking of buying a home in Etobicoke and there are many large properties nestled amongst gardens and treed avenues. Along the East and West Mall parallel to Highway 427 there is a mix of hi-rise rentals, townhouses and post war bungalows.

• Rexdale: In northern Etobicoke, the area has many apartment buildings as well as a large 'skyway' industrial park to the west. The area is much poorer and faces many of the problems associated with largely industrial areas.

So if you are rich or not so rich and thinking of buying a home in Etobicoke you are sure to find a house suitable for your needs.