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Riverdale

... what about the ultra-skinny reno flip semi- a block east, at $999k? That one's pretty unreasonable...

Totally agree on the house that (I think) you're talking about, though.

FWIW, we think the 'nabe is probably topping out, so we've sold and are making the 'radical lifestyle change' thing happen, partially with the proceeds. It's been a great RE run for us in Riverdale (we bought our original Riverdale townhouse in '97) but it's got to stop some time. Right? Right??? ;-)


no, it's ALWAYS a good time to buy R/E and "buy now or be priced out forever" :rolleyes:
 
Yes, that one is ridiculous.

There are a couple of other houses of interest on that street - number 83 ( I think that's the number ... ) used to be a biker gang hangout in the mid-'70s, and burned down. It was renovated by Richard Beal, who taught at OCA(D)(U) at the time and lived in the reno for a number of years. The new-build Modern house immediately to the west of it was also his work, I believe.

By the late '70s Riverdale was already seeing plenty of cheap-and-cheerful renos.
 
It seems like every semi in the neighbourhood is coming up for sale. Anyidea as to where these people are moving to?

I can't see how someone can go from Riverdale to the Boonies - would be a pretty drastic change?
 
It seems like every semi in the neighbourhood is coming up for sale. Anyidea as to where these people are moving to?

I can't see how someone can go from Riverdale to the Boonies - would be a pretty drastic change?


any idea of the demographics of the sellers?

i've noticed some are quite old, so maybe downsizing / going to old age homes / moving in with children.
some cashing in for their retirement fund?
 
Some folks, after living for decades in the city, opt to get out of their high-maintenance digs and opt for a slower, more rural lifestyle... move out past Coburg and settle into a place that's cheap compared to Toronto yet still within reach of major satellite medical facilities (Peterborough, Campbellford, Kingston, Coburg, etc). Your car insurance takes a nice dive, too. I know a few of these ex-Torontonians these days. They're glad to be out of the big city and their money goes farther than it used to.

Still, anywhere you go there's a series of trade-offs involved.
 
My former neighbours on the other side of the party wall sold and bought a condo just off Church Street to look after her Mum, and when Mum died they bought a house in France, where they now live. The couple that followed them, moved to England for a couple of years and have now returned and bought a house just around the corner from me. My most recent neighbour sold and will live in Cabbagetown for a couple of years until the condo he wants to live in is built. I seem to be getting through neighbours at quite a fast clip!
 
Some of my older relatives in Mississauga have opted out of their long-time suburban homes in favour of condo living... everything on one floor, no more stairs to negotiate, no more lawns to mow or large gardens to cultivate - instead, smaller spaces that easier to keep clean, gated security systems (often), encapsulated lifestyles, yadda yadda. Canada's baby boomers are retiring (and dying) at a feverish pace. What used to be manageable often becomes a gigantic pain in the arse. Hence the urge to shed, simplify, downsize.

Still, it's good to see some churn in any given nabe. Always a good sign if one's new neighbours came to the 'hood because they were excited about the prospects of making a new life there. It's a resounding vote for urban living and that's fine by me.
 
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It seems like every semi in the neighbourhood is coming up for sale. Anyidea as to where these people are moving to?

I can't see how someone can go from Riverdale to the Boonies - would be a pretty drastic change?

We sold our townhouse on Bain to buy our current detached on Riverdale five years ago. The townhouse was bought by a 40ish single woman who still lives there and has made some really nice renos -- I expect she's there for the long(er) haul. We were just moving two streets to move to a detached.

Our recently sold house was bought by a couple who moved up from a semi- closer to Broadview. So... at least some of the sellers of attached/semi- are just moving up in the 'nabe.
 
I think a lot of what's happening in Riverdale is people moving within the neighbourhood - up, down, sideways. And, occasionally, overseas returnees, such as my former neighbours. And move-up refugees from other parts of the city that are behind Riverdale in the gentrification cycle: my new neighbours are from the Junction, and the commute to downtown is quicker for them.
 
Had an interesting talk with my aunt the other day who has lived in the heart of Riverdale for over 40 years..she said she bought her house in the early 70's for $30K
 
The first owner of my little place, the Summer Palace, bought it for $1,800 in 1908. She had recently been widowed, was in her early 40s, and had a son of about 11. It's intriguing to think of how my street must have been in those days, especially considering that the boy joined the army and was killed in Belgium in 1915. There's a very old silver maple out front that's now in terrible shape, hollowed out, branches dropping off in heavy winds, roots clawing their way into our drains every few years, and in need of cutting-down. It was already in poor shape when I moved in in 1990. Was it planted when the boy lived there? When it finally bites the dust, as it must, and probably as a result of the City dispensing with it, will the last living link to him be gone?
 
The presentation of the design for the park that's going in the forecourt of the new Bridgepoint Hospital is being made at Rivedale Library today ... until 7:30 p.m. Hurry on down!
 

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