Need some home shopping advice? These recent new-home buyers share their experiences

We asked recent new home and condo buyers to share their experiences, to provide insight that might help other prospective buyers.

What and where did you buy, and what went into your decision-making process?

Beeton Village,
By Flato Developments

Buying a home to call our own was a significant milestone in our journey of adulthood, and we took a lot into consideration before signing the dotted line. For us, our new home is where we are going to start our lives together, raise a family, and ultimately make memories. That is why it was so important for us to find a home in a good location, that satisfies our needs, and to find a builder that has a customer-focus attitude.

Mitchell and I purchased a townhouse in Beeton, which is a short drive from major highways for easy commuting as we both work in the GTA. Our home has three bedrooms and is 1,722 sq. ft., which is perfect for a couple and a future family. Throughout the process, Flato Developments has kept the lines of communication open and has been friendly, enthusiastic, encouraging and helpful.
We look forward to Flato building our first home!

Carm Minardi

Union Village,
By Minto Communities

I purchased a back-to-back townhome in the new Union Village community in Markham, developed by Minto Communities. Having grown up in Markham my whole life and currently living just down the street in the Angus Glen community with my family, it was the perfect location.
I love the area and the fact that the homes are very modern – I purchased the West Coast contemporary design. My fiance is moving here from Los Angeles, so it was important for me that the home is in a nice neighbourhood, close to Unionville’s nearby attractions and not too far from the city.
The designs in this neighbourhood remind us of the modern contemporary homes in West Hollywood/Los Angeles, which we love. For such an exclusive community in Markham, I found the price point to be reasonable, as well. I also love the renderings of what the neighbourhood will look like when completed – with parks, a town square and many beautiful trails with greenery.

Ellyas Omar & Husna Sonan

Wallaceton,
By Heathwood Homes

We’re loving our new single-detached home at Heathwood’s Wallaceton community in Kitchener.
We grew up in the area, and our families live close by. So, we really are home at last.
We wanted to move from living in busy downtown Kitchener to a calmer, more family friendly community, yet close to the Waterloo Region amenities, so we made the right choice.
We bought the 2,593-sq.-ft., four-bedroom Maxwell model. It’s beautiful and bright, with many large windows. Our investment in Wallaceton is tied to Heathwood’s solid reputation as a respected builder.

Stacey Blake

Ironwood,
By Podium Developments

I purchased a 1,521-sq.-ft., three-bedroom Tweed Special townhome at Ironwood in
North Oshawa.
I live in Markham and work at TSN, just off Hwy. 401 in Scarborough. As a first-time homebuyer, I found prices in Markham, Pickering, Ajax and Whitby very high. But, traveling to North Oshawa, I fell in love with the fresh and modern designs at the Ironwood planned community. I was able to buy a full-size townhome with a garage. The area is beautiful, and commuting will be convenient.
I bought at the beginning of the pandemic, and was appreciative of Podium’s salesperson, who was very patient about answering all my questions. Very excited to move in next summer.

Santasha Cato & Chapman Logan

XO Condos,
By Lifetime Developments
Before COVID-19 hit, we split our time between the U.S., where we met, and Canada. (Santasha works with a bank and as a music executive, and Chapman with a growing software company).

With a daughter in the music industry, when deciding where to buy in Toronto, we wanted an area that was known for its creative vibe and was close to some of the city’s top recording/production studios.

Lifetime’s XO Condos was a perfect fit – a contemporary 14-storey building complete with classic brickwork and spacious balconies, at the heart of King and Dufferin, a locale where iconic creative urban neighbourhoods intersect.

Dachang Liu

King Blue,
By Greenland Group
My father decided to purchase the unit I live in at King Blue by Greenland as an investment property, as he felt that its downtown Toronto location will never devalue. Plus, King Blue is also close to several post-secondary schools, which gave me more nearby academic options as a student.

Luanne and Michael D’Amico

260 High Park Church Lofts & Residences,
By Medallion Capital
Currently living in a lowrise home with lots of greenspace in Vaughan as retirees, we thought condominium living might be the right next move. While visiting family in High Park, we curiously checked out Medallion Capital’s 260 High Park Church Lofts & Residences presentation centre on Bloor West and happily purchased a 1,400-sq. ft. fourth floor penthouse.

The building ticked all our boxes, as it’s a boutique condo in a historic, warm neighbourhood setting near our children. We’ll have a substantial barbecue terrace and rooftop for outdoor living, plus High Park will be our new backyard. We appreciated the excellent purchase experience and look forward to moving in.

Ruth and Reuven Yablonsky

The Davies,
By Brandy Lane Homes
As retired empty nesters who raised our family in Thornhill, we planned to move to a midrise Toronto condo, closer to our children and grandchildren, where we can walk to keep fit and enjoy the mid-town amenities. We bought an 1,100-sq.-ft. fourth floor suite at The Davies next to Robertson Davies Park, our new backyard. We love the privacy and exclusivity.

Brandy Lane’s sales and design team went above and beyond to ensure we are happy with our decision.

Valerie Palermo

Backyard Condos,
By Vandyk Properties
I purchased a one-bedroom plus den condo in the Backyard Condos development. We live on Fifth Line West, so there is a Vandyk development on our street that I have always admired. When I heard about Backyard Condos, I decided to pay the sales centre a visit and I really liked the plans for both the building and the individual condos.

I was really impressed with the finishes Vandyk was offering and the colour packages available in the design studio. It really made the buying process seamless and easy.

Kelly and Rob Pinheiro

Stone & South,
By CaraCo Development
A family camping trip led to our purchasing a CaraCo Development waterfront condo at Stone & South in Gananoque, Ont. We saw a highway sign and visited their Discovery Centre. We agreed the time was right to make this important next step for our retirement future, so we chose an open-concept two-bedroom suite with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the 1000 Islands.

So impressed with the quality and attentive service from their sales and design teams, we invested in a second unit. And, we referred friends who bought a suite next to ours. We plan to live the lifestyle we want, without the responsibilities of owning a single-family home.

Chaba Tamasi

Canvas Condominiums,
By Marlin Spring
As a real estate professional, I match people with homes that make them happy. When I shopped for my new condo, I had the same goal. I recently moved into my 600-sq.-ft. suite at Canvas Condominiums in Toronto’s Danforth Village and am extremely happy, especially with amazing views of the Toronto skyline. The Marlin Spring team has gone all-out to make sure everything is of excellent quality in this boutique eight-storey building with a rooftop patio and greenspace. Even in the midst of construction completion, everything is kept clean, and anyone I asked for help and advice to make my move-in easier, responded quickly. When it comes to the providing the happiness factor, Marlin Spring was on point.