Moving to Toronto - Single w/ dog (2013, rentals)

[Dave.]

Hey all,

My company has been expanding their business in Canada and they want me to run expanding process in Toronto, I've already received PR confirmation ( via provincial nominee ) and I have to be in Toronto in couple months. I'm 24 years old and I've lived in Toronto b4 ( downtown area in condo ), but having a dog ( well at least in the condo where I've lived ) was a disaster.

So, how and where should I start looking for my future home? My company is working on it, but getting some "inside" information is much much better.

Some facts:

I'm 24 years old male, relocating from UK.
Would be perfect to find a home which is near dog park.
Looking for 2-3 beds house with backyard
German shepherd dog
Public transport isn't very important.
Budget up to $7,000
Short walk to a bar/restaurant would be a big plus!

Any help would be very much appreciated!

Thanks

[zortation]

I spent a few years living in Davisville/Leaside/Bayview Ave and while I didn't have a furry friend/companion I did notice the high level of pooch to person ratio...Very dog friendly, and there is a nice little strip on Bayview between Davisville and Eglinton that has some good restaurant/bars.

More single professional women than you can shake a stick (or any other appendage!) at...

That is just one of several hundred places that would work for you.

[StarshipPoopers1]

If you're looking to buy a place, then areas like Leslieville and Riverdale to the East of the Don Valley Parkway will get you a house and a yard for less than many other areas surrounding downtown, though the area is quite old. There are parks all along the lakefront as well as Broadview Rd & the DVP for you and your dog. Leslieville itself has a lot of good places along Queen St E and should have something of everything that you're looking for.

If you're renting then your options open up by quite a bit.

Bloor West, Roncesvalles, and Ossington all have a ton of detached houses with varying yard sizes and are all trendy areas with a lot of bars/pubs, restaurants, cafes, and stores at the heart of the neighbourhoods. Better yet, Bloor West and Roncesvalles are right beside High Park which is huge and great for walking your dog. You're still quite close to downtown (10-20 minutes depending on which neighbourhood) and none of them are too far from Bloor where the subway is which is always a nice option to have. Streetcars also operate in Ossington especially, and at the South end of Roncesvalles near Queen.

Branching out a little further into Etobicoke gets you into places like the Kingsway which still has a reasonable little stretch of restaurants and stores, or down near Mimico which starts getting hit and miss as far as neighbourhoods go along the areas near the lake.

If none of these really interest you then perhaps you can throw out a general area that you're looking at within Toronto or at least how far from the core you want to be.

[Nell236]

Have a look at Toronto Life's The Best Places to Live in the City: A (Mostly) Scientific Ranking of All 140 Neighbourhoods in Toronto torontolife.com

It gives a sense of how good and leafy neighbourhoods are with rankings according to tranportation, housing, crime, shopping etc. The Davisville area mentioned above (where we are now) is ok, but mostly high rises and few houses with rentals. We have also looked at Hyde Park near Leaside, transportation for us is an issue though and I don't like taking busses. The Beaches is ideal for people with dogs, you might not mind the commute by Queen St. streetcar to the downtown if you need it. Ditto for High Park, ideal if you can find something near the subway.

We have been looking for a rental in a house with access to a garden/yard/nearby parks for our dog plus access to the subway, and not having much luck. Some accept dogs but aren't near a park, others don't want dogs scratching their hardwood floor. So, good luck, unless you are buying in which case things should be easier.

[adventuregurl]

I say south of the Danforth near the big park that lies between Pape and Broadview (it's Withrow Park), or the Beach.