Best areas/suburbs with easy access to Toronto centre (apartment complexes, for rent)

[relocator22]

Considering a relocation to Toronto in early 2012. I hope to visit the city in the near future to better acquaint myself but until then, I would greatly appreciate suggestions for some areas outside of downtown Toronto that would be nice to live in.

This is what I would ideally be looking for (though I know it may not all be possible):

• Area with homes but also good selection of apartments and newer construction condos;
• Monthly rent or mortgage of up to $1100 (I know this may be a tougher one);
• Commute of 30 minutes or less with public transportation;
• Generally safe area;
• Walkable (some walking paths, parks, and green spots would be great, as well as proximity to grocery stores, coffee shops, library and such).

Thank you in advance!

[Luhts]

Have you seen this?
Toronto commute longest in country: StatsCan - CTV News
Unfortunately, I think you may have to accept a longer commute time or a higher rent.

High Park might work, depending upon the size of space you want:
http://www.minto.com/rent-an-apartme...lage/main.html
http://www.rentmaps.ca/rentersmx/ind...s&Build_ID=391

[Frankenrogers]

I second High Park/Bloor West Village. Safe, has the cool commercial strip that you are talking about, right on the subway so you are downtown in 30 minutes, and the largest park in Toronto. Also within walking distance are the neighbourhoods Roncesvailles, the Junction, the Kingsway. Even Annette Street has some neat little stores. You can find something in your price range I am sure. A few years ago I rented a place above a store and it was $1100. Also had a place on High Park Avenue for under that.

A lot of young people like Yonge/Eglinton as well and there are a tonne of apartments there. King West/Liberty Village is also pretty trendy right now.

[Wwanderer]

I'm not sure you're going to get all these parameters satisfied. So you may have to compromise.

New condos tend to demand very high rents, older apartment building rents tend to be lower.

The area around Davisville and Yonge has lots of apartments, well-maintained, and is on the Yonge subway.

[relocator22]

Thank you all for your responses - please keep them coming!

Luhts: thank you for the link, however if I'm not mistaken, I think the first one related to commute is referring to driving, whereas I was speaking of public transportation.
Thank you for your High Park suggestion and the links.


Frankenrogers: I really appreciate your feedback on the area, and taking the time to suggest a few others that I have heard of and will look into again. I came across High Park Village and it sounded like an interesting community with aspects I might be looking for. Does anyone have experience with these apartment complexes specifically?

Regarding High Park, I discovered that there are two neighborhoods: High Park North and High Park-Swansea. Anything specific that distinguishes the two? From what I have read, people living to the north and east of the park call the neighborhood High Park, and those to the west identify it as Swansea. Frankenrogers, can you tell me which subway you were referring to?


Wwander: indeed, and I mentioned that in my original post. The list was an ideal. The area you mentioned around Davisville and Yonge, is that the Yonge/Eglinton area Frankenrogers was referring to?


Thank you again everyone.

[zortation]

Originally Posted by relocator22

Regarding High Park, I discovered that there are two neighborhoods: High Park North and High Park-Swansea. Anything specific that distinguishes the two? From what I have read, people living to the north and east of the park call the neighborhood High Park, and those to the west identify it as Swansea. Frankenrogers, can you tell me which subway you were referring to?

Swansea is a bit of a dump, that's the difference. It's also located just east of a sewage plant.

I lived in the Indian Road area for few years and really liked it, but honestly, with your criteria there are so many candidates you can chose from.

The really desirable area in High Park is south Of Bloor from Parkside to Roncesvalles, right down to the lakeshore. Roncy is a Polish enclave, with lots of delis, bakeries, trendy coffee shops, jazz clubs and such. Love that area of town.

[AlsoNotMe]

Yonge/Davisville is a little south of Yonge/Eglinton (about a 10 minute walk) but still a very nice neighbourhood. Just a little more 'subdued' - no movie theatre, no clubs, etc. Still lots of nice shops and restaurants though.

[Frankenrogers]

Originally Posted by relocator22

Thank you all for your responses - please keep them coming!

Frankenrogers: I really appreciate your feedback on the area, and taking the time to suggest a few others that I have heard of and will look into again. I came across High Park Village and it sounded like an interesting community with aspects I might be looking for. Does anyone have experience with these apartment complexes specifically?

Regarding High Park, I discovered that there are two neighborhoods: High Park North and High Park-Swansea. Anything specific that distinguishes the two? From what I have read, people living to the north and east of the park call the neighborhood High Park, and those to the west identify it as Swansea. Frankenrogers, can you tell me which subway you were referring to?

I've always lived North of Bloor. I once lived with roommates in the Grenadier Mansions (corner of Quebec/Bloor) in a 3 br across the street from High Park Subway station (Bloor line) and High Park. At the time the rent was $1750/month. That was a nice place. Older and full of character. Not noisy. Took me 20 minutes to walk from here to Jane which is about as far as Bloor West Village goes. Trivest - Apartments for Rent in Toronto and GTA - Grenadier Mansions

A lot of friends lived in the huge apt complexes between High Park and Pacific. Clean but a typical apt. On the subway line though.

Also, quite a few houses in this area are so big that they have been duplexed so there are plenty of apartments within the houses. Not to mention people buying places and renting the basements to help the mortgage.

There are places down in Swansea but to be quite honest we just never went down that way. I preferred the High Park/Bloor area due to the proximity to the park, being on the edge of Bloor West Village and within easy walking distance to the Junction and Roncesvailles neighbourhoods and on the Bloor subway line.

We moved out of the area to buy a condo downtown and truth be told had we not done that I probably would not have moved out of Toronto because this area has everything that we would want. Except a cheap house to buy haha.

[leon1211]

I realize that u are looking for condos im not sure about that but if u like green areas I recommend etobicoke or new toronto if u have a budget of at least 1500 per month

[memph]

Port Credit is a pretty nice area with a harbour at the mouth of the Credit River, a main street with a pretty good selection of stores, parks, and apartments next to the commuter rail station which can get you downtown in around 25 minutes.