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This condo is launching in early 2012. Contact me for floor plans and pricing and your chance to buy before the public launch!

From the builder:

The rumble of the TTC, the steely chime of streetcars. Cool jazz drifting out from The Reservoir Lounge. That fresh apple smell at the St. Lawrence Market, when you know it’s really fall. Curtain call at the Sony Centre, rush hour on Bay Street. It’s what makes downtown Toronto, well, Toronto – the most exciting, dynamic place you’ll ever live. Ever.

Here, at the downtown core, connect to a true original, conceived from the very essence of what makes Toronto one of the world’s great cities. A magnificent tower fashioned from limestone, glass, concrete and steel, soars from its heritage base to a monumental presence in the cityscape. Spectacular views by day and by night. A pivotal location where the Financial District meets the St. Lawrence neighbourhood. With total access to everything downtown. To the arts, to the sports you love, to work, to food from far away places. To the high life, the vibrant street life and the best kind of everyday life.

It’s Toronto to the core. It doesn’t just surround you, it’s inside of you. In your heart. Because living here defines you, drives you, inspires you.

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Post House Condos Special Offer

Post House condos located at George and Adelaide is having a sale (sort of). The prices are not on sale, but the deposit structure they are offering is. Check it out:

• $3K with offer
• balance of 5% in 30 days
• 5% in 120 days
• 5% in June 2013
• 5% at occupancy

Only 10% is required up front, with nothing more for over 2 years until June 2013, then another 5% at occupancy (estimated to begin August 2013). Buyers and investors are always looking for an edge on the deposits, and while the days of 5% down are behind us for now, this offer is excellent for the buyer who is looking to really stretch their dollar on a pre-construction purchase.

1 bedrooms are still available starting from $278,990, 1+dens from $318,990, 2 bedrooms from $365,990. Average price per square foot is around the mid to high $500s. Parking is $39,500. Penthouses are also available with this promotional deposit structure.

This offer is on for a limited time only. Contact me for details.

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Get Backstage Access to Backstage

Backstage Condos by Cityzen, Fernbrook Homes and Castle Point is set to rise 36 storeys at Yonge and The Esplanade, right across the street from the L Tower. Backstage is in a kind of ‘soft launch’ right now. For access to suites NOW, before the public opening planned for 2011, contact me.

There are several standout features of this project that make it a winner. The most obvious one being its prime location right at Yonge and The Esplanade. (Do not underestimate the power of location when choosing your first investment condo!) However, the two ‘killer’ features of the building are the PATH connection, and the 70′ rooftop infinity pool with lake views (not a typo-seventy feet long).

Being directly connected to the PATH in this location gives you underground access to several subway stations and hundreds of shops. If you have not been in the PATH in the financial district lately I encourage you to check it out. The retail and restaurants that you find there are trending more and more towards the ‘high end’. Imagine going to work every day in the winter and never bringing a coat!

The 70′ infinity pool looks like it will be incredible. I don’t know if there is a longer infinity pool existing or planned for any condo building downtown (someone let me know if there is). This kind of feature was unheard of in Toronto condos a few years ago, but developers like Cityzen are really starting to push the limits of what is to be expected in a mid-range condo.

It’s worth noting that the smallest suites in this building are 531 sq ft! What a contrast from most of these downtown towers that are packing their buildings with sub 500 sq ft units resulting in buildings where the majority of suites will be owned by investors. It may sound counter intuitive, but as an investor, sometimes you WANT to buy into a building where there are as few other investors as possible.  Why? Less competition for rental units, and a better maintained and cared for building.

Standard suite finishes are well above average, and prices are starting below $600 per square foot (resale units at Cityzen’s completed “London” building are selling in the $575 PSF range today). Deposit structure is very cash-friendly, with only 15% over 365 days +5% at occupancy. For floor plans and pricing for Backstage, please contact me.

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Backstage Condos

From the builder:

Backstage is Toronto’s most dramatic condominium lifestyle experience, located against the vibrant backdrop of The Esplanade just west of the St. Lawrence Market at Yonge Street. Live just minutes from the financial district and all the action at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, the Air Canada Centre, and Rogers Centre. Spend quality time with friends at the many exciting bars, bistros and nightclubs in the entertainment district. Backstage, a condominium address where you are both the performer and the audience. Welcome home.

Building Features

• 36 Storey, glass point tower with sleek, slender lines of steel and shimmering glass inspired by architect Page + Steele
• Upscale urban interiors designed by Munge Leung, and landscaping by the internationally recognized Claude Cormier
• Panoramic views of downtown Toronto and Lake Ontario
• Candidate for LEED certification
• Future connection to the PATH concourse running throughout the downtown core
• Amenities include rooftop garden with a 70 foot infinity pool and lake view
• Uniformed 24hr concierge

Suites Features

• Soaring 9 and 10 foot, smooth ceilings, as per plan
• Contemporary kitchen cabinetry with extended height uppers and under valance lighting
• Granite kitchen counter tops with under mount sink and ceramic back splash
• Bosch appliances include cook top stove, built-in oven, built-in dishwasher, built-in microwave/hood fan, stacked front load washer and dryer
• Fisher Paykel refrigerator and bottom mount freezer
• Multi-plant, engineered hardwood flooring in entry, kitchen, living area, dining area, den, and bedrooms
• Bathrooms include floating vanity cabinets with slab marble counter tops
• Ensuite bathroom floors offer choice of marble, porcelain, or over sized ceramic tile while main bathrooms include choice of porcelain or over sized ceramic tile
• Thermally isolated Low E, energy efficient, double glazed windows

*All details subject to change without notice and as per plan. See builder for details

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Special Offer Available at Post House Condos

November 24th update: Prices at Post House Condos to go up December 1. Contact me to take advantage of these low prices and special incentives before it’s too late.

While developers across the board are now starting to roll out incentives for buyers as they compete for sales, some offers are still only available to a select group of Realtors like myself who have a previous track record of sales. As I always preach on this blog, it literally pays to hire a knowledgeable AND experienced buyer’s agent when you are thinking about purchasing a pre-construction condo.

For the month of November, my clients can take advantage of a pretty nice offer at Post House Condos. This offer is not available to the public and is limited to a small group of VIP Realtors like myself. Normal deposit structure is 20% over 365 days for this development. For my clients it is only 15% over 365 days + 5% at occupancy AND I have been given 3 ‘coupons’ that entitles 3 clients to receive 1% cash-back on their purchase. A nice double perk

If you are thinking of investing in a condo in the very popular St Lawrence Market neighbourhood, this is a great buy right now with units selling in the low to mid $500s per square foot. Other projects in the area like “Backstage” are in the high $600s per square foot. Contact me for details.

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Berczy: Post Mortem

Whenever a development launches in a prime A1 location like The Berczy, it is sure to garner a lot of attention. This is true no matter what the economic climate or how hot the real estate market is. The Berczy had many investors and first time buyers salivating at the prospects of owning in a beautiful building in one of the best spots in the city, but unfortunately many of them went home disappointed after sales started this past weekend. The situation reminds me a lot of a previous post I wrote last year – Prepare to be Disappointed. Some of my observations from the weekend:

• As early as Saturday afternoon I had already received several calls from agents or would-be clients from other Realtors who were lamenting the fact that there were no small suites to buy
• On both sales days – Saturday and Sunday, it seemed there were no small suites available by the time the clock struck 10:30am.
• There seemed to be an allocated amount of suites to each day of sales, so if you had an appointment at 10:00am Sunday you were better off than an appointment at 2:00pm Saturday.
• On Saturday there was a huge crowd of agents outside the sales centre trying to get in without an appointment. Presumably by Sunday they had gotten the message as they were turning people away if they did not have an appointment.
• No detailed price list was ever released so it’s hard to know if the developer was raising prices at the last minute or not since there was nothing to compare the stated prices to.
• The sales reps said they were NOT holding back units for future events
• The rescission rate for this event could be high because buyers were buying 2nd, 3rd or 4th choice of suite since their 1st choice was not available.
• Even the larger 1000 sq ft + suites were selling briskly over the weekend. This suggests that while investors went away disappointed, end-user buyers with means did mostly get what they wanted.
• My clients managed to get a 2 storey unit with 11′ ceilings for $491 per square foot.
• City view suites on higher floors were going into the mid $600s per square foot – still reasonable.
• Kitchen and Bathroom finishes were above average – especially nice were the integrated appliances and forward thinking design colour palattes
• Sales centre and model suite was very well designed and presented.
• Bottom line, this is not an investor-driven building and will likely be a fantastic piece of real estate when it is built in a few years.

Questions about The Berczy? Still want to buy a suite in the building? Contact me for up to date availability and pricing.

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Coming Soon: Post House Condos

It has been about a year and a half since I first wrote on this blog about Post House Condos. The developer (Alterra) first put up signage on the property at Adelaide and George Street around that time, but the project is just launching sales now. The project probably was put on hold during the market dip of fall 2008-spring 2009, and now a year later, they look to be finally ready to start selling units.

Post House looks like it should be a nice addition to the growing number of pre-construction projects in the St Lawrence / King East neighbourhood.  Another boutique-sized building, this should appeal mostly to end-users, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they follow the trend of having the majority of suites as 1 bedroom or 1+dens under 700 sq ft to capture a good portion of investor buyers. In this market it’s just too tempting for developers to not make their projects investor-friendly.

For more information on this project and to receive floor plans and pricing for any upcoming VIP sales events, please contact me.

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Post House Condos

Located just behind Toronto’s First Post Office and alongside historic buildings of what was known as the Town of York, Alterra is designing Post House to follow the lines of the historical surroundings and work with the culture and mood of this area. As the building rises to 21 storeys the elegant cosmopolitan designed architecture becomes apparent resting on the classic style façade of the lower base. Post House Condominium will house 280 luxury affordable residences all with modern open concept floor plans and 9 ft ceilings where applicable. Each suite will feature a contemporary European designed kitchen and prevailing up to the minute finishes.

Post House Condominium is conveniently located on George St. just north of Adelaide and within walking distance to all your local amenities, and just a few minutes walk to the King Subway Station. Just steps away are George Brown College Saint James campus and the renowned George Brown Culinary School. Take a stroll over to the St. Lawrence Market and take in the ambiance of the fresh fruit vendors or let the aromas of the hot lunches tantalize you. Although in the heart of it all, there is still plenty of green space in the area. Grab a book and take a walk to St. James Park. Here, you can relax and take in the architectural surroundings from the gothic styling of the St. James Cathedral, to the towers of the financial district and even the CN Tower. From arts and theatres to an abundance of restaurants there is never a dull moment in this neighbourhood.

Striving to preserve the community, Alterra has introduced numerous green and energy efficient features into the Post House design including committing to the ‘Toronto Tier 2 Green Development Standards’ for a greener Toronto. “The Toronto Green Standard is about designing sites and buildings that are more environmentally friendly. Achieving the Toronto Green Standard will result in measurable improvements to air and water quality; increase energy and water efficiency, and solid waste diversion rates; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and enhance ecology and the natural environment.” Technologies and strategies being implemented include amongst others, energy efficiency fixtures, appliances and pumps, water efficient fixtures and appliances and an HRV for each suite. The design also includes the collection of storm water into an on site storm water retention tank plus much more.

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Coming Soon: The Berczy

Coming soon to the St Lawrence Market neighbourhood by Concert Properties: The Berczy. Yet another boutique building  designed to be both modern yet keeping in line with it’s surrounding buildings, The Berczy will no doubt be a very welcome addition to the St Lawrence area.  I am predicting prices around $575-$600 PSF for this project. London on the Esplanade is currently selling in the $550 PSF range. Concert Properties is a very active developer outside Ontario, but this is their first solo project I am aware of in Toronto.

When I meet with a buyer for the first time and ask them what neighbourhoods are highest on their wish list, inevitably the St Lawrence Market area is in the top-3. Don’t look now but the St Lawrence market area is one of the hottest and most desirable areas downtown. In some ways the area is now starting to realize the potential it has had for the last 200 years to be one of Toronto’s truly great neighbourhoods. For the better part of the last 25 years the area has been mostly perceived to be a tourist destination and as a home to several low-income and co-operative housing buildings. This perception has changed dramatically and buyers are now lining up for a chance to call this area home. With the addition of London on the Esplanade, L-Tower, Market Wharf and now the Berczy, things are certainly looking up for the St Lawrence Market.

The somewhat odd name is presumably from the name of the park which will be directly across the street from the building and directly west of the famous Flat Iron building.

For more information on The Berczy and to find out how you can buy before the public at any upcoming VIP sales events, please contact me.

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The Berczy

Description Coming Soon!

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