stevesquared
New Member
Can't believe this Apom person...
I've cut out the rest of this nonsense and will address this and some of the other things you've said in recent posts.
I have been reading this thread with interest for several months. I am a purchaser of one of the new Regent Park market townhomes. I happily paid $540,000 for my beautiful three bedroom 1,500 square foot home that has a detached garage, a patio and two balconies. At $360/sq ft, the discount that resulted because of the stigma was an unbelievable opportunity. It is interesting to note that many of my immediate neighbours in our 51 unit condo are real estate agents who also note the value potential of this property and have invested (and live there like I do). Your statements that the prices in this area are $500/sq ft is simply incorrect.
For this outstanding price point, I have a really well designed living space that is clean, contemporary and well finished. Excellent finishes throughout that would easily be considered upgrades in other projects. Lovely square baseboards, stainless appliances, marble vanities, a granite kitchen, etc. etc. Comparable downtown townhouse properties easily busted through $500/sq ft mark and some are even selling for upwards of $800/sq ft.
Regent park has changed a lot. About 8 years ago I lived in Cabbagetown and often felt uncomfortable walking south of Gerrard. While a lot of what you have posted about this neighbourhood is offensive and racist, I understand some of the fear that you seem to be expressing about this area -- but it is not valid any longer. This neighbourhood has already changed, and will continue to do so.
The demolition and rebuilding effort has fundamentally transformed this neighbourhood. There are no more dark corners for gang bangers and drug dealers to hide. There are eyes on the street (now that the streets are being returned to the area). There are now home owners with concerns about property values and living in a clean and safe neighbourhood. The social fabric of the old Regent Park is not there any longer. It is now a truly mixed community. I walk my dogs through Regent Park every day and night, and have not once felt unsafe in the time I've lived there.
There is still poverty in Regent Park, but I think what makes the difference is that there is no longer the physical layout that promoted crime and kept good, honest people who lived in the neighbourhood holed up in their homes and scared to go out at night. This is now just like every other neighbourhood in the city where there is a mix of social housing and market housing.
You seem to be making a point about foreign investors buying in Regent Park. Can you tell me what this is based on and how this is in any way different from every other condo development in Toronto? Investors tend to scoop the smaller one bedroom units as rentals... and this happens everywhere. I can't speak for the condo towers, but in my townhouse development all of my neighbours in the larger units are owner-occupied. Some of the one bedroom units are rentals, but who cares? How does that diminish the neighbourhood in any way? These folks are still paying market rents (and they are not inexpensive by any means).
You also seem to think Regent Park is full of hookers and pimps. I have not seen any of this activity, so I'm pretty sure your comments are based entirely on assumptions and your inherent bias rather than anything grounded in reality.
Just to clarify any confusion as well, the condo units (townhouses or tower) and the social housing units (also, townhouses or tower) are not mixed. My block of townhomes is entirely market, while the next block over is TCHC. The same deal for the towers. Some are TCHC and some are condo. And you know what? All those "poor Pakistani families with 9 kids" are really nice people trying to make a life for themselves in Canada. Stop being so offensive.
By the way, I'm not some unsuspecting newbie first time howe owner either -- this is my 4th property in Toronto, and I've owned homes in King West, East York and Bloor and Church. I'm pretty well-versed in what different neighbourhoods have to offer, and what to expect from downtown living.
stevesquared
I've cut out the rest of this nonsense and will address this and some of the other things you've said in recent posts.
I have been reading this thread with interest for several months. I am a purchaser of one of the new Regent Park market townhomes. I happily paid $540,000 for my beautiful three bedroom 1,500 square foot home that has a detached garage, a patio and two balconies. At $360/sq ft, the discount that resulted because of the stigma was an unbelievable opportunity. It is interesting to note that many of my immediate neighbours in our 51 unit condo are real estate agents who also note the value potential of this property and have invested (and live there like I do). Your statements that the prices in this area are $500/sq ft is simply incorrect.
For this outstanding price point, I have a really well designed living space that is clean, contemporary and well finished. Excellent finishes throughout that would easily be considered upgrades in other projects. Lovely square baseboards, stainless appliances, marble vanities, a granite kitchen, etc. etc. Comparable downtown townhouse properties easily busted through $500/sq ft mark and some are even selling for upwards of $800/sq ft.
Regent park has changed a lot. About 8 years ago I lived in Cabbagetown and often felt uncomfortable walking south of Gerrard. While a lot of what you have posted about this neighbourhood is offensive and racist, I understand some of the fear that you seem to be expressing about this area -- but it is not valid any longer. This neighbourhood has already changed, and will continue to do so.
The demolition and rebuilding effort has fundamentally transformed this neighbourhood. There are no more dark corners for gang bangers and drug dealers to hide. There are eyes on the street (now that the streets are being returned to the area). There are now home owners with concerns about property values and living in a clean and safe neighbourhood. The social fabric of the old Regent Park is not there any longer. It is now a truly mixed community. I walk my dogs through Regent Park every day and night, and have not once felt unsafe in the time I've lived there.
There is still poverty in Regent Park, but I think what makes the difference is that there is no longer the physical layout that promoted crime and kept good, honest people who lived in the neighbourhood holed up in their homes and scared to go out at night. This is now just like every other neighbourhood in the city where there is a mix of social housing and market housing.
You seem to be making a point about foreign investors buying in Regent Park. Can you tell me what this is based on and how this is in any way different from every other condo development in Toronto? Investors tend to scoop the smaller one bedroom units as rentals... and this happens everywhere. I can't speak for the condo towers, but in my townhouse development all of my neighbours in the larger units are owner-occupied. Some of the one bedroom units are rentals, but who cares? How does that diminish the neighbourhood in any way? These folks are still paying market rents (and they are not inexpensive by any means).
You also seem to think Regent Park is full of hookers and pimps. I have not seen any of this activity, so I'm pretty sure your comments are based entirely on assumptions and your inherent bias rather than anything grounded in reality.
Just to clarify any confusion as well, the condo units (townhouses or tower) and the social housing units (also, townhouses or tower) are not mixed. My block of townhomes is entirely market, while the next block over is TCHC. The same deal for the towers. Some are TCHC and some are condo. And you know what? All those "poor Pakistani families with 9 kids" are really nice people trying to make a life for themselves in Canada. Stop being so offensive.
By the way, I'm not some unsuspecting newbie first time howe owner either -- this is my 4th property in Toronto, and I've owned homes in King West, East York and Bloor and Church. I'm pretty well-versed in what different neighbourhoods have to offer, and what to expect from downtown living.
stevesquared
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