Although real estate is still very much a face-to-face business, there’s no doubt that technology has dramatically changed the profession.

Records which used to be buried in file folders are now easily available on smartphones and other devices.

While The Torontoism team still has office space at Sotheby’s International Real Estate Canada, they have also embraced the technology available to work remotely, an option that has increased substantially over the past few years according to studies conducted by FlexWork.com. These studies conclude that workers are demanding flexibility, and, in return, companies are developing flexible work policies.

Tracy An, our Sales Representative, is always prepared to work remotely

Office on the go means that I have my smartphone, my iPad and my laptop. I use different storage and applications so I can work anywhere in the world.

However, the old-fashioned paperwork still finds its way back to Tracy:

I cut back quite a bit on paperwork but it depends on the client. If they are retired or older, they might not have a computer or have a hard time reading what’s on the screen so I use paper for that. But other than that, I do everything online.

The power of WeChat and Other Software Suggestions

For her Asian clients, An makes extensive use of WeChat, a popular Chinese social media site, which offers voice calls, text messaging, video calling and document sharing.

An tells the story of a friend who recently walked into a restaurant in Beijing, with no cashier and no wait staff. Instead, you use WeChat to order and pay for your meal, with the software sending you a message when the order is ready.

We’re not quite there in Canada yet, but record keeping in real estate has changed entirely according to Jim Burtnick, our broker and senior vice president.

You used to keep files around for everything, but it’s now in the cloud via apps like Evernote and Google Drive. You have to be perpetually changing. If you asked me two years ago about DocuSign, I would have said I’ve heard of it, but I can’t use it yet because it’s not legal here.

DocuSign, software used to verify electronic signatures, has become a game changer, says Richard Silver our sales representative and senior vice president . And it’s a relatively recent development: electronic signatures were illegal in Ontario until June 2015.

DISCOVER THE TOP 10 CAFÉS TO WORK FROM IN TORONTO

Burtnick says half the battle is staying relevant by learning new things about technology and social media every day.

There’s a great app I started using about a year ago called Rapportive. You have to do a lot of screening on clients and I can find all I need using the software, then I can click to LinkedIn and invite you to connect. That was a new one for me in terms of providing a decent vetting for potential clients.

The paperless advantage

Richard, who uses an iPhone, iPad and iMac, says he is “pretty much paperless these days”.

Richard also uses WebForms software to create documents from the internet, such as listings or sale agreements. Then he signs them with DocuSign and e-mails it to the client. Richard also likes the level of security DocuSign uses.

He is also a big fan of the Apple products:

The great thing about Mac products is they all talk to each other so that’s the number one advantage [over PCs].

RICHARD ALSO LOVES USING EVERNOTE. READ HIS REVIEW HERE.

Consumers have driven the technological changes in real estate, using their mobile devices and tablets to search properties and get information relevant to specific properties. Studies show that 89% of potential buyers access real estate information online. That changes the role of the broker to more of a consultant or trusted advisor, says Silver, who’s entrusted with checking out the neighbourhood for schools and other key amenities, and offering historical information on the property that isn’t widely available.

And even though clients have plenty of data on the real estate market available online, there’s a flip side. Jim Burtnick knows well what the realtor’s role is in the age of internet.

What a realtor provides is a filter for all this information that they are bombarded with that makes it directly applicable to them. There’s so much noise out there that it becomes information overload for a lot of people.

In an example, Jim introduces the issue of pricing one’s property based on misunderstanding the information accessed via internet

We filter information and bring into terms of what it means in each client’s particular case. There’s a feeling out there in the public that the best strategy is to price low and hope for multiple offers. But not all houses sell on multiple offers, it’s the minority that do. So that strategy might work well for on particular type of housing, but not for others; it can be detrimental in some cases.

Jim also places a lot of importance on being in touch with his clients and the public. The Torontoism team works with a vast database, e-mail newsletters, social media and media coverage. Jim Burtnick passed on wisdom he once heard:

Your social capital is not how many people you know but how well you know people.

Despite the changes, the nature of the business remains the same. Tracy still has to  check out the neighbourhood and see if the surrounding area is good for the client.

Less paperwork gives us more time with our clients, and I think that’s the key.

What’s next in technology?

Sotheby’s is now offering virtual tours of homes and brokers will soon be able to walk through a property using a camera, offering out-of-town and foreign buyers a live view of the property. Also in the pipeline are stronger visuals with better cameras, a virtual reality walk through with Google Glass, and even drones to offer a better view of larger properties, especially those in the country.

Richard says the company is looking at a new customer relationship management (CRM) system. He notes that a good CRM is the life blood of the real estate business due to the need to keep in touch regularly with clients—something he says 90% of real estate agents don’t do.

You need reminders to get on the phone and call people. If you’ve been in the business for a long time, you might have thousands of clients and you must keep in touch with them on a regular basis, just to let them know you’re still around and still working and listing properties.

—

Software mentioned in this article:

• WeChat: a popular Chinese social media site, similar to Facebook messenger (Facebook is not available in China).
• Evernote: an application to store electronic notes you can easily find later.
• Google Drive: a document sharing application
• DocuSign: a secure application that allows you to sign documents anywhere from any device
• WebForms: an application for downloading or creating forms from the internet
• Rapportive: allows you to find LinkedIn profiles and other information using Gmail accounts

Travelers to Toronto these days are typically surprised by the remarkable changes in the city over the last few years. In just a decade and a half, dozens of new and gleaming skyscrapers have been built downtown. The millennial generation has flocked to the downtown core to live a new intensely urban lifestyle. The city is vibrant and exciting in a way that wasn’t the case just ten years ago. It’s a great time to be in Toronto.

For decades the city grew like any other North American one. Endless rows of single family homes were constructed in ever more distant suburbs. Sprawl ruled the day.

AND THEN THINGS CHANGED…

In the 1990s forward looking politicians took a brave and important step. A Green Belt protecting the watersheds and forests that surround the city was created. Development was banned within the Green Belt. Once the suburbs hit that ring, the suburban sprawl came to a screeching stop. Almost overnight development patterns changed. The city began building up rather than out. Dozens of condo towers were constructed. Formerly neglected patches of undeveloped land downtown were snapped up and developed. The asphalt parking lots that used to be common downtown have disappeared. The core of the city is undergoing a remarkable densification.

Millennials are taking over

Filling up all the new condo buildings are members of the single largest demographic in the country, the millennials. Herds of young twenty-somethings have migrated into the downtown core, are taking up a lifestyle based around walkable neighbourhoods, biking, public transportation and condo living.

The millennials don’t want to be trapped in the suburban life their parents led. They don’t want the suburban home accessed only by car. They’re living more European, walking and biking to work, enjoying the urban nightlife in the evening, going home only to sleep.
The urban hipsters have arrived. They’re living in the city itself. They’re filling up all the new glass towers, and that has driven demand for units in these buildings higher and higher says Sherille Layton, a realtor with The Torontoism team:

This young generation, they don’t want a car. They have bought into the idea of urban living.

They don’t want to waste three hours a day commuting and stuck in traffic jams. Instead they want the latest smartphone, a big data plan, and a condo downtown to live in.

The fact that this generation is often locked out of owning a single family home in the city because of high prices is also driving the boom in condo development.

The residential market we’ve got is tough. It’s hard to get into. So a lot more first-time buyers are getting into condos. They can’t get into housing market but they still want to live downtown.

And why would they not?

The world’s most diverse city

Toronto seems to be changing day-by-day right now. The restaurant scene has exploded. The city contains the headquarters of Canada’s five big banks. The Ontario government is here. So is the biggest city hall in the country. Thousands are employed by the sprawling Toronto Transit Commission. One of the best universities in the world is in the downtown core (the University of Toronto). As is the headquarters of the national broadcaster, CBC, and many film and media companies. That means there are lots of different jobs, including those in tech, government, academic, media and finance. It’s all within a couple square kilometres served by a subway and streetcars.

People from every corner of the planet have come together to make the city one that is arguably the world’s most diverse. It’s an interesting, exciting place.

Sherille brings a bit of international flavour to her job. British-born she is now dedicated Torontonian. She’s witnessed the shift toward condo living.

According to Sherille the new young urban millennials stick to the bigger buildings that have gone up in the downtown core. Typically found in trendy neighbourhoods like Liberty Village, Queen West, City Place, Leslieville and Queen’s Quay these buildings offer what it is this younger generation is looking for:

A lot of the people buying downtown are between 20 and 30. The new young urban dweller wants a couple of things. They want to have a walkable neighbourhood. They want a low maintenance building. They want easy access to transit. They want low monthly fees. They don’t necessarily want the gym or the big pool as they don’t have as much money as more established people

However, many in this generation are not owners of units in these condo buildings. Investors buy the units and rent them out.

Of course, Sherille is careful to note that some of the buildings in this market sector are fairly priced these days:

Some of these areas are over-saturated. There are lots of bachelors with one bedroom and without parking. If you’ve got a two or four year plan you’re not going to make much on one of these buildings.

But there are many other areas of the condo market that are doing much better. To get a sense of why this is it helps to understand the basic types of condo units on the market.

Condo inventory

Queen West Candy Factory Lofts by Mateen Mahboubi

Hard Lofts

Genuine loft spaces in 19th century brickbuildings. Sherille says that there are relatively few authentic loft buildings available any more downtown. To be considered authentic you’ve got to be in a really old building.

Soft Lofts

These are units in buildings that have been built recently. They have floor-to-ceiling windows, very high ceilings. There are industrial ducts going through, pillars and concrete. It’s the kind of look that appeals to the new young urbanites, Sherille explained.

Older, better established buildings

These are the buildings Sherille’s more mature clients look for. Her clientele are often baby boomers who also want to get out of the suburbs and went to live downtown in a place where they have a simpler easy life without all the maintenance a house requires:

The clients I have are a bit older. When I sell condos I typically sell to established couples. A lot of people 50 to 70 are downsizing. Usually they’re looking at older buildings. The maintenance fees are higher. But there’s a lot of square footage in these buildings

The advantages in an older established building are legion. They are well run, large, and in Sherille’s experience inhabited by the older generation professionals or retirees:

I just sold a condo in a co-op building in Rosedale. It’s full of law professors.

Rosedale, of course, is one of the premier, high-end, serious money neighbourhoods in the city. Along with other affluent neighbourhoods such as Forest Hill, Richmond Hill, Leaside, Lawrence Park and Hogg’s Hollow, these are the neigborhoods found a bit north of the downtown along the north-south Yonge Street subway.

Well-off professionals in these neighbourhoods typically develop a sense of what buildings they like and keep a sharp eye our for ads announcing a sale at specific properties.

Some of the older crowd, they have a handful of buildings they’re interested in. Those buildings don’t have units come up for sale all that often. And so when one does they tend to attract multiple offers. That kind of bidding situation is more common in these buildings.

How much does owning a condo cost

Once a unit is acquired there are ongoing costs to keep in mind. Every condo building charges maintenance fees to pay the concierge, landscapers and other expenses. When it comes to figuring out what’s included in these fees you’ll find that every building is unique.

According to Sherille, monthly condo fees can range from $300-$350 in lower price unit to $1,500 or $1,700 in an older well-run condo.

One new trend in the condo sector is the hiring of an inspector before the deal is signed. Having an inspection come in and look at a home before it is acquired by a buyer is standard in the residential home market. Having an inspector come in and look over a condo is becoming a thing as well.

One of the advantages of condo living to owning a house is the length of such inspection. While it can take as much as three hours in a house, condo can be checked in 45 minutes.

The future of Toronto’s real estate market

When it comes to answering the big question—will the market keep going up?—there is an endless array of opinion. There is no doubt that the Toronto housing market has been growing sharply for years now. Commentators have predicted that strong increases in price will have to slow in the years ahead. And it does appear the number of listings is beginning to slow. Many expect a tempering of current growth rates by 2017. But prices continue to appreciate, including a 21 per cent increase this July compared to the same period last year.

The bullish point out a key factor: The number of new people moving to Toronto each year still exceeds the available supply of units.

Canada is a country of immigrants. The government brings in 250,000 permanent residents every year. One quarter of those will settle in Toronto. And so many think that even with all the new construction there are still not enough new units being built for the all the newcomers.

To put it in economic terms—demand is still going to outstrip supply for years yet. And that bodes well for the housing market.

Sherille’s point of view:

Everybody keeps saying, ‘The condo market has to be going down. There’s going to be so much product. How can the market do so well?’ But it’s still doing well. In certain areas, with a good view, you still get multiple offers on condos. It’s not as bad as the housing market where there are multiple offers on every house. But in some of the older buildings I’ve been in more multiple offers situations

There is no doubt the growth and excitement bubbling up downtown has lent to the optimism. But people living downtown feel as if there is a sort-of renaissance moment happening in the city. Toronto is finally kind of coming of age.

Toronto experts weigh in on the state of the market

Local elites recently gathered at an event put on by financial news giant Bloomberg. Those gathered talked about the optimistic outlook on Toronto real estate. One of the experts was quoted saying that Canada is now considered a, “Switzerland for educated affluent foreigners looking for a stable country they can call home.” The city is located in a cool climate. There’s lots of fresh water around. The country of Canada is stable. It is said wealthy Chinese fleeing economic and political stagnation in their home country are buying properties in Canada.

The city’s popular chief planner, Jennifer Keesmaat, said:

Many cities would scream for the kind of growth we have in Toronto…We went through a phase where we were seeking to bring people to the downtown core—that has now been accompanied by an incredible increase in employment.

According to Jennifer, office towers are “springing up downtown because businesses want to be close to the people they’re employing.” This fact was recently confirmed by a study that found Toronto has the lowest rate of vacancy in downtown office space of any city in Canada.

Another fact that those knowledgeable about the Toronto condo market cite as a reason for confidence is the fact that the Toronto condo market is not as risky as other cities.

An important city bylaw states that a condo cannot be built unless 60 per cent to 75 per cent of the units have been pre-sold.

That is, projects don’t begin construction unless they are viable. Stalled projects are very rare in the Toronto market. It stands out against other cities in this respect.

Meet the new Toronto

At the same time the downtown continues to improve and evolve to accommodate the new urban lifestyle of condo dwellers. New bike lanes are being built on the main east west artery, Bloor Street. At the beginning of August the mayor of the city, John Tory, announced a major project that will see a major rail yard servicing Union Station covered over with a roof and a massive park built on top, right in the downtown core. Commentators were already calling the plan a major legacy project in the life of the city, are comparing it the construction of Central Park in New York.

So it’s an exciting time to be in the city. It’s bursting with growth and revived energy. The city is home to important cultural movements and communities, including the one that produced the cities first globally successful Hip-Hop star, Drake. As Keesmaat put it when she tweeted out news of the new park to followers, “It’s our moment, Toronto.”

When Bank of Canada warned that the pace of house price increase in Toronto and Vancouver cannot be sustained by economic fundamentals, they did not know the world was setting the stage for witnessing one of the greatest economic power shift of this century. Though Bank of Canada had warned not to expect house prices to keep surging at current pace in Toronto and other parts of Canada but during that time they were unaware of Brexit.

Britain’s vote to leave the European Union has created both political and economic confusion, which will result in many scouting for secure investment options and Canada will be among their top of the list. Canada has always been a safe and extremely profitable haven for those investing in real estate. Brexit will encourage scores of foreign buyers to purchase properties in Canada.

According to the Conference Board of Canada, Toronto’s economy is expected to grow by 2.8 per cent making the City one of Canada’s growth leaders again. This will make it the third fastest growing metropolitan economy in Canada this year. Toronto’s real estate is flocked by local, national and foreign buyers each snapping for their share of pie of the booming housing market. The City’s extraordinary growth of real estate market has even baffled seasoned economists who are cautiously amazed with this unprecedented surge.

Although several neighbourhoods in Toronto can be easily classified as best places to live from point of view of amenities, services and of course investment, there are a few of them that have always been favourites of Torontonians as well as others.

The benchmark price* of the single family detached, single family attached, townhouses and condominium apartments is as per Toronto Real Estate Market News and are listed for June 2016 compared with June 2015.

*Benchmark price When the sale price is predicted in a certain area for a general property this is called the benchmark price. The Housing Price Index determines the benchmark price and it is given based on criteria that is commonly found in other properties in the same area. This could be considered a typical sale price and by no means does it take the lower end or higher end properties into account.

Yonge – St. Clair and Annex (Toronto C02)

The intersection of Yonge and St Clair is a mix of high rise office, condo towers with busy street life and lots of shops around. It’s not the trendiest Toronto neighbourhood, but there is something special about this uptown condo haven

Shawn Micallef, The Star’s columnist, compares it to Frank Sinatra in the late 196o’s:

…a little out of touch with the avant-garde, but still wearing a sharp suit and drinking booze out of a proper highball glass. His style remained even as the fashions of the moment moved elsewhere.

Today it is a popular meeting spot for young professionals and it’s often compared to New York’s Upper East Side Manhattan. There is number of restaurants, cafes shops and big company headquarters at each corner of the neighbourhoods. It is perfect for those who love the urban life, because living in Yonge and St. Clair is downtown living at its best and it will only continue to thrive.

Prices:

The Yonge – St. Clair and Annex, comes under zone C02, labelled by MLS. The biggest increase was witnessed by Townhouses with 16.15% followed by detached, semi-detached and condominium properties.

Yonge – Eglinton (Toronto C03)

One of the most bustling intersections in midtown Toronto, the Yonge & Eglinton neighbourhood has been identified by the Province of Ontario as one of five Urban Growth Centres in Toronto. And there’s no wonder why. With its great access to public transit, a thriving business core, and shopping galore, you can see why this neighbourhood remains one of the destinations to visit within the city and a great place to live.

The population of the neighbourhood is a wonderful blend of young families, established urbanites, and 20-something professionals who help lend the area its “Young and Eligible” nickname.

The reputation of the Yonge-Eglinton area as a hub for young families and urban professionals is warranted, given some of the housing figures. Yes, 23 per cent of residents live in homes, while 60 per cent live in apartment buildings that are five stories or taller. This is a mixed-use neighbourhood with some detached homes that are younger than their older downtown counterparts.

Prices:

The Yonge – Eglinton, comes under zone C03, labelled by MLS. The biggest increase was witnessed by detached with 14.57% followed by semi-detached and condominiums.

Lawrence Park North and South CO4

Lawrence Park was a wealthy neighbourhood since its very beginning. In 1900’s, John Lawrence bought the land to start a suburb for the rich. He advertised it as an “aristocratic neighbourhood…far from the lake winds of winter.”

Today Lawrence Park is known as one of the wealthiest city suburbs in Canada. It offers a mix of detached and semi-detached homes and it’s a great area for young families, thanks to the abundance of great public and private schools in the area, including including John Wanless PS, Bedford Park PS, Toronto French School and Havergal.

Lawrence Park South

The neighbourhood’s proximity to Yonge Street and the prestige of Lawrence Park mean this area comes with a fairly hefty price tag, but it hosts beautiful homes with big lots and lots of mature trees. Lawrence Park has a wide-range of architectural styles like English Cottage, Tudor Revival, Georgian, and Colonial designs built between 1910 and 1950.

#tudortuesday This home is really beautiful and really super big too. It’s a shame you cant zoom in on here to be able to fully appreciate the awesomeness of this house #oldhouselove #archi_ologie

A photo posted by @toronto_architecture on Jan 26, 2016 at 5:12pm PST

Prices:

The Lawrence Park North and South, comes under zone C04, labelled by MLS. The biggest increase was witnessed by semi-detached houses with 19.89% followed by detached, townhouses and condominiums.

St. Lawrence Market, Distillery District, Church and Yonge Corridor, Cabbagetown – South -Toronto C08

St. Lawrence Market

Known for its lively and pedestrian-friendly streets, high-rise buildings and the market St. Lawrence is a solid neighbourhood with stable employment rate and plenty of things to do on the weekends.

The St. Lawrence Market was named one of the best markets in the world by Food & Wine Magazine. The neighbourhood’s location adjacent to the financial center and a mix of modern glass and historical red-brick facades present an interesting living space for both adults and young adults who are looking for an affordable condo arrangement.

Exceptional tastes will also be pleased with old warehouse buildings turned into lofts and condos.

Distillery District

Close to the Toronto Harbour, southeast of Parliament Street and Front Street lays 13 acres of historical architecture marked by store-houses and car-free space. Former home to one of the largest distilleries in the British Empire Distillery District breathes the free spirit of weekend nights spent over whiskey – the beverage of which there used be millions of gallons produced in this National Historic Site.

Nowadays, distillery District belongs to young families who prefer condominium living and close distance to the downtown. Settling in the Distillery District also shows an attraction to a particular way of living. Don’t look for the usual shopping mall experience or franchise stores of traditional brands. Expect, on the other hand, local and hand-crafted products, artsy jewelry and upscale stores traditional in similar areas such as SoHo in New York or Covent Garden of London.

Church and Yonge Corridor

Looking at the demographic of this downtown neighbourhood a nickname comes to mind Church and Young Corridor. Inhabited by couples and single families mostly and being home to the Ryerson University Sports and Recreation Centre the Corridor is a palette of diverse backgrounds. New condo buildings rise to the top and most of those units are rentals. It’s also the most popular housing solution for the dominant working age population, 71% per cent, of which 90 per cent live in condominium complexes.

Pedestrian only zones make it a great place for summer entertainment along with green spaces in the neighbourhood such as St. James Park or Ryerson Community Park. Part of the Corridor is Church-Wellesley Village, the part of town where LGBT community associates itself and hosts events of the famous Pride Week.

Cabbagetown South

The patch laminated by Parliament, Sherbourne, Carlton and Shuter Streets in the downtown mosaic is known as Cabbagetown South. Although formerly known as a suburban area on the edge of Toronto downtown the neighbourhood has enjoyed a vibrant and rich history which has remained visible in its specific Victorian architecture and thriving lifestyle composed of local stores, pubs, restaurants and the main street Parliament.

Most of Cabbagetown South inhabitants, 69 per cent, are in the working age of 25-64 and the most popular living arrangements are apartment buildings and in the houses area row housing dominates over semi-detached and single detached. These units are inhabited mostly by couples without children, followed by couples with children and lone-parenting households. Average household income (After-Tax) is $72,207.

Price:

The St. Lawrence Market, Distillery District, Church and Yonge Corridor, Cabbagetown South comes under zone C08, labelled by MLS. The biggest increase was witnessed by semi-detached houses with 13.52% followed by detached , townhouses and condominiums.

Rosedale- Toronto C09

The rough boundaries of the Rosedale neighbourhood are the CPR railway tracks to the north (just below St. Clair Avenue), Bloor Street to the south, Yonge Street to the west, and Bayview Avenue to the east. It’s a central neighbourhood that includes one of the largest crossroads of the city, Yonge and Bloor, and has Mt. Pleasant road running right through it. The great thing about Rosedale is its proximity to everything in the City — halfway to the Danforth or Yorkville, halfway to the Financial District or Yonge and Eglinton, and like all downtown, starting to fill with new voices, young families, and caring neighbours.

The houses in Rosedale are bigger (so too are the prices), so maintenance and repairs can be daunting. Nothing is a small expense. And if you want any free time, a gardener and a friendly carpenter are a must. The big old trees can cause havoc with your drains, and emergency plumbers should be on your speed dial.

PRICE:

Rosedale comes under zone C09, labelled by MLS. The biggest increase was witnessed by condominiums with 14.45 % followed by detached, semi-detached and town houses.

The Beaches E02

The Beaches neighbourhood is bound by Coxwell Avenue to the west, Victoria Park Avenue to the east, Kingston Road to the north, and Queen Street East or Lake Shore Boulevard —as well as Lake Ontario — to the south.

A boardwalk runs most of the length of the southern boundary along the four beaches that make up the shoreline. This makes part of the Martin Goodman Trail that runs west-to-east through the city. Four separate beaches make up the shoreline: Balmy Beach, Scarboro Beach, Kew Beach, and Woodbine Beach, with Woodbine and Kew beaches “Blue Flag” certified for cleanliness and good for swimming.

Most of the homes on the side streets branching from Queen Street East are semi-detached homes, with some larger Victorian and Edwardian homes that have been either taken by a sole owner or divided into apartments. You can also find some low-rise apartments and a few row-houses. Some streets have heritage designations in order to help protect the cottage-like appearance of some homes closer to the lakeshore.

Over 20,000 residents call The Beach their home, with an average income of between $67,000 and $70,000, a value well above the average for the rest of Toronto. The area is notorious for being a wonderful place to raise a family, since there are many parks and schools and very little crime.

PRICE:

The Beaches comes under zone E02, labelled by MLS. The biggest increase was witnessed by town houses with 11.94 % followed by semi-detached, detached and condominiums.

Parkdale- Toronto W01

Found west of the Queen West neighbourhood, Parkdale is bound to the east by Dufferin Street and to the west by Roncesvalles Avenue. The neighbourhood stretches as far north as the CP rail line where it crosses Queen Street West and Dundas Street West, and the area extends as far south as lakeshore.

You would be incorrect in assuming that Parkdale is living up to its reputation as a still down-and-out neighbourhood hovel for hipsters. Parkdale is gradually moving forward, carrying the torch of rejuvenation of Queen Street West beyond the break at Dufferin Street. Filled with many long-standing restaurants and bars, the neighbourhood is becoming more gentrified, with more music venues and upscale restaurants newly developing or taking over freshly renovated old buildings. The fabric of the neighbourhood is rich with Tibetan, North African, and West Indian influences, and all these notes integrate seamlessly to create a neighbourhood on the rise.

From its opulent origins, Parkdale contains many large Victorian homes on larger lots. Many are still intact, while others have been sub-divided into apartments. You can find the bulk of the larger homes on Cowan Avenue, Dunn Avenue, and Melbourne Place.

A few high-rise apartment buildings stand along Jameson Avenue, but new development has taken to condominiums and loft spaces.

PRICE:

The Parkdale comes under zone W01, labelled by MLS. The biggest increase was witnessed by semi-detached with 14.08 % followed by detached, condominiums and Townhouses.

Why and Where To Invest?

Good investment prospects, depends on various factors – foremost is good public and private schools, which tops the priority list of majority of buyers looking for houses. This is followed by transportation, i.e. how close are you from subway or how regular are buses and street cars in your neighbourhood if you do not like to buy a car. Last but not the least people look for shopping amenities closer to their area too.

There are other reasons too why public transport friendly neighbourhoods as well as those closer to every day necessities are more in demand and are seeing people investing in them.

As per Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation if you drive about 18,000 km per year, it costs on average over $9,000 annually to own and operate a car in Canada. Imagine how much you can save if you are living in a more pedestrian/public transit-oriented development

A research from The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada has revealed that when homes are within walking distance of stores and other services, people are 2.4 times more likely to meet the 30-minute minimum than those in homes that are not within a convenient or pleasant walk to stores/services . The organisation recommends at least 30 minutes of exercise every day, which can be mix of walking or biking, to reduce the risk of obesity, heart disease and stroke.

Neighbourhood I mention above checkmark all the priority list of buyers. Besides foreign investors, new immigrants and first time home buyers are ruling the market. Then there are those who have returned to Toronto from Alberta and New Foundland because oil sector is not doing well.

Many overseas buyers purchase the property because their children are studying in Toronto. Unlike other countries, Canada offers students three years of working visa that is also encouraging their parents who can afford to purchase properties rather than renting. They are looking at this is a good investment opportunity in both short and long term.

In the end whether you buy home once in your life time or are a serial purchaser you are always looking for decent to extraordinary returns, which could be monetary, non-monetary or just accomplishing a personal dream. A prospective buyer or investor has to investigate on their own to find more about the neighbourhood. In addition to schools, public transport and proximity to amenities, one should also look for how safe is the neighbourhood. A visit to the nearest police station will give all information you need to know. Purchasing home is always in our bucket list and is an emotional process but with a little hard work and research, we can reap the benefits as well as rewards of this smart investment for many years to come.

If you have been following the Torontoism blog and my social media feeds at least occasionally you’ve probably noticed my obsession with technology or productivity-boosting apps.In weeks to come you’ll be reading more about our routine and what helps us achieve the desired level of productivity. First-up, the irreplaceable ‘Remember Everything’ app Evernote.

Evernote was founded in 2008 and has more than 30 million users and get numerous updates per year that keep it at the top of note taking, organizing, team-working apps hierarchy.

Let’s have a closer look at why Evernote is central to The Torontoism team’s day-to-day activities.

First and foremost, Evernote’s user interface (UI) is incredibly friendly. Whether you use the desktop version, or the smartphone/tablet app I suggest playing around with the view settings. This will give you better digest of all the notebooks, notes and tags.

And I am certainly not the only one who loves the UI. Bill Risser, Evernote Certified Consultant, is also especially fond of ‘Search’:

The ability to search everything in my account, including images, PDF’s and other documents is super useful.

Notebooks

The cornerstone of Evernote lays in notebooks and notes. You have your main notebook which is a default destination for all your notes, unless you assign them elsewhere. I share a lot with my team and the user interface makes it very easy. All you need is the person’s e-mail address.

By sharing the document, you’re not losing control of the content. You can choose whether the person can edit it, just view it or both. You can change this at any time.

Tip: Evernote will sync your Google contacts.

The Torontoism team shares ‘Listings’ notebooks among each other to help organize who takes care of what, but at the same time, everyone has access to everyone else’s’ project and can jump in whenever they think they need to. These are categorized as following:

• Active Listings
• Closed Listings
• Pending Listings
• Buyers
• Potential Listings

Evernote Certified Consultant Deb Lee suggests coming up with “a standard naming convention for all your notes”.

Consistence in naming the documents will help you speed up the process.

Tip: Use a naming structure that makes sense to you.

Sorting is essential. Each listing within its category has its own note with all important information, including photos and documents.

Pricing

Evernote offers three subscription plans: Basic, Plus, Premium. The Torontoism team uses the Premium plan which offers up to 10GB/month of space to share files. This is very convenient. Tania Bettencourt, our Client Care Manager, uses Evernote during the first walkthrough of the property we are listing. She takes notes of every room and general notes of the home. She can attach as many pictures or videos as needed because there’s no worry about free space when it comes to Evernote.

Tip: I definitely recommend one of the paid subscriptions. It’s money well spent.

One of the cons of Evernote Premium is that it does not support check lists in PDFs. We use template documents for buyers and sellers to tick-off and fill-in information about the whole home buying/selling process to make it as smooth as possible. It would be very helpful if it could be done in the attached PDF. Now we have to do it in a third-party app like Preview in Mac or Adobe on Windows. On the other hand, it is easy to attach these documents to notes and access them wherever-whenever.

Notes

Aside from the usual features such as font settings, bullet and numbered lists, divider, table, alignments and attachments, you will find a recorder icon to take audio notes. Evernote also employs your webcam for quick snapshots.

I would also advise to use tags with each note. Searching in Evernote is sleek and tags are a must for power users. Deb Lee uses tags to help identify each workflow stage “so that team members know when to pick up the ball”.

Tip: include Tags in your Sidebar to quickly access the notes.

Checklists

When asked about his favourite to-do manager, Phil Libin, founder of Evernote, said he didn’t have one:

I use Evernote, which isn’t particularly great for to-dos yet. Yet.

This was a few years ago, so can the green elephant actually replace a to-do manager these days?

Yes. Evernote took note-taking to another level with checklists. Simply add checklists to your notes and turn them into to-dos or create one from scratch. To make sure it is a proper to-do list you can even add an in-app or e-mail reminder. You will receive the notification on the day the note is due.

Tip: Shared notebooks allow my team to subscribe to reminders and choose whether they’ll receive them in form of an in-app notification or via e-mail.

Right now you can add reminders only to notes which is still great, but Bill Risser, Evernote Certified Consultant, would like to see “the integration of the Reminders feature into an individual checkbox item in a list”. I couldn’t agree more.

Sidebar

Evernote’s sidebar is the place where you’ll find your frequently opened notebooks, notes, tags and saved searches. Drag them to you sidebar and create shortcuts. These sync across all your devices and become only a click away.

The sidebar is fully customizable. You can include shortcuts and recent notes as well as notebooks, notes, tags and atlas. The latter feature shows your notes on a map; sorted by location. For a quicker access to various notebooks and tags go to a notebook list and tag list in the sidebar preferences. It’s also possible to include chats.

Tip: to access frequently and recently visited notes and notebooks use shortcut CMD+J (CTRL+J). To create new note quickly use Bill Risser’s favorite shortcut CMD+N (CTRL+N).

Shortcuts

Naturally, shortcuts are a must. There is always that one note, notebook or a set of tags that stands out and needs your attention. Whether you use them frequently or just need them at hand at any time, they should be placed in shortcuts in the sidebar.

Tip: drag it or Right-click on the note -> ‘Add to Shortcuts’.

Presentations

Evernote is not my favorite app for presentations, but it does offer such feature. Its convenience lays in not having to stylize each slide. All one has to do is mark where each slide begins and ends in the note. It’s easy to use and handy when something needs to be done on the go, but if you are looking for more control go with either Pages or Powerpoint.

Web Clipper

Internet is full of amazing content and of course they want us to read it all. However, there’s little time for that. A handy extension called Evernote Web Clipper lets you turn articles, web pages or even e-mail conversations into notes. It’s available on all popular browsers.

The neat thing about the extension is that it assigns clippings to notebooks based on their content. For example, if I am clipping a real estate article and there is a notebook with real estate content in my Evernote it will recognize the match and clip it there.

I believe I’ve exhausted my thoughts and tips on Evernote, but there is still plenty to learn as the tool is expanding with every new update. What Evernote features do you find most helpful? I would love to read your tips on personalization and productivity. Remember Everything!

His enviable grasp of technology and social media has made Silver a sought-after speaker on the use of social media in real estate. “I welcome change,” he says. “In fact, the only constant in our real estate business is change.”

By Dennis McCloskey

When Richard Silver walks into the boardroom at Sotheby’s International Realty Canada’s Toronto office, the veteran Realtor exudes confidence, charm and class. The casually but nattily attired agent immediately puts his visitor at ease.

No one would deign to call the former model, dancer and performer a show-off. But Elton John might disagree, because Sir Elton says, “Performers are all show offs; unless you show off, you’re not going to get noticed.”

Richard Silver is getting noticed!

Three years after joining Sotheby’s Canada, with its 400 agents and offices in 30 residential and resort markets, Silver is consistently among the top one per cent of salespeople in Toronto. He was named one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Real Estate for 2013 by San Francisco-based Inman News.

Born in Edmonton, he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Oregon by majoring in phys ed and kinesiology. A professional dancer and performer, he moved to Montreal 40 years ago before accepting a job at Toronto’s York University, teaching dance. Soon he returned to performing.

When he was interested in buying his first house he took a real estate course “to learn the process.” He was hooked. He obtained his licence in 1980 and knew he’d made the right decision to enter the business when he earned the same income in the first month as a real estate agent as he did working as a dancer the entire previous year.

I gave up performing and became a patron of the arts,

he says with a smile. In early pre-technology days, he says everything was done by hand, phone, fax or in person. He laughs at the memory of buyers and sellers having to send him a telegram to confirm an Agreement of Purchase and Sale. Thanks to a tech-savvy pre-teen nephew, who is now in his 40s, Silver became an early adaptor of technology when his nephew wrote a rudimentary customer management system that allowed Silver to connect with clients and keep track of his business. Again, he was hooked!

Today, his enviable grasp of technology and social media has made Silver a sought-after speaker on the use of social media in real estate:

I welcome change. In fact, the only constant in our real estate business is change.

Before joining Sotheby’s, Silver worked with other real estate companies, including 15 years with the venerable Toronto firm, Bosley Real Estate, founded in 1928. He says he learned a lot from Tom Bosley, broker of record, and his wife Ann, but several years ago Silver felt the time had come to join an international franchise:

At first, I didn’t think foreign markets would be of interest to me, but I began seeing more and more showings and offerings from Chinese agents,

He knew there are five Chinese areas in the Greater Toronto Area (Gerrard, Spadina, Town of Markham, Scarborough and Mississauga) and took notice of a large influx of Mandarin- speaking people in the city, including Cantonese from Hong Kong. “China’s middle class has a population of 300 million and they have money to spend.”

He soon realized he needed an understanding of foreign markets, so he obtained his Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) designation.

Silver adheres to the axiom that happiness and success come from growth, not comfort. And since he loves nothing more than a challenge, he chose to reinvent himself and forge a new path, deliberately and with foresight. He formed a team of several specialists, including Jim Burtnick, broker and senior vice president, sales; Tracy An, who is Asian and serves as translator; and Sherille Layton, British by birth and a recent immigrant with full knowledge of the immigration process. Silver says his team concept is to find people who are not like him but who complement m:

Too many people look for mini-MEs.

He concedes there is much to learn when dealing with foreign markets and he recommends a book by Terri Morrison, titled Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands, which is a guide to proper international business protocol and includes 60 country profiles.

Silver agrees it can be a cultural and technological shock marketing a property within China. He speaks only rudimentary Mandarin and Cantonese, mostly in the form of greetings and very light conversation. Silver says the most important challenge in dealing with a Chinese buyer or seller is patience:

It is important not to be shocked or insulted by an extremely low offer. Negotiation is uppermost in their mind and if a buyer likes a property, they’ll most likely buy it. Just be patient.

Sotheby’s is considered to be a “rarefied” brand and Silver likes to call it “a marketing company that sells real estate.” He estimates that 30 per cent of his sales are to the Chinese market. He says it is important to make at least one annual trip to China to create and maintain working relationships with people, but it’s a challenge to get through the Great Firewall of China via the Internet:

It takes an innovative approach and commitment to attract Asian buyers because China has no Google, Facebook or Twitter.

Among his “workarounds” (and keeping in mind the 12-hour time difference), his team uses China-based real estate website Juwai, and China’s most popular instant messaging app, WeChat.

At 67, Silver has no plans to retire just yet. While he does not rule out another re-invention at some point in his real estate career, he says:

My intention is to work as long as I can because I love it.

He and his partner of 18 years like to travel the world and spend time in Puerto Vallarta “for its bright, long, sunny days, the Mexican culture and the ocean.”

There is one thing he does not like and he states it unequivocally: “I don’t like Canadian winters!”

Originally published in REM, Issue #324, June 2016. 

In one of our recent articles we focused on the pros and cons of working from home. Everyone can agree, it’s more comfortable at home, there is less pressure, less small talk, less distractions (and more food!).  Not to mention that a lot of professions, such as writers, graphic designers, marketers, don’t need an office space to work from and people doing these jobs are quite often freelancers. This means their work is mostly done from home, but what happens if they just can’t focus there and they need to be surrounded by people to work?

There are a few options available, one of them being co-working spaces, created specifically for professionals who don’t have an dedicated office building.

Another, very popular option, at least in Toronto, are coffee shops. Fortunately, Toronto has great coffee shops on every corner, so all they need to do is choose. To make it easier, we’ve done some research and chosen 11 best coffee shops to work from in Toronto, where the coffee is strong and the WIFI even stronger.

Make sure you have enough battery on your laptop, plug it in if you need to, grab a cup of joy and read on.

Want to know more about our favourite neighbourhoods in Toronto? Check out these blog posts!

• Best Toronto Neighbourhoods For First-Time Home Buyers
• Toronto’s Top Communities for Empty Nesters
• What Are the Best Toronto Neighbourhoods For Cyclists?

JET FUEL COFFEE

Address:519 Parliament St
Phone:416-968-9982
Website: jetfuelcoffee.com
Hours: Mon-Sun 6am-8pm

This Cabbagetown staple has been rolling along now for 24 years, and shows no signs of slowing down. Founded by former bike courier, pastry chef and bike shop owner John Englar, and sporting a distinct cycling vibe, Jet Fuel started out as a catering truck back in the late 1980s. It also sponsors one of Canada’s longest running cycling teams.

Located at Parliament and Aberdeen, they serve up delicious espresso drinks on their Faema espresso machine, with beans sourced from Classic Coffee, who make a unique roast just for them. This unique blend, Jet Fuel Coffee, is being sold at this location for the first time this year. I go for an Americano, served up in a tall glass, and it’s a steal for $3.

The well-worn hardwood floors, red walls and stainless steel surfaces give Jet Fuel Coffee a quasi-bohemian feel, while a multitude of pot lights and stainless steel hanging lamps provide a warm glow throughout. The exposed brickwork at the front of the café near the large picture window has a gigantic steel atlas hanging from it, which reflects the sunlight streaming through from the enormous picture window out front. A rotating display of local artwork graces the walls.

Jet Fuel Coffee is an ideal place to bring in your laptop and get going on that project you’ve been putting off for a while. The lively music wafting from their sound system is turned down low enough so it’s not too distracting.  There is an abundance of seating and the wifi is excellent, but there aren’t that many outlets available, so make sure your batteries are well charged.

MERCHANTS OF GREEN COFFEE

Address: 2 Matilda St,
Phone: 416-741-5369
Website: merchantsofgreencoffee.com
Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-6pm, Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 10am-6pm

Situated in an old jam factory just east of the DVP (Don Valley Parkway), Merchants Café provides patrons with a gorgeous view of Toronto’s signature skyline. Started up by Morgan Yew and his four friends and business partners, this Matilda Street establishment has been delighting the city’s coffee lovers for over 20 years. All of their 100% Arabica bean roasts are certified fair trade and organic. This includes their “pride and joy” Café Solar, a Honduran roast they’ve been working on with coffee growers from that region for the past two decades, and their newer initiative to obtain fair trade organic product from Rwandan coffee growers.

On any given day, they have three such coffee roasts available, in addition to some fine espresso beverages, churned out on an older Victoria Arduino copper plated espresso machine. A cup of their daily drip coffee will set you back $3.15. You can also buy their wide selection of beans, on display on one of the old factory’s rolling carts. That, combined with a wide array of older style coffee making accessories on display around the interior, provides a nice vintage touch.

The large wooden harvest tables and comfortable chairs provide the perfect space to sit and get some work done for an extended period. The cafe has wifi, and many electrical outlets to plug in your devices. Over the hubbub of other guests’ voices, I couldn’t hear any music playing in the background.

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DARK HORSE ESPRESSO BAR

Address: 215 Spadina Ave
Phone: 416-979-1200
Website: darkhorseespresso.com
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-7pm, Sat-Sun 8am-7pm  

With five locations across the city, Dark Horse Espresso bar has been serving up tasty espresso at their Spadina Avenue location for the past eight years. The location used to be an art studio and, before that, a plumbing factory. The exposed brickwork, well-worn wooden floors and visible pipes along the ceiling certainly give this place a very cool vibe. A La Marcozza espresso machine is displayed prominently and churns out their numerous available drinks, all written on a large chalkboard behind the counter.

One of the baristas, Sarah, suggests I try the French press coffee, of which there are seven varieties that day. I try the San Sebastian, which has notes of chocolate and grape, and it is indeed delicious. It costs $3.45 and is served in a tall glass. A whole slew of baked goods look tempting from behind a glass display case, while packaged coffee and T-shirts are for sale on the back wall. They use beans from Detour Coffee and 49th Parallel to create an irresistible coffee treat, their own in-chain baked goods (from their Geary Avenue location), cold brew coffee and fresh juices.

Dark Horse Espresso is an ideal place to kick back, enjoy some great brew and get some serious work done. The music over the speakers is conducive to this. There is ample seating available in the front section with two large harvest tables, and a small bar area with stools. Visible beyond the front counter on the second level are even more tables and chairs for their patrons. There is wifi, but only a few electrical outlets to plug in.

FAHRENHEIT COFFEE

Address: 120 Lombard St
Phone: 647-896-1774
Website: fahrenheitcoffee.com
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-6pm, Sat 8am-5pm, Sun 9am-3pm

Gabriel Daniel Fahrenheit, the German scientist who invented his namesake temperature scale, would surely have loved the exquisite coffee that comes from this Lombard St. mainstay that’s also named after him. Formerly down on the Esplanade, it has occupied its current location at Lombard and Jarvis for the past four-plus years.

Owner Sameer Mohamed and his staff have done a great job of cultivating an establishment with great coffee, freshly baked treats made on-site and a very cozy atmosphere. While the coffee was excellent, a Kenya Weithaga with citrus notes recommended by barista Sabin, it isn’t an ideal place to sit and work. They do have wifi and an adequate number of electrical outlets, but only seating for about six people. Even if you did get a seat, I would think you’d feel a little guilty staying there any appreciable length of time, and taking up room for newer patrons. The music percolating in the background is pleasant and not distracting.

In addition to drinking their coffee and coffee drinks, you can also buy their excellent beans, sourced from Leslieville’s Te Aro ($11 for a 1/2 pound bag, which also gets you a complimentary Espresso or Americano with purchase).

BLACK CANARY ESPRESSO BAR

Address: 61 Sherbourne St
Phone: 416-301-7633
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-7pm, Sat 8am-5pm, Sun 9am-5pm

Situated at the corner of Sherborne and Adelaide Streets, Black Canary Espresso Bar was opened by Luthie Lampa and Mark Gringas nearly six years ago. Previously known as Bisogno Espresso Bar, this “little café with a big heart” has become a neighbourhood staple in its own right.

The Black Canary offers up a full slate of espresso based drinks from their La Marcozza machine, drip coffees, teas and fresh juices. A couple of daily specials include a caramaple latte and Nutella hot chocolate (among others), and they all look incredible. Looking for a drip coffee, however, barista Mark suggests the dark roast from Bolivia, which is sensationally rich and satisfying. They also sell their beans, from Detour Roasters, including their very own Black Canary blend. There is a small selection of fresh baked goods on hand to vanquish any hunger pains while you sip your coffee.

This is a great place to work for couple of hours or so. There is ample seating, including a large harvest table, several smaller tables, a bar area and two coaches. The wifi signal is strong, and there are enough outlets to plug in your laptop or charge your other devices. There was no background music I could discern. Several picture windows look out onto the hustle and bustle of Sherbourne Street, while allowing plenty of natural light in. A large palm tree in the corner, a record player with ample vinyl selections and a bookshelf filled with great reads and board games gives the place a homey, welcoming feel. A funky vibe is given by the lime green ceiling, while the white walls feature a wide array of work by artist Lynn Leonard. Black Canary Espresso Bar is located at 61 Sherborne Street, just south of Adelaide.

CAFÉ PAMENAR

Address: 307 Augusta Avenue
Phone: 647-352-3627
Hours: Mon 8am-8pm, Tue-Thu 8am-12am, Fri-Sat 8am-2am, Sun 8am-12am

Located in Kensington Market, just south of College Street at 307 Augusta Avenue, sits Pamenar Café, a coffeehouse opened by Pouria Lotfi. (Augusta Avenue, between Bathurst St. and Spadina Ave.) A plethora of espresso drinks and coffees are available with beans from Hale Coffee Company. The Americano pulled from their La Marcozza espresso machine is sweet and flavourful, strong enough to keep you working without a blip all afternoon long. A great deal at $3.They also offer up a variety of other coffee beverages, baked goods, sandwiches and their famous Steak Tartare on Tuesdays.

A large space behind the counter features the artistry of local photographers and other creatives. The paintings of Marcella Calderone are currently on display. The white walls, concrete coffee bar and floor, antique signage, and exposed bulb lighting make for a bright and utilitarian coffee experience. Large rolling windows at the front and back let in scads of sunlight, and can be opened right up in the warmer weather.

An absolutely enormous wood bar, a few small tables, two communal tables, ensures you’ll find a place to sit and get some work done. Free wifi, ample natural light, and adequate electrical outlets make this a great place to stay a while and finish that report for your boss. The background music is pleasant and conducive to work and conversation. They have a no laptops rule after 8pm, so if you’re there into the evening, you’ll need to get your work done before that, unfortunately.

THE TAMPERED PRESS

Address: 256 Crawford St
Phone: 416-534-9739
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-8pm, Sat-Sun 8am-7pm

Taking its name from the coffee appliance used to compress espresso before pulling a shot, The Tampered Press Café has been open now for six years. The brainchild of Caitlyn Zannoni, a former personal trainer and nutritionist, this cafe has felicitously combined a health focused food and drink establishment with a traditional coffee spot.

Seminars and organic homemade sandwiches mix with the delightful coffee from Classic Gourmet. Succulent baked goods beckon from the front counter. Their Crema Caffe espresso machine is hard at work churning out lattes and cappuccinos for the midday clientele. The barista, Caitlyn, suggests I try the dark roast, a blend of five different beans including Kenyan, Columbian and Tanzanian. It is smooth and satisfying and I happily plunk down $2.25. With a good wifi signal, ample natural light, wood tables and chairs to poke away on your laptop for hours, and enough outlets to keep charged up, the bright and airy space ensures you’ll be golden.

There’s also a small table with a pitcher of free water by the front entrance. The exposed brick and dark grey walls, along with the wood floors really creates an office away from the office feel to keep you charged up too. The photography of Paris-born Toronto artist Lionel Tissot lines the walls. They also have a great view of Trinity Bellwoods Park right across the street. Classic rock selections play softly in the background.

R-SQUARED CAFE

Address: 668 Queen St West
Phone: 647-344-8558
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-8pm, Sat-Sun 8am-7pm

Sequestered on Queen West, just west of Bathurst St., R Squared is named after its two owners, Reza and Reza, and has been offering up amazing coffee on its Nuova Simonelli machine since 2011. Their beans are provided by Social Coffee and Tea Company. Unfortunately, they don’t serve drip coffee after noon, so I got an Americano for $3 which was rich and flavourful.

White and pale yellow walls create a bright airy feel, while the artwork of local artist Chloe Danielle Marson and a multitude of foreign movie posters adorn the walls. The wifi was good, but there aren’t a lot of outlets so you’ll want to make sure you’re fully charged when you go. There is plenty of seating at small two-person tables, while a generous bar area at the back provides even more space, with an enormous golden framed mirror on one wall making it seem even bigger.

With the minor inconvenience of the limited electrical outlets, this is a great place to work for a while while you enjoy your coffee. The music playing is quiet enough for work or a chat with your seatmate.

CRAFTED BY TE ARO

Address: 983 Queen St East
Phone: 416-465-2006
Website: pilotcoffeeroasters.com
Hours: Mon-Thu 7/7:30am-6pm, Fri 7am-6pm, Sat 7:30-6pm, Sun 8am-6pm

Formerly the Get Real Café, this great find at 135 Ossington (at Argyle St.) has been open for six years, and was established by Jesse and Andy Wilkin. This pleasant café capitalizes and continues on their café success in Leslieville. With beans from Pilot Coffee Roasters, and their Simonelli espresso machine buzzing with activity, the barista Brett recommends their dark roast, a Kenyan Ichuga blend. It was delicious and excellent for $2.25. This is also the home of the famous cold drip coffee, which can take up to 8 hours to make, and costs $4 for 6 ounces. I’ve heard people actually call ahead in advance for it. They also carry a good selection of coffee and tea for sale, as well as their respective accessories.

There’s a modest patio out back with a garden that is used to full effect in the nice weather. White walls, weathered wood floors, and lots of antique pictures and mirrors adorn the walls, creating a nice homey feel. Large windows and windowed doors in the front and back bring in lots of natural light, while the front window also rolls up garage style in the summer, opening the place right up to the outside.

There is space for around 20 people with a large harvest table, bar area and several smaller tables. It’s a great place to work for a little while, but the relative lack of space might make you feel guilty staying more than an hour. The background tunes are a little loud to really concentrate as well. The wifi is good and there are ample outlets.

EARLY BIRD ESPRESSO AND BREW BAR

Address: 613 Queen St West
Phone: 647-348-2473
Website: earlybirdespresso.com 
Hours: Tue-Sat 8am-12am, Sun-Mon 8am-7pm

If it’s true that the early bird gets the worm, then it’ll also get some fine coffee at this stalwart Queen Street West café, which does indeed open up early in the morning. Bani Taghaboni and Farshid Sahami unveiled their new café creation three years ago, and have not looked back. Procuring their beans from Pilot Coffee Roasters, they also sell said beans, an small assortment of baked goods, chocolate bars from and coffee accessories. The barista, Simon, suggests their daily roast, a Kenyan Chorongi, was a little bitter but nonetheless tasty. It’ll set you back $2.40 for a medium cup. Their La Marcozza espresso machine is constantly churning out their various coffee drinks, from lattes to Americanos.

Space is good, the seating they have is comfortable, the wifi is strong and there are enough outlets to keep your laptop from taking an unscheduled e-nap. A large neon sign that reads “Early Bird” on the wall is ready to remind you if you forget where you are. Not a chance of that in this fine café.

The white walls, a scattered assortment of plants, exposed brick and ceiling pipes, industrial style lighting fixtures, and ample natural light from the cavernous front window makes Early Bird a pleasant place to spend an hour or two on your latest project. The music playing over the speakers does not preclude getting work done.

REUNION ISLAND

Address: 385 Roncesvalles Ave, Toronto, ON M6R 2N1, Canada
Phone: +1 905-829-8520
Website: Reunion Island
Hours: MON-FRI 7am-5pm, SAT-SUN 8am-5pm

Great internet connection, great coffee and enthusiastic owners.  Reunion Island serves top-notch coffee its parent company Reunion Island Coffee Roasters imports from all over the world. The founder and chairman Peter Pesce is two-times past Chairman of the Coffee Association of Canada. With that in mind, you know you are getting the good stuff.

What is more, Reunion holds numerous certifications in eco-friendly, sustainability and preservation associations. The most notable one being B Corporation Certification which holds the company to high standards of social and environmental performance.

Want to find the perfect Toronto home or need help selling? Silver Burtnick & Associates is here for you. or click here to send us an email.