Street Profile: Bastedo Ave

Over the years I have completed five transactions on Bastedo Ave, near Coxwell/Danforth. That’s tied for the most I have sold on any street! Each sale had its own story: a first time buyer, an estate sale, and various move-up/move-on situations. Some of the buyers chose Bastedo because of the great value in those houses, the friendly nature of the neighbourhood, and the proximity to the Coxwell subway station, but whatever the reasons, everybody seems to have ended up very happy on Bastedo Ave.

Located just three blocks east of Coxwell Ave, and running south from Danforth, Bastedo Ave offers an eclectic mix of 2 and 3-bedroom semis (some with parking, many without), a smattering of fully detached houses, and some newer town homes at the bottom of the street. Although the street lacks the nearly-complete tree canopy that we find on many streets just a few blocks further south, there are plenty of young-to-middle aged trees, meaning there’s a good chance of a thickening canopy over the coming years. (By the way, you can tap in to the City’s tree planting program. I posted a story about that earlier this year.)

One of the biggest draws to Bastedo Ave, and many of the streets around it, is ‘The Danforth’, well-known for the great selection of restaurants, pubs, cafes and services available there – pretty much everything! (That stretch of the street is covered by the Danforth Mosaic Business Improvement Area – check out their web site for a list of businesses and activities.) Having a walkable neighbourhood has always been important in Toronto, but seems to be getting even more so as the city increases in density. Danforth offers that local walking lifestyle, while offering quick access to the subway, which is always a huge advantage.

Walking distance to Monarch Park, Bastedo Ave is even closer to East Lynn Park, home to the local farmers’ market. The local public school is Earl Haig (JK to Gr.8); the high school is Monarch Park C.I. If you want to head down to the Beach you can hop on the Coxwell 22 bus and be there in minutes, and if you are driving, you have ready access to the DVP (straight up Coxwell to O’Connor, followed by a short drive over to Don Mills Ave) and the Lakeshore-Gardiner-QEW at the bottom of Coxwell. All in all, the location offers a few decent ‘escape routes’ from the city.

Here’s what one of my clients had to say about life on Bastedo Ave:

“I purchased my first home 10 years ago. I looked at many homes throughout Toronto but it was the cute, bright, semi on Bastedo that caught my eye. The house was affordable (I was single at the time), on a nice tree-lined street and close to the subway. In those 10 years, lots changed. The I became we. Then baby made three, and we had even more reasons to love Bastedo with the parks, drop-in centres and library just around the corner. However, with all that Bastedo has to offer, my favourite part has to be the neighbours. It’s a diverse group of individuals who really care about one another and have pride of ownership.”

From a Realtor’s perspective, Bastedo offers a great mix of affordability and lifestyle. It’s a great street (and area) for the first-time buyer, and perfect for those who want to live car-free. If you haven’t yet considered Bastedo Ave, you should! If you are in the market, contact me for more info and let’s go check it out.