Kensington-Chinatown

Your Typical Neighbour

There’s a higher than average concentration of creative types living in Kensington Market, as well as a whole lot of students in small bohemian apartments!

What We Love

Foodies Unite! The shops here are perfect for last-minute fresh food shopping (you’ll never need a freezer), and the restaurant and street food scene is truly amazing. There is a constant buzz of energy every time you leave your door in Kensington Market; for those that see this as a positive, there’s nowhere better.

What We Don’t Love

Living in this proximity to a market makes the evening before garbage day an absolute assault on the olfactory senses. If you crave peace and quiet, look elsewhere. Oh, and we hope you like tourists!

The Real Estate Scoop

Tiny Victorian homes are the staple of the area, many of which can be hard to locate tucked behind the storefronts that have been built out in front of them. A number of these tiny houses have re-arranged themselves to orient the daily entrances at the rear, where laneway access offers a quieter, peaceful escape from the constant market traffic that buzzes morning till night.

There has been limited development in the area in the last few years, and the few condo developments that have popped up right outside the Bathurst, Dundas, Spadina and College Street borders have opened up some buying opportunity here. Kensington Market Lofts is one of the few great options in the heart of it all: in the late 90’s George Brown College sold some buildings, and these were converted to funky lofts in 1999. Turnover is rare, and despite the relatively small size of many of the area’s homes, the uptick in the demand has had just as strong an impact if not more on home prices in Kensington as it has anywhere else.

Kensington Market is also a somewhat popular area with real estate investors. The demand for student-appropriate housing here is strong given the location is so close to both OCAD and the University of Toronto; many older homes have been converted to multi-residential use, both formally and informally.

Schools

There are a number of school options nearby Kensington Market that can satisfy desires for Public, Separate, Private and Montessori. The local Montessori spot has been a staple of the neighbourhood for 40+ years and occupies a beautiful home right across from High Park.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

Kensington Community School
Ryerson Community School
Orde Street Junior Public School
Beverley School
Ogden Junior Public School

SENIOR SCHOOLS

Heydon Park Secondary School
Contact Alternative School

PRIVATE & CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

Westside Montessori School
Cornerstone Prep Montessori School