Click here to view a slideshow of Rosedale.

Bounded by St Clair to the north, and Bloor to the south, Yonge St to the east and Bayview to the west.

The neighbourhood is divided to the north by somewhat more budget conscious Moore Park and to the south, Rosedale proper.

Really tricky to work your way through Rosedale. You'll need a compass!

This community veers around natural topography as opposed to the clean east west north south lines in most of Toronto.

There are a few main arteries: Glen, which if you can find it, will take you all the way down to Castle Frank, Sherbourne north from Bloor to Crescent will bring you through the very pretty Crescent Rd and land you at the Yonge/Rosedale subway, and the Rosedale Valley Rd, which exits onto Yonge at Aylmer Road and takes you all the way south to Bayview.

There are three ravines in the neighbourhood all preserved as parkland: the David A Balfour Park which runs into Park Drive Reservation and where the Beltline Trail can be picked up. The Belt Line connects Park Drive Reservation to Chorley Park, the top of the Brickworks and Moore Park Ravine: great walking. It is this conglomeration that makes Rosedale so hard to find your way around. It also accounts for very low traffic volume. It's very quiet, with the abundance of trees and greenery muffling noise from the main roads: an island with very easy access to downtown.

Descriptive adjectives that spring to mind: verdant, leafy, exclusive, select, private, privileged, prime, pricey ....are just a few.

Titles: "The Heart of Rosedale", Rosedale Matron, Rosedale Diner, Rosedale Golf Club, Rosedale Heights, Rosedale Subway, Rosedale Park.

The two best known schools in the neighbourhood are the exclusive all-girls school: Branksome Hall (416 920 6265) and Rosedale Heights Senior School,(416 393 1580) known for its excellent drama program. For Catholics, there is Our Lady of Perpetual Help on Garfield (416 393 5239). The area is well served in Junior Public Schools with Rosedale Public School, (416 393 1330) Whitney Junior Public School, (416 393 9380) and Bennington Heights Elementary School (416 396 2310).

You can take the #75 bus (accessible and with front bike racks) all the way to Rosedale Subway from Queen's Quay. Click here for the detailed route.

The houses are gorgeous, a lovely mix of Edwardian, Tudor style and Georgian. Many keep their original features intact: fireplaces, back stairways, gumwood trim. And blend very well with the modern features a savvy buyer has come to expect.

11 detached homes sold in July and August 2011 for an average price of $1,833,000 and an average of 30 days on the market. The ratio of sold price to list price was 97.18%. The largest lots appear to be 50', the smallest 32'. An anomaly was 116 Scarth Rd: an unusual 95.9 X 90. 3 semi-detached sold in the same period for an average of $1,171,662 with an average of 29 days on the market, and a sold to list price ratio of 94%. The widest lot in this bracket was 26.4', the narrowest 23.8'

In the 2 month period, 4 townhomes sold with an average price of $1,149,000, an average of 24 days on the market , with a sold to list ratio of 97.75%.

No mention of condo townhomes in Rosedale would be complete without drawing attention to the new townhouse conversion/development at Ancroft Place. Truly exceptional. Since 1927 it served as a very upscale rental community, Recently it has been transformed by builder Canlight Hall Realty and designer Linda Boorman into an "English Country Enclave" of 21 heritage townhomes just north of Sherborne St. Click here for the builder's link. So far just three have been offered by the builder ranging in size from 1500 to 3000 sq.ft. The average sold price was $1,288,333, average days on the market: 45 and average sale to list price: 111.67%.

In 2010, the story was even brighter: 3 sold with an average price of $1,321,667, 12 days on the market and 112% of the asking (list) price.

A unique and rarely offered group of townhomes can be found at 58 Elm St. Built in a former Rosedale mansion, expect to pay upwards of $900,000 for a 2 bedroom 3 bathroom unit in today's market.

Not too many condominium buildings in the actual community. There are several running along Bloor or off Yonge. In the past two months, they range in price from $290,000 for a very attractive lower level 2 bedroom unit, to $568,000 for a one bedroom 2 bathroom apartment, to $2,500,000 for over 2,750 sq.ft. of luxury.

The most economical way to gain entry into this enclave would be by means of buying into a co-op. (Click here for a PDF outline of the major difference between condo, co-op and co-ownership). Older buildings for sure, possibly once rental accommodation, but invariably well maintained and are always being modernized. Some of the units I have shown and listed have been beautifully renovated . This past 90 days, 3 have sold. The prices ranged from $325,000 for a one bedroom in a high end co-op, to $320,000 for a two bedroom 2 bathroom unit in a humbler building. Average days on market: 37. The kicker with this kind of dwelling is the requirement for a 30% down payment, and the high maintenance which always includes the property tax. Truly, if you have the upfront bucks, a highly affordable way to live in this coveted neighbourhood.


Photos © Thea Menagh - www.TorontoRealEstatePhotographer.com