GTA Housing options for those thinking of retiring (and don't want to live in a condo)

Did you know there are a variety of housing options if you're thinking of downsizing or retiring and want to stay close to the GTA but don't want to live in an apartment style condo?

As a matter of fact, I have one for sale right now - you can see it above. What makes this appealing to downsizers? Here are the top 5 reasons:

1. Aging in place - this is pretty spacious at 1600+ sq ft; with bedrooms, kitchen, living room & den, direct access to house from garage & laundry room all on one floor. There is a basement, but you can use that purely for storage.
2. It is a condo - so comes with maintenance free benefits like doors, windows & roof is the responsibility of the condo corporation. Geared to retirees, shovelling is to the door & they mow the lawns.
3. You have your own private green space - and can maintain a garden if you wish
4. Drive right up to your door through the double car garage - no hauling groceries through an underground garage & up an elevator
5. Gated community for peace of mind (if you're a snowbird, this is awesome)

This one is priced particularly well, at $865,000 with maintenance fees of $744.22; the price per sq ft & maintenance is well below several popular condo buildings nearby.

Intrigued? There are several other such communities in the broader GTA; here's some examples priced low to high:

• Several communities (like St. Elizabeth Village & Carrington Place) are located in Hamilton & Ancaster - prices roughly starting in the $500,000's
• Wilmot Creek in Newcastle; built in phases prices range from $499,000 to over $1M for new homes
• Rosedale Village, Brampton - bungalows in the mid $800,000's and up
• Swan Lake, Markham - bungalows in the higher $800's and up
• Fox Trail, Uxbridge - $1,100,000 and up
• Ballantrae Golf and Country Club, Uxbridge $1,150,000 and up

These communities are condo ownership, there are a few life lease or land lease communities, too - but that's a post for another day. In the meantime, here's a video tour of 2 Gidley starring my doggo & I!