In today’s tight economy, many people are considering a financial downsize as they contemplate retirement. Those who don’t want to sacrifice square footage might want to consider the suburbs. Retiring in the suburbs is an excellent option for people who wish for less congestion and more land than the city but don’t want to move out into a more rural setting.
If you are a steadfast urbanite like my wife, you may have some misconceptions about suburban living that I would like to address in this blog.
Myth: The suburbs are far away from everything worth doing
Many fun and exciting activities around the GTA exist in the suburbs, making suburban living a convenient choice for retirees. The suburbs offer various entertainment options, from Canada’s Wonderland in Vaughan to the Durham Live Pickering Casino. The western suburbs of Port Credit in Mississauga, Oakville, and Burlington all have exceptional waterfront communities that offer the same walkable lifestyle you’d find in Toronto communities, access to beaches, and many quality restaurants and shopping options.
The Eastern suburbs of Pickering, Ajax, and Whitby offer similar waterfront communities with walking trails and parks. The northern suburbs communities like Vaughan, Newmarket, Aurora, Richmond Hill, and Markham provide great shopping, restaurants, and many parks and trails. Because of the availability of land and the lower price, the suburbs will have more extensive and newer recreational facilities than you’ll find living in Toronto, and often, plenty of parking.
Additionally, you’ll have a shorter commute to big box stores and even some retail outlets and options you can’t find in the city. My wife just discovered Simons, a Montreal retailer, has opened their first GTA store in Missisaugua’s Square 1 area. She travels out to Whitby or the Northern suburbs to home-store shop at Bouclair.
Need more advice on downsizing? Check out these other helpful blogs next!
- 5 Tips For Downsizing Your East GTA Home
- Should You Hire a Senior Real Estate Specialist?
- Should I Buy a Home or Sell First as a Downsizer?
Myth: There is no culture or diversity to be found in the suburbs
The GTA area overall is a metropolitan community with an international flair, and this diversity extends to the suburbs. You will find a rich tapestry of cultures in the suburbs, just as you do in the city. When it comes to cuisine, I’ve seen just as many excellent restaurants in the suburbs as I have in the city.
Unlike in some of the small towns outside the GTA, you will have no problem finding good Indian, Thai, Japanese, and other international cuisine options in the suburbs. Like a Brazilian Rodizio? Copacabana restaurant closed its downtown Toronto location but still has a restaurant in Woodbridge. Unionville in Markham is a quaint little village with a main street lined with Victorian-style buildings containing boutique shopping, art galleries, and excellent restaurants like you might find in an urban setting. Lakeshore in Oakville has boutique shopping and restaurants in a walkable neighbourhood.
Downtown Whitby is a walkable community with retail, fine dining, pubs and salons, and many new condo developments. You may also want to consider Brooklin in the North Part of Whitby, which has a charming downtown and is a walkable neighbourhood with charming boutiques, cafes, and restaurants.
Looking to downsize but worried about the decluttering process? Click here for tips!
Myth: The suburbs are just generic, cookie-cutter communities with no character
Yes, the suburbs are often planned communities with many builder-spec home neighbourhoods. However, that is not all you will find in the suburbs. I have never been to a suburb that doesn’t have older mature neighbourhoods with more character homes and many housing types to choose from. Examples include Pickering Village in Ajax, with Victorian homes on oversized lots and wartime and midcentury modern bungalows.
Ranch-style bungalows from the 60s and 70s and Victorian homes surround Downtown Whitby. The west side of Pickering has older communities with larger custom homes on estate-sized lots. In the west, Mississauga, one of the original Toronto suburbs, has homes of similar age and a variety of housing to Toronto itself. Oakville has Old Oakville with a mix of bungalows on large lots and lots of infilling custom homes.
Burlington’s waterfront has large lots with custom homes and a mix of older and newer condos. The northern suburbs have no shortage of established communities with a mix of Victorian homes, bungalows, and condo options.
Not sure where you’d like to live next? Explore these blogs about finding the right community for you.
- Best Small Towns in Durham Region For Retirees
- Should You Retire in a Rural Area?
- The Guild: Scarborough’s Best Downsizer Neighbourhood
Myth: The suburbs have no amenities and services
The suburbs also have excellent Hospital networks with access to specialists, like you might find in the city. You can access doctors, dentists, and other healthcare practitioners like you would in the city. The suburbs tend to have newer, larger community centres and better access to pools, racquet sports, and other physical facilities that are harder to find in Toronto.
There are big box stores, large grocery stores, hardware stores, and any other retail category you might need. Movie theatres, golf courses, waterfront amenities like boating and yacht clubs, music scenes, festivals, farmers markets, and seniors’ centres can be found. Parks and walking trails are usually easy to find and abundant in the suburbs.
Myth: You need a car to do anything in the suburbs
Transit in the suburbs has improved drastically over the past 30 years. Most of the Toronto suburbs are accessible via the GO train, and you can get to Downtown Toronto or the airport in about the same amount of time as it might take you from a Toronto neighbourhood like mine in the Beaches. They have also greatly improved bus service and plenty of walkable neighbourhoods. My wife’s criteria are that she must be able to walk to a coffee shop, a walking trail, and a collection of boutique dinner venues from the house. I have assured her that there are locations in every suburb that would meet these criteria.
What My Clients Love About the Suburbs
Space: They love the square footage their money can buy and that they aren’t stacked against their neighbours.
Lack of congestion: They love being able to get around without sitting in Toronto traffic
It is less expensive—from a price per square foot perspective. But if you need something fixed around the house, you aren’t paying the Toronto luxury tax. I was shocked when a client paid about 50% of my price to have a tree trimmed.
There is lots to do: Most of my clients who have moved to the suburbs envisioned themselves coming into Toronto regularly for nights out on the town, dinner, and entertainment. Now that they live in the suburbs, they rarely come to Toronto because they don’t need to. They have easy access to everything they need where they live.
Buying retirement property in a suburban community is the right decision for many people. My job as your Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES) is to help you understand all the factors you need to consider and plan for in your decision. I will work with you to understand your lifestyle and goals to find the perfect property that works for you.
I’ve had experience selling and buying urban and suburban properties, so you can rely on me to help you sift through the options and guide you to your dream home. If you think you might be interested in suburban living, call me.
Looking for a Senior Real Estate Specialist to guide your downsize? I can help! Call 647.283.2127 or email me at stuart@stuartnodell.com to get in touch.
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