Townhouses For Sale in Aurora Highlands, Aurora

Regency Acres, a former golf course and a few complexes

The Highlands has two distinct parts. Around Regency Acres Public School on Murray Drive, houses date from the 1960s and 1970s: detached two-storeys, split-levels and bungalows on established lots. Further south, the Aurora Highlands Golf Club was sold in 2014 and the land redeveloped as Allegro, with large new detached homes, many backing onto open space.

Townhouses here are mostly in modest complexes closer to Yonge and to the main roads. That means fewer choices, but often older units with larger rooms than recent builds.

The older streets around Murray Drive were laid out with generous lots by today's standards, and townhouse complexes from that era often have more green space between buildings than recent builds. Units can be larger, with full basements and separate living and dining rooms rather than the open plans of newer towns.

Allegro, by contrast, is all new construction, and its arrival has brought fresh roads and trail connections that benefit the older parts of the Highlands too.

Up on the plateau, beside the moraine

The neighbourhood sits on a plateau, with Oak Ridges Moraine conservation land along its southern edge. The Oak Ridges Moraine Trail and the Highland Gate trail give residents long walking routes, and Confederation Park and the Case Woodlot add green space. Theatre Aurora is also here.

Aurora High School and Regency Acres Public School are in the neighbourhood, and the Aurora Shopping Centre on Yonge covers groceries and errands.

Commuting from the west side

Aurora GO is a short drive or bike ride east across Yonge. Bathurst Street gives a direct route south to Vaughan and Highway 407 for those heading west. The 404 is further away here than from the east side of town.

Murray Drive and Wellington Street West are the main local routes, and both carry buses toward Yonge.

Who buys a town on the west side of Aurora

The west side appeals to buyers who want an established neighbourhood with mature trees and schools close by. Families with children at Aurora High School or Regency Acres often look for a town here so they can stay in the same area while trading down from a detached house or up from an apartment.

Because supply is limited, a town in Aurora Highlands can sit alongside detached homes on the same street, which gives the area a quieter, more residential feel than the townhouse-heavy pockets east of Yonge. The trade-off is choice: there may be only one or two options at a time, and they will often need some updating.

When comparing a unit here with one in Bayview Wellington or Bayview Northeast, think about which side of town your daily trips happen on. A west-side town makes Bathurst, Theatre Aurora and the moraine trails easy, while the east side wins on highway access and new retail.

Questions for an Aurora Highlands town

• How old are the roof, windows and mechanical systems? Many complexes here are decades old.
• For a condo town, what does the reserve fund study plan for, and has the corporation raised fees or levied assessments recently?
• Does the unit back onto moraine or conservation land, and what limits apply?
• How far is the walk to a Yonge Street bus stop?