Townhouses For Sale in Aurora Village, Aurora

Old Yonge complexes and the newer infill around the core

North of the heritage streets, most housing went up in the 1970s and 1980s: brick and frame homes with garages at the front, and townhome communities set back off Old Yonge Street. These are typically condominium complexes with a private road, shared visitor parking and a monthly fee that handles exterior upkeep.

South of Wellington the street pattern is older, with frame and brick bungalows, 1920s and 1930s houses, and some newer townhouses designed in a Victorian-revival style to sit comfortably beside them. These are smaller groupings rather than large complexes.

The newest additions are along Yonge itself. The town has been encouraging intensification on its main street, and recent approvals include stacked townhouses fronting Yonge and the redevelopment of the former Canadian Tire site, which went through a tribunal process before getting the go-ahead.

Living next to the heritage conservation district

The northeast quadrant of Yonge and Wellington is a heritage conservation district, with Victorian Gothic, Second Empire, Italianate, Edwardian and Arts and Crafts houses. Townhouses are rare inside it, but many complexes sit on its edges, and buyers like the street character that comes with that.

If a unit is inside the district boundary, exterior changes such as windows, doors and porches can need heritage approval. For a condo town, the corporation usually handles exterior work, but it still has to follow those rules, which can affect costs and timing.

On foot to the train, the library and Town Park

Aurora GO is inside the village, so this is the part of Aurora where commuting by train without a car is most realistic. The Aurora Public Library, the Aurora Cultural Centre on Church Street in the 1886 former school, Town Park, McMahon Park with its tennis and lawn bowling clubs, and Fleury Park are all within the neighbourhood.

Yonge Street carries York Region Transit buses north to Newmarket and south through Richmond Hill. Wellington Street East leads to Bayview and on to Highway 404.

Who the village suits, and who it frustrates

The village works best for buyers who want to leave the car at home some days. Commuters heading downtown on the Barrie line, downsizers who like walking to the library or a Saturday at Town Park, and anyone who values an older street with mature trees all tend to land here.

It frustrates buyers who need a double garage, a big yard or a brand-new unit. Older condo towns here often have one garage space plus one outdoor spot, and the compact infill near Yonge may have a single assigned space. Units on or near Yonge and Wellington also hear more traffic than the quieter crescents east of Bayview.

Resale buyers here are often comparing a well-kept older condo town with a newer stacked unit nearby. The older unit usually has more floor space and a lower price per square foot, but a higher chance of big-ticket repairs in the next decade. The newer one has warranty coverage and modern layouts, with smaller rooms and higher fees per square foot.

Before you buy in the village

• For older condo towns, read the reserve fund study closely. Complexes built in the 1970s and 80s are at or past the age for roofs, windows and paving.
• Count the deeded spaces and ask whether visitor spots are tight, especially in compact complexes close to Yonge.
• Ask the town about any approved or proposed projects nearby. Yonge Street is changing, and construction on a neighbouring lot affects noise and traffic for a while.
• For new stacked towns, confirm the fee, what is included, and the warranty start date.