Townhouses For Sale in Codrington, Barrie

An older neighbourhood with few townhouses

Codrington sits north of the bay with Blake Street along its south side. More than half of its homes were built before 1960, and most of the rest before 1980. Detached homes and low-rise apartments make up most of the housing; row houses are a small slice.

That shapes what you find. A Codrington townhouse is likely to be part of a small condo complex, a newer infill project on a redeveloped lot or a converted older building. Each of those comes with different paperwork, so ask early which you are looking at.

Streets are on a tighter grid than in the south end, lots are narrower and trees are mature. Many older homes have been divided into apartments over the years, which is why renters make up a significant share of the neighbourhood.

Why downsizers like the north shore

For a buyer leaving a GTA house who wants to walk to restaurants and the waterfront, Codrington is one of the few Barrie neighbourhoods that works without a car for everyday errands. Downtown Barrie and the waterfront trail are close, and the area has many transit stops.

The trade-off is the stock. Older buildings can mean steeper stairs, smaller rooms and less parking than a suburban townhouse.

Ask whether the unit has a main-floor bedroom or could accommodate one. In older and converted buildings, layouts vary far more than in a builder subdivision, which can work in your favour if you need one-level living.

Codrington compared with a south-end townhouse

Buyers from the GTA often start out looking at south-end subdivisions and then consider Codrington when they realize they would rather walk to the bay. The comparison is worth spelling out.

If you work from home and want to walk to coffee, the waterfront and restaurants, Codrington makes sense. If you commute by car and need a double driveway, the south end is easier.

Checks for an older or infill Codrington townhouse

• Infill projects. Confirm the developer, the warranty status and whether the units are condo or freehold.
• Small condo corporations. A complex with only a handful of units has a small reserve fund. One big repair can mean a special assessment.
• Older building systems. For conversions, ask about the electrical, plumbing and insulation updates and whether permits were pulled.
• Parking. Many streets near downtown have limited parking, and Barrie restricts overnight street parking in winter.

Parks and the bay

The neighbourhood has several small parks with playgrounds and tennis courts, and the bay is just to the south. Commuters reach the 400 via Duckworth Street or Bayfield Street, and Allandale Waterfront GO is across the bay.

Codrington's location also puts the east-end parks along the north shore within reach, and summer events downtown are a walk away. In winter, being close to the core means shorter trips, but older streets can be narrower and slower to clear after a storm, so plan for that if you park outside.