Townhouses For Sale in Vincent, Hamilton

Seventies complexes on Quigley Road

Much of Vincent's townhouse supply is in large condominium complexes built in the 1970s. Shamrock Gardens at 100 Quigley Road, for example, is a 150-unit complex completed in 1971, and Luval Estates at 120 Quigley Road followed in 1977 with 72 units. Two-storey units with fenced rear yards are typical.

Fees in complexes like these generally cover exterior and common-area maintenance, and some include water. Heat and hydro are usually separate. Check each complex, because inclusions vary.

Reading a fifty-year-old condo corporation

The status certificate is the most important document you will read here. At this age, roofs, windows, doors, siding, fences and paving may have been replaced once already or may be due. Look for:

• A recent reserve fund study and whether the corporation is following it
• Any special assessment, current or discussed in minutes
• Insurance deductibles and what owners are responsible for
• Parking allotment and visitor parking rules
• Leasing rules, if you plan to rent

A well-run older complex can be good value. A poorly funded one can cost you more than a newer freehold over time.

Ask the property manager how often the board updates its reserve fund study and when the last major project wrapped up. Corporations that replace components on schedule tend to avoid the large one-time assessments that catch buyers off guard.

Red Hill Valley trails and Eastgate

The Red Hill Valley Parkway is right beside the neighbourhood, giving quick access to the QEW and the Linc, and the Red Hill Valley trail system runs through the valley for walking and cycling. Sir Wilfrid Laurier Recreation Centre and Laurier Park are nearby, and everyday shopping lines Queenston Road and Barton Street East.

Eastgate Square, the planned eastern terminus of the Hamilton LRT, is close by. No opening date has been set, so treat that as a long-term factor rather than a reason to pay a premium now.

The Red Hill Valley Parkway opened up the east end to the Mountain in a way that older residents remember well. Before it, getting from the lower east end to the Linc meant climbing the escarpment on local roads. Now a Vincent complex is minutes from both the QEW and the top of the Mountain, which widens the pool of tenants and buyers who can work almost anywhere in the city.

Vincent against a newer Mountain freehold

Buyers deciding between a Vincent complex and a newer freehold on the Stoney Creek Mountain are trading price for responsibility. In Vincent, the entry price is lower and the corporation handles the exterior, but the fee is part of every month's budget and the building is older. On the Mountain, you pay more up front and handle your own roof and windows, with no condominium board involved. Neither is better in general; it depends on whether you want predictable monthly costs or full control.

Older complexes also tend to have bigger units than many newer stacked or back-to-back towns, with basements and separate dining areas. For tenants with children, that space can matter more than the age of the kitchen.

Why investors look here

Lower entry prices and fee-inclusive maintenance make Vincent's complexes a common first rental for Hamilton investors. Tenants tend to be local workers and families rather than students. Run the numbers with the full monthly fee, and leave room for a possible assessment if the reserve fund is thin.