Townhouses For Sale in Malvern, Scarborough

A planned 1970s community, built around the townhouse

Malvern started as a federal housing project. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation expropriated farms in the northeast corner of what was then Scarborough to build a model community of affordable homes, and the first families moved in during 1972.

The result is a neighbourhood where the townhouse is the default, not the exception. Complexes of two- and three-storey rows sit between Sheppard and Finch, from Morningside Avenue west toward Markham Road, and Highway 401 runs along the south edge. Some are privately owned condominium corporations. Some are social or co-operative housing that rarely comes up for sale. When you see a Malvern listing, it is almost always one of the condominium complexes.

Because the neighbourhood was built over a fairly short span, many complexes reached the age for big replacement work around the same time. That makes Malvern a place where the condominium's paperwork tells you more than the floor plan does.

Comparing two Malvern complexes before you choose

Two units with nearly identical layouts in neighbouring complexes can carry very different long-term costs. Before choosing, compare:

• Reserve fund health. The reserve fund study in the status certificate shows what has already been replaced and what is scheduled. Windows, roofs, exterior doors, fencing and private roads are the usual big items here.
• Special assessments. Look at the budget and recent board minutes for any discussion of one, not just whether one has been levied.
• Parking. Many complexes give each unit one space plus shared visitor parking. If you have two cars, confirm whether a second space can be rented or bought.
• Basement condition. Older units can have unfinished or partly finished basements. Ask about past water issues and what the corporation versus the owner is responsible for.

A complex that has already done its windows and roofs and kept its fee steady is usually easier to own than one about to start that work.

Rouge Valley, the zoo and the Malvern Town Centre

Daily life here leans on a few anchors. Malvern Town Centre covers groceries and errands, with Scarborough Town Centre a short drive west. The Rouge Valley and Rouge National Urban Park sit to the east, and the Toronto Zoo is close by. The library was renovated and a sports complex and new park were added in the 2000s.

Transit is bus-based. TTC routes run along Finch, Sheppard, Markham Road, Morningside and Neilson, with express service on some corridors, connecting to the subway and to Scarborough Centre. The planned Eglinton East light rail line includes a branch north on Neilson to Malvern Town Centre, but it is a city proposal without confirmed funding, so it shouldn't factor into a purchase today.

For drivers, the 401 is right at the south edge, which makes Malvern workable for jobs in Markham, Pickering or the 404 corridor as well as downtown.

Three-bedroom starter homes inside the 416

Malvern is one of the places where first-time buyers can get a three-bedroom unit with a basement inside Toronto. It also suits small investors who want a family-sized rental, provided the complex's rules allow leasing. Families already in the area often move from a smaller complex unit to a larger one nearby rather than leaving.

The live listing data on this page will show how much of Scarborough's townhouse supply is sitting in Malvern on any given week. It is usually a lot, which gives buyers room to compare complexes rather than taking the first one available.