Townhouses For Sale in Oakdale, St. Catharines

Everett Common and the new stacked units

The newest townhouse supply in Oakdale is at Everett Common, a development of stacked condo townhouses with two-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath layouts. Some units are being offered for lease as well as for sale, which tells you investors are active here.

Around it, Oakdale Avenue has several condo apartment buildings. For townhouse buyers, that means the area offers an urban mix rather than a classic suburban subdivision.

That mix has advantages and drawbacks. You get new construction in an established part of the city, with services already in place. But you are buying into a young condo corporation, and its first few years of budgets and decisions will shape how the complex runs. Attend an owners' meeting if you can, or ask for minutes.

Six minutes to the Pen Centre, eleven to the GO

Listings for Everett Common give driving times that sum up Oakdale's appeal:

• The Pen Centre in about six minutes
• Brock University in about ten minutes
• The St. Catharines GO station in about eleven minutes
• A hospital in about thirteen minutes

That puts most of the city's main services within a short drive. For a buyer who works at Brock, takes the train to Toronto now and then, or simply wants to be central, the location is practical.

The Pen Centre is the city's largest shopping mall, so a short drive there covers most errands, from groceries to banking. Brock University is on the escarpment to the south, and the GO station gives access to the Lakeshore West line for trips to Toronto on the trains that run.

Stacked condo townhouses: buying new

If you are buying at Everett Common or a similar project, keep these in mind.

• Tarion warranty. Confirm enrolment and how much coverage remains if you buy a resale unit.
• First-year budget. New condo corporations often start with a fee set by the developer. Ask how the first budget was set and whether a reserve fund study has been done.
• Upper or lower unit. Upper units usually have more stairs and a terrace; lower units are closer to ground level.
• Parking and storage. Stacked units often have one space and limited storage.
• Leasing rules. If many units are rented, ask about the condo's rules and how the complex is managed.

Who Oakdale works for

Oakdale suits first-time buyers who want new construction, investors focused on Brock students and staff, and buyers from the GTA who want a central base without the upkeep of a house. For downsizers, a lower stacked unit can offer one of the few new options with fewer stairs, though layouts vary.

Buyers who want a backyard or a garage will usually do better in Grapeview or a freehold elsewhere in the city.

If you are investing, consider who you are renting to. Student groups near Brock may want three bedrooms, while staff and young professionals may prefer two-bedroom stacked units with in-suite laundry and parking.

Oakdale compared with the north-end complexes

Many buyers compare Oakdale's new stacked units with older two-storey rows in Lakeport or Carlton/Bunting. Oakdale offers new construction, warranty coverage and a central location. The north end offers a basement, a fenced patio and a walk to the lake, but older buildings and the reserve fund questions that come with them. Neither is better across the board; it depends on whether you value new finishes and location or space and lake access.