Townhouses For Sale in Vaughan Grove, Vaughan

A pocket bounded by the Humber and two highways

Vaughan Grove is easier to find on a map than most Vaughan neighbourhoods. Highway 27 runs along the west side, Highway 7 and the 407 cross the area, and the Humber River curves along its edge. Toronto's Rowntree Mills Park is just south.

European settlement here started in the mid-1800s, when mills were built on the Humber. The population tripled after the Second World War, and much of today's housing followed that growth. The housing is a mix of bungalows, two-storey detached homes, townhouses and some newer condo buildings.

For townhouse buyers, that means you are mostly looking at established complexes, not new construction. The trade-off is mature trees, finished streets and no construction traffic.

Older condo townhouses and what the fee should cover

A lot of Vaughan Grove's townhouse stock is in condo corporations that have been around for decades. In complexes of that age, the monthly fee is doing real work. It typically covers exterior maintenance, snow clearing, landscaping, common-area insurance and contributions to the reserve fund that pays for big replacements.

Before you buy, look for:

• The latest reserve fund study. It shows what's due over the next 30 years and whether the fund can pay for it.
• Recent or planned special assessments. These are charged on top of the fee when the reserve falls short.
• Roof and window history. In older complexes these are often the biggest items. Find out if they've been done or are coming up.
• What's included in the fee. Some complexes include water or cable, others don't.

A well-run older complex can be a very good buy. The status certificate tells you which kind you're looking at.

Sports park on one side, Rowntree Mills on the other

Vaughan Grove Sports Park is the area's anchor, with an outdoor soccer stadium, four baseball diamonds and other fields. There's a tennis club next to it. The Father Ermanno Bulfon Community Centre, with its pool, serves this part of Woodbridge.

To the south, Rowntree Mills Park follows the Humber with trails that connect to the Humber River Recreational Trail. If you want a townhouse within walking distance of a river trail that runs a long way south, this is one of the few places in Vaughan where it's practical.

Woodbridge Mall, on Highway 7, handles everyday shopping.

Vaughan Grove against the newer north

Buyers comparing Vaughan Grove with Vellore or Patterson are usually weighing age against location. Vaughan Grove's townhouses are older and more likely to be condo units with a monthly fee. Vellore and Patterson offer newer freehold rows with garages and no condo board.

What Vaughan Grove offers in return is proximity. It sits right against Toronto's northern edge, the 407 and Highway 27 are at hand, and it's a short bus ride along Highway 7 to the subway. If you work in Etobicoke, near the airport or along the 427 corridor, that shorter drive can be worth more than a newer kitchen.

It also has finished parks and trails rather than ones still being built.

Getting out: the 27, the 407 and the Highway 7 bus

Most Vaughan Grove residents drive. Highway 27 runs south toward the 401 and 427, and the 407 is right there. Transit riders take a bus east along Highway 7 to the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre and transfer to Line 1.

Highway noise is a real consideration here. Townhouses closest to the 407 or Highway 27 may hear traffic in the backyard. Visit at rush hour before you decide.