I was first introduced to this amazing city as a young girl. I would make the trek from Kingston with my father to watch the Blue Jays play at the old Exhibition Stadium. Those times hold some of my fondest memories. I still find it hard to believe that I now call Toronto home. I have lived in several different cities across Canada and spent time overseas, but this is the place that I see myself being long-term. I could not ask for a better place to live and work, especially in my line of business.

Let me introduce myself, my name is Anna Oliver, and I am in real estate. Now you can understand why I find Toronto such a fantastic place from a professional standpoint. This city never ceases to surprise me and sometimes even perplex me.

Neighbourhoods change constantly. An area that at one time was on no one’s radar seemingly overnight becomes heavily sought after. There are very few cities in which an area known as a hot spot for young professionals who are renting can undergo a metamorphosis into a family-friendly mecca and finally make the transition into a destination for the affluent and unencumbered. Which area am I referring to, you might be asking yourself? The area is known by several different names – some know it as “Midtown”; depending on your age or familiarity with the city you may also know it as “Yonge and Eligible” (a play on words for the street names of one of the area’s main intersections, Yonge and Eglinton).
Many of the streets of Midtown were home to large apartment complexes full of rental units for years. Their proximity to an active nightlife and a strong and diverse restaurant scene made these apartments attractive for young, single professionals. Hence, the area’s nickname “Yonge and Eligible”. However, all one has to do is venture out and explore the streets of Midtown to realize that the area has far more to offer than an active nightlife and some excellent restaurants.

There are lush parks, beautiful tree-lined streets with established homes, plenty of top-notch schools, local shops, and much more. All that Midtown has to offer was not lost on many of these young, single professionals. Not only that, many of these young professionals were meeting other young professionals, falling in love, getting married and looking for a place to settle down and start their families. Since many of these individuals were extremely fond and familiar with the area, lots looked no further than Midtown as the place to call home for their families.

Over the past several years, many of these large apartment complexes have given way to new, modern condos. Many of which are superbly finished and equipped with outstanding amenities, thus attracting a somewhat more affluent buyer. These condos are catching the eye of those who are kid-free, whether by choice or by circumstance. These buyers are often looking to downsize from a house. They have lived in the area for years and don’t want to leave, they are not interested in renting and they have the means to purchase something that they like and that suits their lifestyle.

The “metamorphosis of Midtown” has not happened overnight and is not done yet. I look forward to watching the evolution continue and to see what the years ahead hold for this area and the rest of this great city of ours.