This single mom managed to save money while landing a family-friendly home for her young kids
“I didn’t realize how much I needed community until I found this place”
The Buyer: Emily Hart, 37, a content creator.
The Story: In 2018, Emily was living with her two kids, ages eight and 10, and her dog, Teddy, in a two-bedroom condo near Yonge and Eglinton for $2,800 a month, but noise from neighbourhood construction soon became a nuisance. She started thinking about moving downtown to be closer to her friends, and she was willing to downsize to a one-bedroom with a bed in the living room to make it work. In the spring of 2024, she set a budget of $3,000 a month and started searching.
Option 1: Wellington Street West near Spadina and Front
Listed at: $2,482 Rented for: $2,482
Emily was intrigued by the Well, the massive new housing and retail complex in the Entertainment District, so she attended a showing for various one-bedroom apartments. The units were big and had open layouts, and as a huge Formula One fan, Emily liked that the building had an F1 simulator and games room. But she was dissuaded by the extreme density—more than 10 units on every floor—and realized that she preferred the more relaxed vibe of her residence in midtown. Looking for less of a crowd, she headed back north.
Option 2: Redpath Avenue near Yonge and Eglinton
Listed at: $2,575 Rented for: $2,575
Next she checked out the Parker. The one-bedroom unit she saw was charming. The building was full of furry friends for Teddy, which was a significant plus. It also had a huge gym and a kids’ playroom. But the 38-storey tower had recently started marketing to students. “A friend who was living there at the time said the demographic shift made it feel like a dorm,” Emily says. There was also construction nearby, which was what she was trying to get away from. There were too many red flags for her to commit, so she continued her search.
The Pick: Mill Street near Cherry and Front
Listed at: $2,536 Rented for: $2,300
Emily saw something in this Corktown complex, which was elegant and not too dense. But what sold it for her was the sense of community: the building had friendly staff and cool amenities like complimentary candle-making classes, a movie theatre, a pool, a gym and a resident app. She low-balled at $2,300, citing the noise from Ontario Line construction outside her unit—a worthwhile compromise given the discount. The landlord agreed. “We’re lucky,” she says. “I didn’t realize how much I needed community until I found this place.”
