Toronto Real Estate Help, From Condos to Multiplexes

Toronto is many markets at once. A one bedroom condo near Union Station, a semi in the east end, a postwar bungalow in Scarborough and a detached home on a deep North York lot each attract different buyers and carry different rules. SirLuckHomes Real Estate Brokerage helps people buy, sell and rent across Toronto with advice that starts from the specific building, street and lot.

Transit shapes value here. The TTC subway runs on Line 1 Yonge University, Line 2 Bloor Danforth and the short Line 4 Sheppard, with light rail on Lines 5 and 6. GO trains and the UP Express meet at Union Station. A short walk to a station is often worth more than an extra bedroom, so we look at the commute before the finishes.

Buying a Home in Toronto

Budget for two land transfer taxes. Toronto is the only city we serve that charges its own municipal land transfer tax, and it is added on top of the provincial tax. For homes with one or two single family residences, the City's rates step up from 0.5% to 2.5% on the portion up to $3 million, and since April 1, 2026 higher graduated rates apply above $3 million. We put both taxes into your closing cost estimate before you set a budget, not after you win the house.

First time buyers get some of it back. The City offers a first time buyer rebate of up to $4,475 on its tax, in addition to the provincial refund of up to $4,000. You must never have owned a home anywhere in the world, move in within nine months, and be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. Start with our first-time home buyer help, the GTA first time buyer guide and get pre-approved before you tour.

Buyers who are not citizens or permanent residents face the City's 10% Municipal Non Resident Speculation Tax on top of the province's 25% Non Resident Speculation Tax. Speak with a real estate lawyer before you write an offer.

Condo or freehold. Much of downtown and the Yonge corridor is condo, while older neighbourhoods are mostly freehold. For condos, read the status certificate, reserve fund study and board minutes; the checklist in our Brampton condo guide applies to any Ontario building. For older freehold homes, read what a home inspector could not inspect before you waive anything.

Check the Vacant Home Tax declaration. Toronto owners must declare every year whether a home was occupied. An undeclared home is deemed vacant and taxed at 3% of its assessed value, and the unpaid tax becomes a lien a buyer can inherit. Ask for the seller's filed declaration.

Selling a Home in Toronto

Pricing should come from recent sales of similar homes on your own side of the ravine, the arterial road or the subway line, adjusted honestly for condition, lot and finishes. Start with a free home valuation.

If you own a house, its lot may interest buyers who want to add units. Four unit multiplexes are now permitted across Toronto, six unit permissions apply in the Toronto and East York district and Ward 23, and garden suites and laneway suites are allowed where the lot meets the rules. We describe that potential accurately and let buyers confirm zoning; we never promise a permit.

Condo sellers should order the status certificate early. Freehold sellers should have their Vacant Home Tax declaration ready to hand over. Then see how we prepare and stage homes, run the marketing plan and review every offer with you.

Renting and Landlords in Toronto

Toronto has more landlord rules than anywhere else in our service area:

• Rental Renovation Licence. If you serve an N13 notice to renovate a unit that needs vacant possession, you must apply to the City within seven days, with a building permit and a report from a licensed architect or engineer. The application fee is $728 per unit in 2026. You must offer the tenant temporary housing or rent gap payments, plus a moving allowance of $1,500 or $2,500 depending on unit size.
• Multi tenant (rooming) houses. Renting four or more rooms to separate people needs a City licence, renewed every 12 months, and a zoning review when you first apply. Etobicoke, North York and Scarborough allow a maximum of six rooms.
• Larger apartment buildings fall under the RentSafeTO building standards program, which includes registration and City evaluations.

We help with rental valuation, tenant screening, lease and compliance and full property management. Renters can browse rentals and should read our rental scam warning before sending a deposit.

Toronto Neighbourhoods We Know

• Downtown and the waterfront. Condo towers around Union Station, the Financial District and the lake, where building quality and fees vary widely.
• North York. Condo towers near Yonge and Sheppard, where Lines 1 and 4 meet, alongside detached homes on larger lots.
• Etobicoke. Lakeshore communities such as Mimico and Long Branch with GO stations on the Lakeshore West line, plus established streets around Islington.
• Scarborough. Postwar bungalows on wide lots and the Scarborough Bluffs along the lake. Many lots suit a garden suite study.
• East York and the east end. Older semis and detached homes on smaller lots near the Line 2 subway.

Why SirLuckHomes Real Estate Brokerage

• We run the municipal and provincial land transfer tax numbers with you before you make an offer.
• Buying, selling, leasing and property management under one brokerage, which matters in a city with this many landlord rules.
• Highly rated on Google by our clients.
• Over $100 million in combined agent production.
• Broker leadership since 2014.
• Office hours 8 AM to 6 PM ET every day, with AI support available 24/7, including by text to 416-747-5825.

Toronto Real Estate FAQ

Do I pay two land transfer taxes when I buy in Toronto?

Yes. Toronto buyers pay the provincial land transfer tax and the City's municipal land transfer tax. Eligible first time buyers can get up to $4,475 back from the City and up to $4,000 from the province.

Do Toronto landlords need a licence to renovate a tenanted unit?

Yes, if you serve an N13 notice that needs the unit empty. You must apply for a Rental Renovation Licence within seven days. The fee is $728 per unit in 2026.

What is Toronto's Vacant Home Tax?

Every residential owner must declare each year whether the home was occupied. A home that is vacant, or never declared, is taxed at 3% of its assessed value.

Can I turn my Toronto house into a fourplex?

Four unit multiplexes are permitted across the city, subject to zoning rules, building permits and the City's by-laws. We help you weigh that potential when you buy or sell.

Do I need a licence to run a rooming house in Toronto?

Yes. Renting four or more rooms to separate people requires a multi tenant house licence from the City, renewed every 12 months.