PaulJohnston.com - Unique Urban Homes

I’ve been extremely privileged to be part of a number of teams that have brought modern infill housing to the city. It’s been an exceptional few years – working with passionate developers, architects and designers. The success of these developments, from block to inhabit claremont to trinity bellwoods townhomes has been a testament to Torontonian’s desire to live in engaging and exciting neighbourhoods in the very core of the city. We want to live in the vibrant city core, in neighbourhoods that are thriving and growing.

2012 is full of exciting opportunities: a new home development in west queen west, and project percolating in Brockton Village, and some engaging opportunities in Leslieville. I’m striving to make certain that each of these projects not only reflects the neighbourhood in which it is situated, but also adds to the fabric of the area, by introducing new iconic architecture.

However, I also recognize the limitations of modern “at grade” housing. I well understand that this type of home simply can’t appeal to all buyers, mainly because of price. A good percentage of these homes are selling over $1M, and it’s unlikely that many projects will come to market anywhere under $800,000 per home – the cost of building homes of these sizes is really prohibitively expensive. I meet many buyers who are passionate about great design and high-quality architecture, and are seeking a home that has been carefully considered and executed to the same quality as many of these infill home projects.

As a result, in 2012, I will be focusing on a number of mid rise loft projects in the city. I’ve partnered with some superb developers to bring appropriately-scaled projects to existing neighbourhoods, that provide more affordable means of acquiring a unique urban home. In the course of the next 6 months, a number of these projects will be launched and information will be available on this site.

I hope, ultimately, that these new options in mid-rise buildings provide a bit more accessibility for buyers who are committed to an urban lifestyle, but are not in a position to purchase an at-grade home. Further, I hope that these projects continue to foster the type of exciting and engaging architecture that I’ve become known for.

I can’t tell you how excited I am! It’s going to be an exciting 2012!

  It has been an exceptional year for modern and unique homes in Toronto.  As the market grows, so too does the desire to grow the team. I’m presently looking people to come on board in two key areas: sales and administrative support.  These are both positions which require core capacities which are at the very heart of what we do.  Namely: – have a passion for great design and intelligent city building. – be passionate about a role in helping to promote and sell unique and modern real estate in the city. – be utterly reliable, organized, earnest and…

I shy away from the pervasive question about the “sustainability” of the Toronto housing market – as I’ve pleaded before, the complexities of the world’s financial markets (and consumer sentiment) far outstrip my liberal arts background.  Even my addiction to the Economist makes me a lousy expert in the field of “what’s going to happen when…”. But isn’t it bloody exciting? When you are barrelling along Adelaide, or wandering Queen Street East, biking across Bloor or walking the dog through Roncy, don’t you sometimes just gather in the evidence and think it’s damned exciting?  The building boom in this city…

JOB TITLE: Real Estate Office Coordinator DATE:  Commences Summer 2011 JOB SUMMARY To provide comprehensive administrative and managerial support to a growing, market-leading real estate firm in the city’s core. This dynamic position will be rewarding for those who thrive on organizational excellence, a capacity to multi-task with flair, and a desire to be part of a young and energetic team. REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS You will be reporting directly to the owner of the company, and providing assistance to 2-3 other members of the team. DUTIES & ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS To maintain an overall smooth and effective workplace operation. Duties include:…

If you are of a certain age (ahem), you may recall the histrionic of Tommy Vu – a Vietnamese poker-player who turned real estate investment guru. He had some embarrassingly vulgar infomercials in the 1980s, promoting get-rich schemes predicated on no-money-down investment properties.  To be crude, the point was his students would get rich, and the dudes would get women.  Money and sex still sells.  ”Look at all these beautiful women!” Vu would chant, with buxom bikini-clad bombshells flanking him. While there are ample rumours about Vu’s scheme landing him in jail, the simple truth is that his crass antics…

It seems that the new salvation for a business of any type is activation on social media.  My inbox is rammed with invitations to attend seminars, events, one-on-one sessions and meetings about how to leverage social media for the good of my business and focus on unique urban homes.  I love the idea of the vanguard, or being on the bleeding edge.  It’s likely why I learned to program Pascal in my early teens, or ran of buletin board off an extremely sexy Apple II computer with SIX floppy drives! But quite frankly, social media (and more specifically facebook) provided…

I wasn’t a big fan of “The Tipping Point”, Malcolm Gladwell’s treatise on the obvious. It struck me as a very long-winded essay, penned by a student desperate to stretch the subject to the required length. Now, Gladwell sold a billion books, so who’s the smart one, really? His blockbuster success has me tempted to start work on “Your Yard Will Grow: The Front Lawn” or “Knives Are Sharp – Be Careful!” to round out the immensly profitable genre of the obvious… But I will borrow his insight to suggest that modern residential architecture has now reached a defining moment:…

Toronto Real Estate Under the Microscope I’m really glad I’m not a scientist.  Sure, the prestige of high-level finite knowledge must be a turn-on of sorts. And white lab coats, I’m told, can be worn eitherside of Labour Day. No worry. But while my chosen career path may rob mankind of miracles I likely would unearth, it puts me at a certain advantage. People have a CLUE what I’m talking about… That’s the pleasure of this profession – between friends, amongst colleagues, within the family – we all want to talk about residential real estate. Likely more passionately, or at…

Well, at least we live in interesting times! This Fall is shaping up to be one of the strongest markets in recent memory, fuelled by an unusual lack of listings, and a combination of low interest rates and palpable consumer confidence. As has ben widely reported, not only are bidding wars back but so too have ‘bully offers’ made their return. But it’s exciting to see a growing number of moden homes appear in the city, finally responding to the unmet demand for unique, sophisticated homes. From contemporary rebuilds that I have recently sold in Queen West, Roncesvalles and Bloor…

I’ve been a fan and supporter of this ‘urban landscape’ quarterly for quite a while. Impassioned writing and stunning city photography make Spacing Magazine great for flipping through or in-depth reads. Contact me if you’d like to received a copy. http://spacing.ca

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