Runnymede - Bloor West Village Homes for sale & Real Estate

Located directly north of Swansea and west of High Park North neighbourhoods, Bloor West Village reaches south from Annette Street to Bloor Street, and west from Runnymede Road to Jane Street. Runnymede neighbourhood takes in the area north from Annette to Dundas street West.

In the 1850's, the area was the property of Lieutenant Colonel William Smith Durie, first commanding officer of the Queens Own Rifles. Present-day Durie Street ran through his estate.

The neighbourhood had its start in 1909, when the district became part of the City of Toronto and the first wave of immigrants arrived from Poland and the Ukraine to join a largely English, Scots and Irish community. The census shows that this ethnic mix has changed little down the years.

Culturally diverse shopping and dining, with a broad variety of mid-range retailers and restaurants, have made Bloor West Village one of Toronto's most popular destinations for city-dwellers. Bloor West Village was Canada's first official Business Improvement Area, and the BIA has done an excellent job in developing and promoting the neighbourhood, attracting Torontonians and visitors to its boutiques, cafés, bakeries, delicatessens, pubs, and various community events — including the annual Bloor West Village Ukrainian Festival.

Although there are a few earlier Victorians, the majority of Bloor West Village brick homes were built between the 1912 and 1923, and are somewhat similar in size and style. Along streets lined with majestic oaks and maples, Edwardian, Tudor and American Craftsman styles are evident, typically with lots of wood trim and accents throughout, solid oak staircases, hardwood floors, fireplaces, and the iconic large front porches. Two-storey four-bedroom style is common, and many homes have been well renovated. However, some of the older homes have been torn down to make room for larger, more modern homes.

Apart from the excellent shopping close to hand on Bloor and Annette, the neighbourhood’s popularity is enhanced by the walking-distance accessibility of High Park’s 399 acres of green space on one side of the community, and the Humber River Valley’s biking and hiking trails on the other.

Public transportation is readily available, with Bloor-Danforth subway stations at Jane Street and Runnymede Road, bus service north from each station, and the Annette bus from the Jane Station. During early morning hours, the Bloor Street night bus replaces the subway line.

Prices remain reasonably affordable for Runnymede - Bloor West Village homes. In August 09, the average sale price for a detached home was $699,783 and for a semi-detached $633,800. However, sales in the high $400,000s and low $500,000s are fairly common.

For current information on available listings for Runnymede – Bloor West Village homes and real estate, please see the column at the right of this page. Listings are updated daily, so we recommend that you bookmark this page and check back frequently.