Hello from Toronto — landlord focused on duplexes

[FirstBrick]

Duplexes are the condition driving most of my property research at the moment. I am a Toronto landlord, and I spend a lot of time looking at transaction expenses, property management and the difference between listing figures and completed deals.

I joined because I want to compare Toronto with other Canadian markets without treating unlike properties as equivalent. Should I start with the local board, a completed-sales discussion, or mortgage comparison threads? I would also welcome pointers to first-purchase questions that reveal assumptions experienced owners tend to overlook.

 

[DailyMeter]

Welcome. I’d begin with completed-price data rather than listings, then use the local board for context that the numbers cannot explain. Keep duplexes separate from other property types, and write down every transaction-cost assumption in your model so comparisons do not quietly become apples to oranges.

 

[SannaCedar]

Are you comparing duplexes as rentals, renovation projects, or possible owner-occupied purchases? That changes what is worth reading first. For rentals, I’d move property management and legal checklists near the top; for renovation projects, the completed price alone can hide important differences in condition.

 

[testThePlan]

The mention of possible owner occupation adds another question: what financing would apply in each scenario? I would test a few realistic mortgage structures before building an elaborate market model. A different rate, deposit or monthly payment could alter the conclusion more than a modest difference between the listing and sale price.

After that, completed-price data becomes more useful. Add transaction expenses, renovation allowances and management costs, but keep Toronto inputs separate from broader Canadian examples. That should show whether the attractive duplex case still works once financing and intended use are aligned.