Toronto Real Estate and Neighbourhoods Blog | Move Smartly

Most Improved Toronto Schools 2012 (Realosophy Ten Ten Neighbourhoods)

Urmi Desai in Top Ten Neighbourhoods, Home Buying, Toronto Schools, Toronto Neighbourhoods

It's been an exciting week for our Realosophy Analytics spotlight on the relationship between School Quality and Real Estate Values.

Following our first list, Best Toronto Schools for 2012, we were profiled in the Toronto Star.

The feedback we've been hearing from you is consistent with our premise: while we are all aware that EQAO scores tell only a part of a school's story, these scores nonetheless influence your home buying decisions. You've told us that having access to this type of information helps you think about your goals and feel empowered about making your own decisions.

Realosophy Workshop

Many of you have been in touch with specific real estate and schools questions - and we have lots more data and information to share. Sign up for our free Realosophy Schools for Home Buyers workshop starting Sat Feb 25th (limited seating, first come first served). As part of the workshop, you'll receive a Neighbourhood Match report which lists out the best Toronto neighbourhoods for your needs. Sign up below (scroll down to the end of this post).

Sat Feb 25th - full

Sat Mar 3rd - now booking; sign up below

Most Improved Toronto Schools 2012

Now, onto the main show! I'm particularly excited about this week's installment: Top Ten Most Improved Elementary Schools in Toronto for 2012.

For all the controversy about EQAO scores and what they actually measure, we often miss a far more important story. No score is static, and improvement, more than any other metric, may reveal to us what is truly important about any organization - its ability to assess its current reality, successfully diagnosis problems and do better. (RIM, are you listening?)

And what a fantastic story this week's list has to tell. Most of the most improved schools are in affordable neighbourhoods, many of which are next generation emerging neighbourhoods. Seven out of the ten schools improved to an average EQAO score of 70 and above. Improvements ranged from between 24 to 36 in average percentage points.

Above all, this top ten list tells us a story of hard work - the hard work of students, teachers and parents working to make their schools better. And really, isn't hard work the biggest lesson we want to instill in our children?

The Data

• Overall change (in the bright yellow circle) represents the average increase or decrease (in percentage points) in EQAO scores from 2007-08 to 2010-11; average of all six tests written by students (reading, writing and math at the Gr. 3 and Gr. 6 levels)
• Covers all Toronto public schools with an overall average test score above 60 (Note: some schools are too small to report EQAO results and are excluded)
• Average EQAO test score represents number of students obtaining the provincial standard; average of all six tests written in 2010-11
• Average house prices for the neighbourhood in 2011
• 3-Year increase in house prices from 2008 to 2011

1. Kimberley Junior Public School
	Neighbourhood: East End Danforth Grades: JK-6 Enrollment: 271 Address: 50 Swanwick Ave Average EQAO Test Score: 86% 3 Yr EQAO Score Improvement: 36% Average House Price: $487,469 3 Yr Increase in House Prices: 16%
Browse detailed school scores and demographic data for Kimberley Junior Public School

Best Toronto Schools 2012 (Realosophy Top Ten Neighbourhoods)

Urmi Desai in  Top Ten Neighbourhoods, Toronto Schools, Home Buying, Toronto Neighbourhoods

It's school time at Realosophy Analytics! Our month-long feature looks at the special relationship between real estate and schools.

Today's post looks at the top elementary schools in Toronto as measured by the province's latest standardized EQAO scores.

While it's tempting to tape this school list to your goal wall/fridge/dreams and "make it so",  it's important to remember that EQAO scores only tell us so much about school quality. For one, standardized testing results tend to favour advantaged socioeconomic groups, which can make the results more about 'who' attends than 'what' is being taught.

Educators also stress that some school strengths - like special curriculums or educational philosophies - fall outside testing parameters. But interestingly, specialty schools are a strong presence on our list. This is likely due to admissions requirements (e.g., for arts schools) and smaller class sizes.

Realosophy Workshop

Many of you have been in touch with specific real estate and schools questions - and we have lots more data and information to share. Sign up for our free Realosophy Schools for Home Buyers workshop starting Sat Feb 25th (limited seating, first come first served). As part of the workshop, you'll receive a free Neighbourhood Match report which lists out the best Toronto neighbourhoods for your needs. Sign up below (scroll down to the end of this post).

Sat Feb 25th - full

Sat Mar 3rd - now booking; sign up below

The Data

• Overall score (in the bright yellow circle) represents an average of the six EQAO tests written by students in 2010-11 (reading, writing and math at the Gr. 3 and Gr. 6 levels)
• Covers all Toronto public schools (Note: some schools are too small to report EQAO results and are excluded)
• 3 Year EQAO Increase represents an average of percentage points change from 2007-08 for all tests
• Average house prices for the neighbourhood in 2011
• 3 Year increase in house prices from 2008 to 2011

Next Up: Most Improved Toronto Schools 2012

 

1. Claude Watson School for the Arts
	Neighbourhood: Willowdale Grades: 1-8 Enrollment: 325 Address: 130 Doris Avenue Average EQAO Test Score: 100% 3 Year EQAO Score Improvement: 4% Average House Price: $488,344 3 Year Increase in House Prices: 30%
Browse detailed school scores and demographic data for Claude Watson

 

What’s Driving Toronto Real Estate Prices Up? The School Factor

Urmi Desai in Top Ten Neighbourhoods, Toronto Schools, Toronto Neighbourhoods, Home Buying

It’s time to get schooled!

We’ve updated www.realosophy.com with the latest 2011 EQAO data for over 1,800 GTA schools and the Realosophy Analytics team have taken a long, hard look at the data. Over the next few weeks, we'll be reporting on the symbiotic relationship that is Toronto real estate and Toronto schools.

Today, we’ll start with an overview of some key trends.

Move Over Starbucks

Look behind the crazy bidding wars in Toronto’s hottest neighbourhoods and you’ll find a lot of good schools. It’s not new that parents are anxious to give their kids the best start in life. (I’m reminded of the advice of a Richmond Hill high school principal once gave to my dad: “Frankly, Mr. Desai, if your kid’s smart, they’ll do great anywhere. If they’re not, well, that’s another story.”) But it’s an anxiety that’s only gotten stronger – or at least become more acted upon – thanks to the introduction of standardized testing at Ontario schools in 1995 and the reporting of results on the internet, a mini baby boom in Toronto and a growing sense that our children will be wrestling out their futures in a highly globalized bear pit of competition. Today, many home buyers with children focus their home search exclusively on school quality.

Forget about the Starbucks effect - it’s all about the school effect.

Toronto Schools are Getting Better

The good news is that our data shows that Toronto schools are improving under all this scrutiny. Compared to three years ago, there are 45% more elementary schools scoring an average of 80% or greater (this is an average of results obtained in the six different EQAO tests elementary school students write - reading, writing and math at the Gr. 3 and Gr. 6 levels). In November, a cross-Canada study carried out by Education Ministers showed that Ontario alone had students placing above the national average in all three examined subjects – reading, math and science.

3-Bedroom Subway Access for $500K (Realosophy Top Ten Neighbourhoods)

Urmi Desai in Top Ten Neighbourhoods, Home Buying

Wowza, it’s been much longer than intended since the last installment of our monthly Top Ten list that tells you what really want to know about Toronto neighbourhoods. To date, we’ve examined Best Schools for $500K and Most Walkable Neighbourhoods for $1M. The response to the first list was amazing; tumbleweed comes to mind when thinking about the second. So we (don’t) hear you loud and clear – you love the city, you get it, walkable is great, biking hooray, just how are you supposed to do it when you've got one to two kids and a budget of $500K? Here's how...

Realosophy Top Ten Neighbourhoods: 3-Bedroom Subway Access for $500K

Map: Zoom out if you have difficulties with map orientation. Click on green tab beside "Layers" to shrink box. Click on arrow beside "Legend" to expand legend. Click on any shaded neighbourhood above for details. Unshaded neighbourhoods do not meet criteria (see below).

This week, we look at neighbourhoods that offer a 3-bedroom lifestyle with subway access. The bonus? We’ve gone further to ensure that the neighbourhoods on our list offer walkable access to more than transit so your weekends can be as car-free as your commute to work. Interestingly enough, our data confirms what common sense tells us about home buying and trade-offs: not one neighbourhood on our Best Schools for $500K list makes it onto this list (which means it's less likely that you can get both the best schools and direct subway access/walkability for $500K).

Criteria: Only Toronto neighbourhoods with 3-bedroom houses or condos that sold for $500K or less in 2010, have direct access to a TTC subway station and ranked high on walkability need apply. Walkability is calculated by Walk Score (learn about methodology here).

Ranking: Neighbourhoods are ranked first by walkability and then sales volume (measured by the number of 3-bedroom units that sold in 2010 for $500K or less). This tells you which neighbourhoods have the criteria you want and what your chances of getting into the neighbourhood are (likelihood is a feature unique to Realosophy's proprietary Neighbourhood Match tool).

1. Willowdale (Central) See Profile

A Toronto classic. With the publication of David Bezmozgis’ brilliant Natasha and Other Stories seven years ago and Calvin Tiller’s story on Bathurst and Finch’s heady cash-for-gold scene in the New Yorker last month, North York continues to tell stories about who we really are. And Willowdale, with its single family houses, teardowns and condos, authoritative strip mall food, no nonsense (and dismayingly grey) access to the Yonge and Finch transit hub and seemingly autarkic Chinese, Korean, Iranian and Russian Jewish communities, is probably closest to who Toronto really is.  

Your likelihood of getting a 3-Bedroom for $500K or less: Good (84 sold in 2010)

Purchasing Power Parity for Toronto Neighbourhoods

John Pasalis in Toronto Real Estate News, Top Ten Neighbourhoods, Home Buying

Purchasing power parity is an economic theory that helps us understand how overvalued or undervalued currencies are by comparing their currencies purchasing power for identical products. A common example of purchasing power parity is the Economist Magazine's annual Big Mac index where they compare the price of a Big Mac internationally to see how overvalued or undervalued different currencies are.  The theory is that if a Big Mac costs $4 Canadian, I should be able to convert my $4 into any other currency and have exactly enough money to afford a Big Mac in that country.  

Last week we stumbled across a series of posts from mortgage rate website Ratehub where they extended this concept to Canada’s real estate market. Ratehub decided to look at the cost of a typical home (detached, 3 bedroom, 2 bathrooms) across a number of different cities in Canada and compare the sale price in each city to the national average.  

We decided to do the same to what we know best, Toronto neighbourhoods.

Tip: Click the green arrow to minimize the legend

To calculate the implied purchasing power parity for each neighbourhood we divide the average price for a typical home (detached, 3 bedroom and 2 bathroom) in each neighbourhood by the city average for the same type of house.

For example, the average price for a typical home in Riverdale is $681,103 compared to the city average of $498,270.  When we divide the average Riverdale home price by the city average we get an implied purchasing power parity of .73.  

Most Walkable Toronto Neighbourhoods Over $1 Million (Realosophy Top Ten Neighbourhoods)

Urmi Desai in Top Ten Neighbourhoods, Home Buying

It’s the second installment of Realosophy's Top Ten, a data-driven list that tells you what really want to know about Toronto neighbourhoods. Instead of pointing out where Canada’s Top Chefs live, we’ll show you which neighbourhoods offer the most walkable lifestyles, give you the most school power for your housing buck or have the greatest potential for downsizers. And okay, we’ll try to figure out the best ‘hoods for gourmet hot dogs while we’re at it.

Realosophy Top Ten: Most Walkable Toronto Neighbourhoods Over $1 Million

Map: Click on any shaded neighbourhood above. Click on green tab beside "Layers" title to shrink box. Unshaded neighbourhoods do not meet criteria (see below).

This week, we look at urban luxury. At Realosophy, we talk a lot about the “faux Manhattan” effect in Toronto. Thanks to the free fall that is the city's transit and transportation system, many home buyers now refuse to look north of St. Clair, west of Dufferin and east of the DVP. Even luxury is getting more urban, shaking up our image of Toronto’s money being stuffed into the old pockets of Rosedale, Forest Hill and Bridle Path. While admittedly not our most practical list for most buyers, it’s our summer ode to beautiful walkers (and dreamers) everywhere.

Criteria: Only Toronto neighbourhoods with houses or condos that sold over 1 million in 2010 and score above 80 on walkability need apply. Walkability is calculated by Walk Score.

Ranking: Neighbourhoods are ranked by walkability and sales volume (measured by the number of units that sold in 2010 over 1 million with a walkability score over 80).

1. Yorkville (Central)

No surprise here. It’s the first of four condo neighbourhoods on our list and the second most expensive (#5 Bay Street Corridor is the priciest - see below). Latest condos include the Four Seasons, The Hazelton and The Regency.

Walk Score: 100

Urban Outing: Browse art galleries then sip cappuccino and people watch at Pusateri’s

Avg. Price for Houses/Condos over 1M: $1,899,880

Dominant Housing Type over 1M: Condo Apartment

Best Toronto Schools on a $500K Budget (Realosophy Top Ten Neighbourhoods)

Urmi Desai in Top Ten Neighbourhoods, Toronto Schools, Home Buying

Introducing the latest innovation from our data-loving team at Realosophy – a monthly top ten list that tells home buyers and sellers what you really want to know about Toronto neighbourhoods. Instead of telling you about the city’s richest neighbourhoods or where CBC personalities live (OMG!), we show you which neighbourhoods give you the most school power for your housing buck, have the greatest potential for downsizers or the highest density of dog parks. And okay, if we can get around to it without being arrested (OMG!), we’ll try to pin down Strombo’s postal code for you too.

Realosophy Top Ten Neighbourhoods: Best Toronto Schools on a $500K Budget

Map: Click on any shaded neighbourhood above. Click on green tab beside "Layers" title to shrink box. Unshaded neighbourhoods do not meet criteria (see below).

Anyone with some data and an agenda can make a top ten school list, but the results are rarely surprising. The city’s richest neighbourhoods tend to have the best schools. While this insight is enough to fuel a 10-page Toronto Life cover story, we know you need more. So our kick-off list is dedicated to all those Toronto parents hoping to turn little Chloe or Ethan into a genius without the benefit of a Rosedale inheritance or a Bay Street lifestyle.

Criteria: Only Toronto neighbourhoods with three-bedroom houses that sold under $500K in 2010 need apply.

Ranking: Each neighbourhood is assigned an average score for all elementary and high school EQAO results (including Catholic schools).

 

1. York Mills (Central)

You're probably surprised to see this neighbourhood on our list. York Mills (@Bayview) is a high-end neighbourhood known for its multi-million dollar homes, but it’s also a good example of a high-end neighbourhood with a small number of houses under $500K, pulling some of the city’s finest schools within reach.

Top schools: Harrison Public School, Owen Public School, York Mills Collegiate

House Type That Will Get You In: Condo Townhouse

Likelihood of You Getting In: Low (7 Houses Sold Under $500K in 2010)