Welcome to Hogtown! That's Toronto-speak for "the world's best city for business and family life." Well, at least according to Fortune magazine in 1996.

Although the vacancy rate in Toronto is at an all-time low (less than one percent), it is not impossible to find the apartment of your dreams if you do your homework and, of course, follow our helpful advice. You'll soon be begging your friends to help you schlep your stuff up three flights of stairs to your quaint Victorian-style one bedroom with a view of the CN Tower, or perhaps having your movers load your boxes into the elevator of a spectacular high-rise with a view of the island. Or, for sports fans, you could be moving downtown, within walking distance of both the Skydome and the Air Canada Centre. (Yes, that's Centre with an "re." Canadian spelling has a unique flavour that you will soon have to learn). Yep, there's something for everything in Toronto, and we're here to help you set up shop in the fair city faster than you can say, "eh."

1. DETERMINE HOW MUCH YOU WANT TO SPEND ON RENT

Before you start slogging through on-line and classifieds ads, you need to make an important decision: how much are you willing (and able) to pay in monthly rent? In downtown Toronto, a one-bedroom commands between $700 and $1500, depending upon how upscale the neighborhood is. Even in the suburbs, you won't find one much cheaper than $700. But bargains can be had if you're patient and willing to put in the time.

A good way to find your upper limit for housing costs is to divide your monthly net income (after taxes) by three. Go ahead and do the math in your head at this point. Now, if this figure seems ridiculously low and you are currently imagining life in a broom closet, you have three options: 1) make more money; 2) consider widening your search out to the GTA (Greater Toronto Area), where the rents can be lower; or 3) save money on rent by finding a roommate.

Finding a roommate

Shacking up with a roommate is a great way to lower your housing costs, as long as said roommate doesn't turn out to be a mental case. For the complete scoop on the process, be sure to read our comprehensive article on the subject, SYW Find a Good Roommate.

Here are the basics. To find a roommate, you can:

  1. Find someone yourself amongst your immediate friends and their friends.

  2. Try a roommate referral service (such as MetroRoommates.com).

  3. Just look for ads in the classifieds: "roommate wanted," "apartment to share," etc.

However you find one, you must be careful when choosing your roommate or you will regret it for the rest of your lease. Obviously, not all strangers are going to make good roommates, but less obviously, not all friends do either. There are people you might get along fine with when you see them once in a while, but who would drive you insane if you had to live with them. In an effort to filter out unsuitable persons from your life, you should ask all potential roommates the following questions to assess their compatibility:

  • Have you ever had a roommate before?
  • What, if anything, bothered you about your past roommate(s)? Did you fight a lot? About what? Did gunplay become a factor?
  • Do you have a boyfriend/girlfriend or other friend who will be staying here frequently?
  • Are you promiscuous? (Do not be afraid to ask this one. You don't want strange people sleeping over all the time. It will also establish what you consider unacceptable ahead of time.)
  • Do you smoke? Drink? Do drugs? If yes to any, how often?
  • Do you stay out late on weeknights?
  • Did/do you have any credit problems?
  • Do you have any pets?
  • What is your occupation?
  • What do you like to watch on television? What music do you listen to? Do you listen to it loud?
  • Do you know how to clean up after yourself? Do you cook? Do you drink directly from the milk container? Do you know how to clean a toilet?
  • Do you have any referrals to whom I could speak?
  • Can you name all seven dwarfs? Alphabetically?

Whatever you ask, at the end of it all you must feel very comfortable with your future roommate. You're taking a big risk sharing a roof with this person, and you never want to dread going home because of the other body in there.

One last note about roommates: arrange it so that your roommate co-signs the lease. If your name is the only one on the lease, then you shoulder the entire burden of responsibility for the apartment from a financial standpoint. If your roommate loses his/her job (and by extension, a steady cash flow), you'll be stuck paying his/her share of the rent. Then you'd be angry, poor, and kicking yourself for not following our sage advice.

2. PICK A NEIGHBORHOOD OR SUBURB

Getting around

The Metro Toronto area is made up of lots of different neighborhoods in and around downtown, most of which are reachable by one of the two (soon to be three) subway lines. The underground "rocket" is the easiest and fastest way to get around the city. There are also plenty of bus routes and lots of cabs to help you make your way around the city. As opposed to other Canadian cities, you must "hail" Toronto cabbies to get them to stop. It's easy to get around town without a car, but if you decide you must have one, remember that parking is likely to increase your rent by about 10%. Keep in mind that traffic is hectic, commutes are long, and if you give other drivers an inch, they will try to get their cars in front of you.

Toronto's neighborhoods

Once you know where you are going to work (assuming you are not independently wealthy), figuring out where you want to live is easy. Just weigh the following considerations regarding your commute and your needs for the familiarity and friendliness of a potential 'hood.

  • Commute: The subway, a bus, walking distance, or your own car? If you're gonna take public transportation, make sure that you find a place that's near a stop. The last thing you want to do is walk a crisp 15 blocks to a subway or bus stop when there's so much snow on the ground that the mayor has called in the military. (This is a Toronto joke, best told with a knowing, sardonic tone.)

  • Familiarity: If you already know people who live in Toronto, you definitely want to ask them for their opinion. You might even want to live near them, just so you'll know someone nearby. Or if the people you know are the kind of people who you wish you didn't know, then that could play a role too. Finally, if you've been to Toronto before (or you're there now and crashing on a friend's couch as you look for your own place), then consider the area where you spend the most time.

  • Friendliness: Is it a priority to live in a neighborhood where everyone knows your name, a la Cheers, or will you be slaving away too much to do anything other than crash when you get home? While it's always nice to live in a friendly neighborhood, it might be too far away or too expensive. One more decision to weigh.

Now you're ready to look at an online map and start considering each neighborhood. The two landmark streets to get familiar with are Bloor Street, which runs east/west through the middle of town, and Yonge Street, the longest street in the world, which runs north/south from the harbourfront all the way up to Northern Ontario. The main subway arteries also run along these two streets, so be sure to look at areas falling along one or the other. Determine how close you need to be to work and figure out which neighborhoods fall into that radius.

In the heart of downtown, you can find Chinatown, Little Italy, The Annex, Cabbagetown, and Harbourfront.

  • Chinatown, including the Kensington Market Area, is full of older 2 and 2 ½ story homes converted into apartments. Generally a cheaper rental area, it also attracts a lot of students, which in turn might make it unattractive. Lots of great food markets.

  • Little Italy is the area along College Street with all the ultra-cool bars, cafes, restaurants, and the best repertory theatre in the city. Again, mostly older converted houses, but also some three-story walk-up buildings.

  • The Annex is an area just north of Bloor and west of Avenue Road. A mix of high-rises and nice Victorian duplexes, The Annex is rather expensive due to its proximity to Yorkville, the uber-chic of Toronto shopping.

  • Cabbagetown is east of Jarvis and west of the DVP (Don Valley Parkway), near Gerrard and Carlton Streets. It is an older Victorian neighborhood that the Yuppies took upon themselves to fix up so that no one else could afford it. Most rentals in this area consist of basement apartments.

  • Harbourfront describes the area along the shore of Lake Ontario, as its name would suggest. Most of this area is made up of high-rises with beautiful views and extremely high rents.

The next layer away from downtown, but still on the subway lines, includes The Beaches, The Danforth, Riverdale, Forest Hill, Bloor West Village, Rosedale, Parkdale, Leaside, and Queen West.

  • The Beaches is just that: a community next to a great Toronto beach. Quaint shops, funky boutiques, and great little restaurants line Queen Street East, the neighborhood's main artery, which runs parallel to the Beach. If you have a dog or like to walk along the boardwalk, this place can't be beat. But be warned: on weekends, The Beach is jammed with tourists and shoppers.

  • The Danforth is also known as Toronto's Greek Town. An eclectic mix of health food stores, Greek restaurants, Irish pubs and trendy boutiques makes this a popular spot to live or hang out. The Danforth is also highly convenient since it's right on the subway line.

  • Riverdale is an older (and more reasonably priced) part of Toronto. Apartments here are generally found in duplexes and large converted Victorian homes. It's a family-friendly neighborhood with restaurants and shopping a modest walk away.

  • Forest Hill, one of the poshest Toronto areas, has less in the way of rentals. There are many modern apartment buildings around the Forest Hill Village area, and some older buildings further out. The stately turn-of-the-century homes nearby make for great walks.

  • Bloor West Village is a popular Toronto address, along the lines of The Beaches - very busy on the weekends, great food, great shopping, and great coffee. The rentals are a mix of high-rises, apartments above stores, and houses or duplexes. Rents can be high in this neighborhood because of the demand, but bargains can still be found.

  • Rosedale is the most expensive area in Toronto, and hasn't got much in the way of charm or conveniences. Jags and Beamers line the driveways, though there are a few expensive high-rises (most of which are condos).

  • Parkdale, according to many, is the next Cabbagetown. It is rather grungy and run-down; in 5 to 10 years, it is predicted to become shiny, yuppie, and new. This does not help the renter, of course, who will be living there now, but it does help keep the rents low. It can get quite dangerous at night, by the way.

  • Leaside is in the former East York, just east of the DVP near O'Connor. The area is a mix of housing in a surprisingly quiet neighborhood with good access to the highway and the subway (a short bus ride to the south is The Danforth).

  • Queen Street West houses the cool, artistic crowd, and the quirky shops and restaurants along this strip reflect this. If you're looking for a loft to paint in or a room in which to compose the great Canadian novel, you need look no further. The area north of Queen, known as The Grange, is also home to the Ontario College of Art, so there are many student berths in the area.

Other communities on the periphery but not quite in the sticks include: Etobicoke, North York, Scarborough, Richmond Hill, Markham, Vaughan, Mississauga, and Brampton. Some are rather industrial, some have their own Chinatown's, and others are pretty bland 'burbs, but all represent potential housing. Don't overlook them in your search, especially if the budget is tight, because all are reachable by GO bus or train from the city.

As you visit these neighborhoods, follow your gut. If you like an area, then search especially hard for a bargain there. As you search, keep the following factors in mind:

  • Is the rent affordable?

  • Are the stores, shops, gyms, movie theaters and bars in the area affordable? (No matter what they say ahead of time, most people spend their money in nearby establishments.)

  • How close is the public transportation you will use, especially if you don't have a car?

  • If it matters, what are the nearby schools like?

  • Who lives in the neighborhood? Yuppies? Students? Leafs fans?

  • Where will you park your car? If the apartment you're looking at doesn't include parking, how easy is it to park on the street? What is the access to major highways?

  • Who pays for utilities? And how are they powered? Gas is cheaper than electric, and oil fluctuates along with OPEC.

  • What is the average winter utility bill for the area? Remember, Toronto can get ass-freezing cold, especially with that lake-effect snow and wind chill.

  • What is the crime rate like? Call the local police to double check, as your future landlord could be less than honest on this one. Come back at night to see if you feel safe there, and ask your friends who know the city.

3. FIND AN APARTMENT YOURSELF USING THESE TECHNIQUES

Hit up your employer or school

A good place to begin your search is by asking your employer if the company has any real estate services or contacts; some larger corporations hold apartments for employees or have good contacts in the rental market. By the same token, if you have any local school affiliations, either past or present, contact your school and inquire as to whether it has any apartment bulletin boards or online listings. These openings are generally more affordable and safer than something you could find on your own, and many are open to people affiliated with the university.

Also check out schools in Toronto, even if you don't have an affiliation with them, including University of Toronto, York University, George Brown College, and Ryerson Polytechnic University. Toronto has many institutions for higher education and personal improvement, and some of those kids have great houses or apartments that they have to get rid of after senior year. You can also easily find an apartment to sublet during the summer, which would give you time to find your more permanent lodgings by fall. Look in the campus newspapers, on bulletin boards in the pizza joints or laundromats, or even in the lobbies of on-campus dorms. You will often see ads posted looking for roommates, sublets, or even a permanent place to call your own.

Go online

There are lots of sites you can sniff out with the help of any online search engine, such as www.altavista.com, www.yahoo.com, or www.google.com. We have also listed some specific sites which would be worthwhile checking out:

Newspapers and magazines

Daily papers and weekly magazines can also be a good source of apartment listings, both in print and online. The benefit of the Internet is that you can search many sources quickly and you don't have to wait for the weekly delivery of the paper, but you can go straight to sites like move.com.

  • The Toronto Star: The classifieds section includes listings of rentals in all areas, including the surrounding cities and towns. It's a daily paper, but the Saturday edition has the most real estate related listings.

  • NOW Magazine: Toronto's free weekly alternative arts and entertainment newspaper. If you can find your way through the huge personals and escorts for hire section, you'll find a good selection of apartment listing.

  • The Toronto Sun: The Sun (one of these papers with scantily-clad women on the third page) is a daily tabloid with a good selection of listings, again chiefly on Saturday.
  • Broker

    There are several advantages to using a broker; they will find apartments and make appointments to fit your schedule. A broker would probably be invaluable to someone who is moving in from out of town or can't take time off work to look at places. They also have access to apartments not available to the general public. If you do decide to use a broker, there are several ways to find one. Look for their brightly-colored ads in the newspapers, yellow pages, or online classifieds. The biggest Real Estate broker chain in Toronto is Re/Max. Their website refers you to specific brokers if needed.

    Drive around

    Aside from familiarizing yourself with the various neighborhoods, driving around can also uncover potential leads. People often post flyers offering nearby apartment sublets and rentals at grocery stores, recreation centers, gyms, telephone poles, and churches in the neighborhood. You might even see the odd "For Rent" sign, or at least see "Vacancy" signs with a phone number. In the very popular areas, people will often not bother to advertise at all, as they can get enough of a response just by putting up a sign.

    4. VISIT POTENTIAL APARTMENTS

    Once you've found a listing that has promise, you should call right away to schedule an appointment. You will often reach an answering machine, so be prepared to leave a clear, concise message. Say that you are calling about the apartment advertised in whatever publication, give your name and telephone number, and ask the person to call back at his or her earliest convenience to schedule an appointment to see the apartment. If you haven't heard anything in 24 hours, be polite, but follow up with another call repeating your interest. There are times when these renters get swamped with calls, and won't bother to return your call, but if you catch them when they're around, you can usually weasel yourself an apartment.

    If you are unable to schedule an appointment, be sure to do everything you can to make a good impression. Arrive on time, dress neatly, and act like a responsible individual who isn't going to skip rent payments, trash the apartment, bounce cheques, or piss off the neighbors.

    Once you've gotten the chance to speak with a human being, ask some intelligent questions. Here is a list of general questions to start you off:

    • How long is the lease?
    • Do I have the option to renew?
    • Are utilities included in the rent? Which ones (gas, electric, water, cable, etc.)?
    • Can I keep pets in the apartment?
    • Am I allowed to sublet? If so, for how long?
    • What sort of security does the building have?
    • Does the building have laundry facilities?
    • Does the building have a super or some sort of arrangement for repairs?
    • Does anyone else have keys to the apartment?
    • Do I need special permission to make superficial changes (e.g., painting walls)?
    • Is the apartment de-leaded? (This is mandatory if you have a child living there.)
    • Is there a guest policy?
    • Is parking available? If so, is it included in the rent?
    • Are there any weirdos living in the building that I should know about?
    • What's the rate of rent increase from year to year?

    5. BEFORE YOU SIGN, KNOW YOUR RIGHTS AS A TENANT

    It will probably make you happy to know that Ontario has many laws protecting the rights of tenants, especially the Landlord-Tenant Act, which is heavily weighted towards protecting you. For example, you are entitled to interest on your last month's rent, and you are not obliged to pay any extra fees that your landlord dreams up along the way (so that new "pet fee" or "overnight guest fee" shouldn't worry you). When you move in, the most you should pay is first and last month's rent, and possible a security deposit on keys or underground parking cards. Anything else is illegal. Naturally, you should get a receipt for everything you fork over.

    Make sure that your lease is given to you in writing and that you read it fully - if you have an oral lease, you may be subject to restrictions or conditions of which you weren't aware. Just do what we say and get yourself a written lease. We don't like being argued with, especially when we're right. Be sure to check that the following are accurately recorded:

    • All names and addresses
    • Dates of occupancy
    • Rent amount
    • Details about money given up front
    • Parking spot specifications (if applicable)

    If the landlord has made you any promises, like evicting the living mould civilization in the bathroom, make sure you get it in writing or at least have a third party listen in. Landlords are notorious about "getting around to something." If it's in black and white, you have more justification when you withhold your rent.

    On the other hand, if your landlord turns out to be an unhinged lunatic who forbids you from having the occasional overnight guest or claims you are harboring hidden roommates, don't be afraid to contact a lawyer immediately. Keep anything you get in writing, even if it's just a handwritten note.

    Best of luck and good hunting, eh?!