Burlington Real Estate

What types of real estate are for sale in Burlington?

Detached homes are the largest group in Burlington. Browse Burlington homes for sale for everything from lakeside estates in Shoreacres to rural properties below the escarpment. Townhouses are the city's most searched type, and they're split by ownership: Burlington townhouses for sale covers condo townhouses, including the bungalow townhomes popular with downsizers, while Burlington freehold townhouses covers the smaller freehold segment. Condo apartments, most of them downtown or in north-end mid-rises, are on Burlington condos for sale. For rentals, see Burlington townhouses for rent. The Burlington building directory profiles every condo building and townhouse complex, with suite sizes, fees and amenities.

How do Burlington's neighbourhoods differ?

South of the QEW, downtown Burlington has the waterfront, Spencer Smith Park, Brant Street shops and most of the city's condo towers. Roseland and Shoreacres to the east are its most sought-after lakeside neighbourhoods, and Appleby anchors the east end near Appleby GO. In the west, Aldershot, including LaSalle, sits near Aldershot GO and the Royal Botanical Gardens. The middle of the city, including Brant Hills, Tyandaga, Mountainside, Headon and Tansley, is mostly 1960s-90s family neighbourhoods. The north end, with Orchard and Alton, has the newest homes near the 407. North of Dundas, rural Burlington is protected countryside. Waterdown, across the western border in Hamilton, is a common alternative for Burlington buyers.

How do people commute from Burlington?

Burlington has three stations on the Lakeshore West GO line, all with all-day service: Aldershot GO in the west (also a VIA Rail stop), Burlington GO at Fairview Street, and Appleby GO in the east. Burlington Transit connects the neighbourhoods to the stations. By car, the QEW, Highway 403 and Highway 407 all meet in Burlington, which puts Hamilton, Oakville, Mississauga and Toronto within easy reach. The city's planning directs most new growth to the areas around the three GO stations and downtown, so expect more mid- and high-rise construction there over the coming years. For a Toronto commute, a home within easy reach of Appleby or Burlington GO usually beats being closer to a highway, since QEW traffic through Oakville and Mississauga is heavy at rush hour.

What about schools, hospitals and services?

The Halton District School Board and the Halton Catholic District School Board run Burlington's public and Catholic schools, and French-language boards also operate schools in the city. As enrolment shifts, boundaries are reviewed, so confirm the school for a specific address with the board. Joseph Brant Hospital, on the lakefront at the west end of downtown, is the city's hospital. For outdoor life, Burlington is hard to beat. The Waterfront Trail and Spencer Smith Park are downtown, the Royal Botanical Gardens sit on the western border, and the Bruce Trail, Mount Nemo and the escarpment conservation areas are a short drive north. The downtown core has the Burlington Performing Arts Centre, festivals on the waterfront and a walkable main street. Each neighbourhood page covers its nearby parks, schools and shopping.

What does buying in Burlington cost beyond the price?

Burlington doesn't charge a municipal land transfer tax, so buyers pay only the provincial land transfer tax; our land transfer tax calculator estimates it, including any first-time buyer refund. Property tax is the MPAC assessment multiplied by the combined City of Burlington, Halton Region and education rate. Condo and condo-townhouse buyers add monthly fees, and older downtown towers and 1970s townhouse complexes deserve a careful look at their reserve funds. Houses in older neighbourhoods may need budget for drainage upgrades. Halton Region offers a subsidy toward backwater valves and sump pumps after the August 2014 storm flooded basements across the city. Rural buyers should budget for well and septic inspections. Our guide to closing costs in Ontario covers the one-time costs, and each property-type page above covers what's specific to it.

Thinking of selling in Burlington?

In Burlington, price depends heavily on location, lot and the specific complex or street. A lakeside lot in Shoreacres, a Headon bungalow townhouse and a north-end detached home each have their own pool of buyers. Our home evaluation compares your property with recent nearby sales and active listings to give you a realistic range. The Burlington market report shows days on market, months of inventory and the sale-to-list ratio, so you can see whether buyers are competing or taking their time. Bungalow townhomes and well-kept homes in top school areas often draw strong interest even in a slower market. If you're downsizing within Burlington, compare the timing of your sale and purchase carefully. A bridge loan or a longer closing can help.

Is the Burlington real estate market up or down?

The figures at the top of this page (active listings, median list price, days on market, months of inventory and the market condition they imply) cover every property type in Burlington and update with every MLS® sync, with a breakdown by type beneath them. Burlington's segments can move differently. Condos, townhouses and detached homes each have their own monthly report, and they're more useful than the city-wide number for any particular search. The Burlington market report links to all of them and to neighbourhood reports. When comparing with news coverage, check whether a figure covers Burlington alone or all of Halton, and whether it's an average, which a few lakefront sales can pull up, or a median.