Top 5 Reasons to Buy a Home in East Gwillimbury
When looking for a new place to live in York Region, the most common searches include Richmond Hill, Markham, and Vaughan. Although these municipalities have traditionally been the hottest stars when it comes to real estate in York Region, there is no reason that you should overlook East Gwillimbury. Located north of Newmarket and directly south of Lake Simcoe, East Gwillimbury has many reasons for you to call it home.
In the words of Joe Valela, President of Tercot Development Group: “East Gwillimbury is one of the hottest markets for new development right now. More buyers are looking north in search of the coveted single-detached home, as evidenced by the very popular Queensville and Queens Landing developments.”
Reason #1: Affordability and Good Real Estate Market Prospects
Compared to the other municipalities in York Region, East Gwillimbury real estate is considered to be one of the most affordable by relative standard. As of April 2020, the average price of houses sold in East Gwillimbury is $878,000. In comparison, the average house price is $1,003,794 in Richmond Hill, $1,004,127 in Markham, $1,015,495 in Vaughan, and $827,573 in Newmarket.
MoneySense Magazine ranked a number of East Gwillimbury neighbourhoods (Mount Albert, Holland Landing, Rural East Gwillimbury, and Queensville) favourably in terms of value and momentum. This means that buying a home in East Gwillimbury is considered to be a good investment with upward positive momentum in real estate price. With a monthly price increase of approximately 3%, quarterly increase of 2.1%, and yearly change of 14.3%, it is no doubt that the future is bright for the East Gwillimbury real estate market.
East Gwillimbury is ranked 15th in the fastest selling out of 23 Greater Toronto Area (GTA) municipalities, and 3rd highest in turnover.
Reason #2: Retreat from the Big City Noise, with Ample Access to Amenities
Situated in the northern part of York Region, the Town of East Gwillimbury is quieter and away from the big city noise. This provides an ideal location for those seeking a more quiet and peaceful neighbourhood. However, this does not mean that it is lacking in any amenities. East Gwillimbury is made up of 5 villages or neighbourhoods: Harvest Hills, Holland Landing, Queensville, Sharon, and Mount Albert. The Town offers plenty of recreational opportunities with over 30 park locations, 22 soccer fields, 20 playgrounds, 8 baseball diamonds, 4 tennis courts, f4 splash pads, basketball courts, a mountain bike course, and more. Residents can enjoy parklands and protected natural environments because much of the area falls within the Provincial Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Morraine.
There are 3 fire and emergency services locations (in Holland Landing, Mount Albert, and Queensville).
One of the most prominent historical landmarks in town is Sharon Temple. Located in the village of Sharon, East Gwillimbury, it has held the designation of National Historic Site of Canada since 1990. The site is composed of eight distinctive heritage buildings and dwellings, and houses 6,000 artifacts on a 1.8-hectare (4.4-acre) site.
Another point of attraction is the Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park. Thousands of visitors come here each year, making it one of the top tourism sites in East Gwillimbury.
The Town is also home to one of a few remaining drive-in theatres in Canada. Located on Mount Albert Road, Stardust Drive-In Theatre has been around since the 1950s.
Reason #3: High Growth
East Gwillimbury is ranked as the 3rd fastest growing municipality (out of 23 municipalities in the GTA). According to Advantage EG, “The Town of East Gwillimbury is considered one of Ontario’s designated urban growth centres within the provincial growth plan. With over $1 Billion of Infrastructure Investment currently underway, the Town’s population is expected to grow by 400% over the next 17 years”.
MoneySense Magazine named East Gwillimbury as one of Canada’s fastest growing cities in 2017, due to its annualized 5-year growth rate of 1.6%. “Population growth signals that a city is in demand and that it is creating jobs and opportunities for residents”. With a residential population of 26,000 (as of 2018) spread over 238 square kilometers, this number is expected to exceed 86,500 by 2031. Employment population is projected to increase from 7,000 to 34,400 by 2031.
The 2010 Official Plan for the Town of East Gwillimbury designated it as a future growth area under the “Places to Grow Act” by the Province of Ontario. This official plan was a result of a series of consultations with the public, developers, and other stakeholders. Despite the large amount of growth, almost 75% of East Gwillimbury land will not be developed as it is part of both the Greenbelt and the Oak Ridges Moraine. It means that growth will be concentrated in the existing villages of Holland Landing, Sharon, Queensville, and Mount Albert. This high-density growth plan means faster commute times for residents, multi-mix developments, and closer access to schools, workplaces, retail areas, and amenities.
Out of the four villages that will be centre of growth, Queensville, will see the majority of this growth (going from a population of 650 residents in 2010, to over 30,000 residents).
Reason #4: Easy Access to Local Transportation and Highways
To support high growth, Highway 404 extension was completed in 2014. The extension was south of Keswick in the Town of Georgina, passing through East Gwillimbury. This provided connection between East Gwillimbury and a lot of other towns and cities. In addition, East Gwillimbury is only a 20-minute drive from Highways 401 and 407.
In terms of public transportation, there is an existing GO Transit commuter rail system (Barrie line) connecting residents from East Gwillimbury station to Toronto’s Union station. York Region Transit (YRT) has bus routes serving the Town, including the villages of Sharon, Holland Landing, and Mount Albert.
Reason #5: Family-Friendly Housing and Neighbourhood
There are a number of housing options in East Gwillimbury, including single detached houses, townhouses, and bungalows. In 2006, the Town Council passed a policy stating that all residential developments of at least ten units must comply with Energy Star qualifications. This means that housing in East Gwillimbury built in 2006 and later is built with energy efficiency in mind (hence lower energy costs for residents). East Gwillimbury is the first jurisdiction in Canada to require Energy Star certification for residential units.
Another reason to consider East Gwillimbury as a place to live is its family-friendly and safe neighbourhood. Schools are governed by the York Region District School Board and the York Catholic District School Board. Elementary schools operated by the public school board include: Holland Landing Public School, Park Avenue Public School (located in Holland Landing), Phoebe Gilman Public School (in the Harvest Hills neighborhood), Sharon Public School, Queensville Public School, and Mt. Albert Public School.
The Catholic school board operates the Good Shepherd Catholic School (in Holland Landing) and Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Elementary School (in Sharon).
Secondary school students can attend Dr. John M. Denison Secondary School (in Newmarket), Huron Heights Secondary School (in Newmarket), or Stouffville District Secondary School located (in Whitchurch-Stouffville).
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