Casa Loma Property Management

Casa Loma occupies a hillside above Davenport Road in midtown Toronto, bounded by Bathurst Street to the west, Dupont Street to the south, Spadina Road to the east, and St. Clair Avenue West to the north. The housing stock is a mix of detached and semi-detached homes from the early twentieth century, low-rise apartment buildings along the arterials, and a small number of boutique condominium developments. The neighbourhood’s elevation, mature tree canopy, and proximity to the castle make it one of Toronto’s most distinctive residential areas. That character is part of what makes Casa Loma property management a distinct discipline from the high-volume condo management that defines much of downtown.

The neighbourhood falls under TRREB district C02 in the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board’s MLS system. Buttonwood Property Management has managed investment properties here since 2011. Each lease we manage in the neighbourhood is subject to:

• Ontario Residential Tenancies Act
• Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO)
• Ontario Human Rights Tribunal
• Ontario Building Code
• Ontario Fire Code
• Vacant Home Tax (City of Toronto)
• CRA’s Non-resident Tax Withholding on Rental Income (NR4/NR6)

History of Casa Loma

The neighbourhood takes its name from the Gothic Revival castle completed in 1914 for Sir Henry Pellatt, a financier who built his fortune through the Toronto Electric Light Company and the Canadian Pacific Railway. Pellatt commissioned architect E.J. Lennox to construct a 98-room residence on the Davenport escarpment. The project cost $3.5 million and featured battlements, secret passageways, and stables connected by an 800-foot tunnel.

Pellatt’s empire collapsed within a decade. Public ownership of electricity ended his utility monopoly, and the First World War redirected capital away from real estate. By 1924, Pellatt had auctioned his possessions and abandoned the castle. After brief use as a luxury hotel and dance hall, the City of Toronto took ownership in 1933 for $27,303.45 in back taxes. The Kiwanis Club operated it as a tourist attraction from 1937 until 2011, when the Casa Loma Corporation assumed management.

The residential neighbourhood developed around the castle during the 1910s and 1920s. Wells Hill, the slopes above Davenport Road, and the streets surrounding Spadina Road filled with substantial brick homes during this period. The area’s elevation on the former Lake Iroquois shoreline gave it both a physical and social distinction from the flatlands below.

Residential Buildings in Casa Loma

Casa Loma’s building stock is weighted toward single-family homes and low-rise apartments, but several condominium developments serve the neighbourhood’s rental and ownership markets.

• Casa Condos (33 Walmer Road): 16 storeys, 107 units. Developed by Cresford Developments, completed in 2010. One of the first modern condo projects in the immediate Casa Loma area, with views toward downtown.
• Casa II Condos (35 Walmer Road): 16 storeys, 126 units. The second Cresford phase on Walmer Road, completed in 2014. Together with 33 Walmer, the two towers established a condominium presence on one of the neighbourhood’s most prominent streets.
• 346 Davenport Condos (346 Davenport Road): 9 storeys, 30 units. Developed by Freed Developments and Trolleybus Urban Development, designed by RAW Design with interiors by Burdifilek. Completed in 2023 with ground-floor retail.
• 321 Davenport (321 Davenport Road): 9 storeys, 23 units. Developed by Alterra Group, designed by Giannone Petricone Associates. Topped off in early 2026 with a curving curtainwall facade.
• One Spadina Crescent (1 Spadina Crescent): The restored 1875 Knox College building anchors the southern edge of the neighbourhood. Daniels Corporation developments along the Spadina Road corridor have added condominium inventory nearby.

Market Prices: Renting and Buying in Casa Loma

One-bedroom condo units in Casa Loma typically rent for $2,400 to $2,900 per month, while two-bedroom units range from $3,200 to $4,200. Whole-house rentals command $4,000 to $7,500 depending on size and condition. Basement suites in older homes generally range from $1,800 to $2,300.

Condominium resale prices in the C02 district averaged approximately $850,000 to $1,050,000 for a one- or two-bedroom suite through late 2024 and early 2025. Detached homes regularly exceed $2.5 million, with properties on Austin Terrace, Wells Hill Avenue, and Walmer Road commanding significantly more. Limited new supply and heritage character support long-term value stability.

How Tenants Commute from Casa Loma

Walk Score rates Casa Loma at 78 out of 100 for walkability, 87 out of 100 for transit, and 72 out of 100 for cycling. The transit score reflects strong connections despite the neighbourhood’s hilltop position.

Public transit. Dupont Station on TTC Line 1 (Yonge-University) sits at the neighbourhood’s southern boundary at Dupont Street and Spadina Road. Spadina Station provides interchange access to Line 1 and Line 2 (Bloor-Danforth) slightly farther south. The 127 Davenport bus runs east-west along Davenport Road, connecting Ossington to Rosedale. The 33 Forest Hill bus serves Spadina Road and connects north to Forest Hill and Eglinton Avenue.

Cycling. The Davenport escarpment adds elevation to daily cycling commutes, but bike lanes on Dupont Street and the Harbord corridor provide east-west connections to the university district and downtown.

Driving. Spadina Road connects south to the downtown core. Avenue Road provides a direct route to Bloor Street, Yorkville, and the financial district.

Schools in Casa Loma

Families renting in Casa Loma are served by TDSB schools within and adjacent to the neighbourhood.

Hillcrest Community School (44 Hilton Avenue, JK-8) is the primary elementary school serving Casa Loma. The school offers French Immersion and sits on the western slope of the neighbourhood near Bathurst Street.

Cottingham Junior Public School (85 Birch Avenue, JK-6) serves the eastern portion of the neighbourhood near Spadina Road.

Forest Hill Collegiate Institute (730 Eglinton Avenue West, Grades 9-12) is the secondary school serving the Casa Loma catchment. FHCI draws students from several midtown neighbourhoods.

How Buttonwood Manages Casa Loma Properties

Tenant screening is where outcomes are determined. The process Buttonwood uses was developed across thousands of tenancies since 2011, and the result is four evictions in that entire period. Casa Loma attracts established professionals, University of Toronto faculty, young families drawn to the schools and green space, and executive tenants on relocation assignments. Our screening targets that demographic specifically.

Once a tenant is placed, management covers rent collection, maintenance coordination, lease renewals, and annual rent increase notices under the Ontario Residential Tenancies Act. Owners based outside Canada benefit from our non-resident tax compliance services, including CRA withholding and NR4/NR6 reporting.

Working with Casa Loma Landlords

More than 70% of Buttonwood’s business comes through referrals. Landlords who own a condo at 33 Walmer Road, a detached rental on Wells Hill Avenue, or a suite along Davenport Road often find us through another investor who has worked with us for years.

Buttonwood delivers a value proposition that is affordable, carries the best reputation within the industry, and applies an uncommon level of expertise and ethical standard that both landlords and tenants deserve. We earned the President’s Award from iPro Realty in both 2019 and 2021.

A Neighbourhood That Rewards Careful Management

Casa Loma’s combination of heritage architecture, green space, and institutional proximity makes it attractive to tenants who stay. The Nordheimer Ravine, Spadina Museum, Baldwin Steps, and the castle grounds provide a residential setting unlike any other midtown neighbourhood. Tenants choose the area for its character and stay because the quality of life is difficult to replicate. That pattern rewards landlords who invest in proper management over short-term cost savings.

Our midtown portfolio extends beyond Casa Loma. We manage investment properties in the Annex to the south, Forest Hill to the northwest, Yorkville to the southeast, and Deer Park to the east along St. Clair Avenue.

Contact Buttonwood to discuss management of your Casa Loma investment property. Whether you own a condominium suite on Walmer Road or a detached home on the Davenport escarpment, we can assess exactly what your property requires.