Oakville homes asking $700,000 and up, to $1 million

At the lower end, expect condominium apartments in the established buildings along Speers Road and Kerr Street and at the Uptown Core, one and two-bedroom units in the newer towers along Dundas, and older condominium townhouses in Falgarwood, Bronte and West Oakville. Through the middle, freehold and POTL townhouses from the nineties and 2000s in West Oak Trails, Westmount and River Oaks become available, along with the rear-lane and three-storey rows in Joshua Meadows and Glenorchy. Toward the top, semi-detached houses and, less often, a detached bungalow or sidesplit on a smaller lot appear, usually needing work. Larger waterfront condos at Bronte and the roomier suites downtown also reach into this band. The exact mix on any day depends on what has listed, which the count in the title tracks for you.

Every home in this band gives something up, and the question is which compromise suits you. A condo trades yard and privacy for a walkable address and a fee that covers the building. A townhouse trades the detached lot for a garage and three bedrooms, with a fee if it is condominium or POTL. An older detached house in Bronte or Falgarwood trades new systems and finishes for land and a future, and it may come with knob-and-tube wiring, an old oil tank in the ground, or a wet basement to price in. Get a home inspection on anything built before the eighties, read the status certificate wherever a fee applies, and confirm the schools tied to that address.