Oshawa, Ontario
Oshawa real estate with Laura McBride
Oshawa is Durham Region’s largest city, and it covers more ground than any other: a harbour and marsh on Lake Ontario, a downtown arena and theatre, three campuses, and a fast-growing north end around Taunton Road. Laura works Oshawa alongside Ajax, Pickering and Whitby, and her recent Oshawa sales have been in the north.
Oshawa, from the lake up to Taunton Road
The easiest way to read Oshawa is south to north. Each band has its own housing, its own price level and its own kind of buyer.
The lake and the south end
Lakeview and the south end sit by Lakeview Park, Second Marsh and the harbour. The housing is a mix of older homes and newer infill close to the water, and it is the most affordable way to be near the lake anywhere on the Durham lakeshore.
Downtown and the central neighbourhoods
McLaughlin and O’Neill sit around downtown, with character homes on tree-lined streets, within reach of the Tribute Communities Centre and the Regent Theatre. Vanier, Central and Donevan, closer to the core, are older established areas of detached homes and semis at the more accessible end of the market. Oshawa GO on the Lakeshore East line serves this part of the city.
The north end
Windfields and Kedron sit beside Ontario Tech University and Durham College, and Samac and the subdivisions north of Taunton Road are newer still. Expect recent detached homes and townhomes, and steady rental demand near the campuses. Across the east and northeast, Eastdale, Pinecrest and Taunton are family areas whose detached homes span several decades.
Two North Oshawa homes, a few minutes apart
Both of these homes sit near Taunton Road, and they show how much the north end varies. One is a 2000-built detached home with a finished basement and a hot tub. The other is a larger, newer home on an unusually deep lot.
1509 Grandview Street North
A three-bedroom, four-bathroom detached home built in 2000 on a 39 by 125 foot lot, with hardwood throughout, a finished basement bar and a covered deck with a hot tub. Listed at $897,900.
See 1509 Grandview
1683 Finkle Drive
A four-bedroom, four-bathroom home of 2,907 square feet built in 2013, on a 42 by 161 foot lot, with a main-floor office and a fenced yard with an above-ground pool, on the part of North Oshawa locals call “the hill.”
See 1683 Finkle DriveWhat the campuses do to the market
Ontario Tech University, Durham College and a Trent University campus bring thousands of students to the north end. That supports rental demand around Windfields and Kedron, and it means some buyers there are weighing a home as an investment as well as a place to live. Laura helps those buyers look at the numbers as well as the house.
Of the four Durham lakeshore cities, Oshawa is the least expensive and offers the broadest mix of homes, from older detached houses and semis around downtown, through mid-range family homes in the central and east neighbourhoods, to newer detached homes up north.
Frequently asked questions
Oshawa real estate questions
What do locals mean by “the hill” in North Oshawa?
It is the elevated part of North Oshawa near the intersection of Arborwood and Taunton, where 1683 Finkle Drive sits. Families there can walk to schools, parks and the Delpark Homes Centre, with transit and grocery stores close by.
Is Oshawa cheaper than Ajax and Whitby?
Generally, yes: of the four Durham lakeshore cities Oshawa is the least expensive, with the broadest mix of homes. The older detached homes and semis near downtown and in the south end cost least, and the newest detached homes in North Oshawa cost most. Laura can value a specific address.
Which Oshawa neighbourhoods are near Ontario Tech and Durham College?
Windfields and Kedron, with Samac and the subdivisions north of Taunton Road close behind. Those are the north end’s newer detached-home and townhome areas, and rental demand there stays steady.
Can I take the GO Train from Oshawa?
Yes. Oshawa GO is on the Lakeshore East line and Durham College Oshawa GO serves the north end, while Highways 401 and 407 carry road traffic across the city.
Does Laura McBride sell homes in Oshawa?
Yes. Oshawa is part of Laura’s Durham Region coverage, and her recent sales there have been in North Oshawa near Taunton Road. She is also the founder of Junior Green Thumbs, donating a classroom garden for every home she sells.
Looking at Oshawa?
Tell Laura which part of the city you have in mind. Laura McBride, REALTOR®, Revel Realty Inc., Brokerage.
Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers already under contract with a brokerage.