Would you like to live with two world-famous computer programmers? One of whom is one of Canada’s best-known accordion players and writes one of Canada’s Top ten blogs? The other being one of Canada’s best-known anti-censorship software designers? Living in one of downtown Toronto’s most televised houses? In an area giving you walking-and-biking distance access to some of Toronto’s coolest neighbourhoods?
It’s one of the nicest houses in a quiet residential neighbourhood tucked a mere couple of blocks away from the corner of Queen and Spadina. The facade is designated a historical landmark, but the interior is completely renovated, with hardwood floors and high ceilings in the common areas. There are two full bathrooms, with the downstairs one also being a laundry room with full-size washer and dryer. The kitchen has the full spread of stove, oven, microwave and dishwasher. There’s a back deck for barbecues and a large tree for shade.
Want to go see the latest blockbuster flick? We’re a five-minute walk from the downtown Paramount. Indie film more your cup of tea? We’re a five-minute walk from the Art Gallery of Ontario, and a quick bike ride away from the Cinecycle, Royal and Carlton cinemas. Like big bookstores? Chapters is close by. Like small ones? Pages is close by too. You can fall out of bed and land in Chinatown, Kensington Market or Queen Street West. Walk a litte farther, and you can hit College West, the dance Club district, the financial district, or the Eaton Centre. We’re a hop, skip and a jump away from the subway, and you can be on the Gardiner Expressway in minutes.
This is no bachelor cave; you will not find any milk-crate or cinder-block furniture here. I own the world’s most comfortable couches, and they’re pretty sharp-looking, too. There’s a Parsons table in the dining room and some real, non-reproduced art on the walls. We have eschewed plain old Bell DSL and Rogers Cable modem service and gone for the gusto with high-speed business DSL and I’ve set up an 802.11g open wireless access point.
We have a small bedroom that’s becoming available shortly. Perhaps you’re looking for a place in downtown Toronto. Perhaps this sort of place appeals to you.
The successful candidate will possess the following qualities:
- Gainful employment or independent wealth. You must be able to cough up your share of the rent — CDN$525 — plus utilities — I estimate CDN$100 – $150 a month — and other expenses, which we will outline below.
- A willingness to share in cooking and cleaning duties. We actually cook here. If your idea of dinner is microwaving burritos, you’re not going to cut it here. We split the grocery bill evenly — my guess is CDN$100 – $125 per person per month. We also keep a reasonably clean house, and we’d like you to help keep it that way.
- You must act as if you live here. No more recluses. We’ve gone through two housemates who retreat to their room, emerging only to microwave burritos. I’m not saying that you have to be our bestest friend in the world, but you will have to socialize a little.
- You will have to tolerate the occasional late-going party and a little noise. The record party for this house had 120 people in attendance; the last person left at 6:00 a.m. You’re also living with two music aficionados and four sound systems in the house. We’re reasonable with the noise, but you’re going to have to expect some.
- You can smoke…outside.
- Sorry, no cats. I’m allergic.
In return, you’ll live in a pretty cool house with two pretty cool housemates who make nice dinners, go out on the town reasonably often, make scintillating conversation, have interesting guests and generally live pretty well.
Interested? Drop me a line.
13 replies on “Room for rent”
This is interesting… purely anonymous comments?
Anywayz, I have someone in mind but then I second guessed myself. I wouldn’t suffer him upon you even though he is quite desperate for a place to stay as his wife kicks him out.
tbit.
Hey, tbit!
The Blogware model is kind of like the one for the blogging tool “Radio”, where there’s anonymous access and login access. To leave a comment with a name attached, you have to log into your account; otherwise, you can only comment anonymously.
The account system allows a blog owner to control permissions — for instance, certain special people can get access to area that the hoi polloi cannot.
However, it makes for an annoying comments system, IMHO. I am trying to convince the Blogware folks to allow non-logged-in people to attach their name and URL to comments. I think a login requirement will actually idscourage comments, which is the exact opposite of what I want.
As for that someone you had in mind:
NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! I'[ve had my share of drama for the year, thank you very much.
Seems like a place I’d love to live, if I passed the coolness test, which I might.
The macs, the music, the code, the parties.
Just bad timing.
Hope you find someone cool.
The above was brought to you by:
tyler from praytothemachine.
if ($location =~ s/Toronto/Silicon Valley/g) {
foreach $box(@apartment) {
$box = pack(%stuff);
mv $box $house{joey}; # yeah, I know
unpack $box;
}
print STDOUT “Woo-hoo!\n”;
}
else {
print STDOUT “Damn.\n”;
next $location;
}
So how do I get a login? Is it a login to your site or do I need to sign up with the the Blogware software? If the latter, that is sort of a barrier to getting registered people commenting on your site and a great way for them to collect addresses.
Yeah, I won’t suffer upon you the drama I am getting in tenfold.
tbit.
Geez…
If there’s a job available in all that coolness, I’m there!
Maybe you guys need a houseboy or sumpthin’?
LightandDark
If you are thinking of renting in Toronto be very careful about renting at 77 Huntley street. Here is what has happend to a relative of mine.
He decided on apt 1105 and was to move in July 1st. The apt was vacant for at least a month and work on it was promised, checked on and more promises were made. When he and his girlfriend moved in on the first the work had not been completed (kitchen floor and the bathroom tiles). But it gets worse. The next morning they realized there were some insects. The they looked closer and found the place was completely infested! When I say infested I mean it filled a vacuum bag! It then took them 4 days to get the exterminator there. Afterwards they said they should not take out any stuff that could not be cleaned completely. They were instructed they had to wait another day before moving in. Then they were told the place would have to be exterminated again in three weeks and they had to wait. For the last five days they were given a vacant apartment to sleep in. Note they could not take their stuff so they had to sleep on the floor and eat out. They resolution, so far, is they will take some of the cleanable stuff from 1105 and move permanently into another apartment. Even more, I just learned from someone within the management that Ann, the building manager was told not to rent the apartment since it could still be infested!! Unfortunately I’m not sure my relative will have the time or resources to go all the way to the tribunal.
Couple this incident with the rif-raf that lives on the 10th and 14th floor and also come in the building from the street and the frequent fake fire alarms that go off a few times a month on average and you may want to reconsider.
I live in this building. My boyfriend and I moved in a couple of months ago. We had a few roaches and had get the exterminator in as well, but I am not going to exaggerate. It really was only a few.
They are gone now. We haven’t had any other issues.
I’m dying to know about the rif-raf on 10 and 14!! Please do tell!!
SO WOULD I!!! I live in a MetCap building right now, and it…ummm, sucks. The building we’re looking at right now is 77 Huntley. How is it to live there? For us the location is perfect and the area is great, but the building is, well, a downtown highrise. Any feedback you can give would be great; I don;t want to get suckered into another s#!tty rental situation.
Great Post. The house sounds really cool. I took the liberty of linking to your blog from my Toronto Apartment Rental blog. You can view the link at:
http://www.mojacity.com/blogs/torontoapartmentrental/2007/02/how-much-should-you-spend-on-rent.html
Keep up the great posts!
Herbert
Well then I suggest you steer clear from 77 Huntley. The worst place to live in downtown Toronto. Due to the number of units and their never-ending desperation to have the entire building full, they let anyone in that come armed with first and last month’s rent. I seriously doubt they do any background checks. How do I know, well there are currently (as of March 2007) prostitutes, pimps, and drug dealers living somewhere in the building. I believe the 2nd floor is the one notorious for being a crack house. Not to mention that it also currently has a problem with bed bugs. They building is infested with them. These creatures were previously seen on the 14th floor and have made their way up to the 16th floor due the building’s manager ineptitude fumigating single units (in secret) instead of working with the tenants in unison and fumigate the entire floor at the same time. Fumigating one apartment at a time makes the bed bugs move elsewhere; in this case the 16th floor.
Also, you better hang out in the laundry room or risk your clothes/laundry being stolen!!!
Stay away from 77 Huntley, there are better places to live for the amount they charge a month. If you want more info, please feel free to contact me at quiksilver78@gmail.com.
You have to be careful whenever you want to rent a Toronto apartments