Having worked in the real estate industry for more than four decades, Gerry Gotfrit has a keen eye for distinction. “My wife and I were thinking about downsizing and moving out of our large house in Thornhill, but with no real definitive time or date. However, we do drive up and down Avenue Road from time to time because of the wonderful restaurants that we visit, and this looked like a great opportunity for us to consider.” Now a Maven resident, we sat down with Gerry to share his experience. See what he had to say below.
Gerry’s Local Insights
“It was a tough decision to move from a house to a condo, more so for my wife. We have an amazing house with a very large backyard where we held weddings, bar mitzvahs, and all kinds of occasions that we truly enjoyed. It was our cottage in the city. However, being 71 and not wanting to shovel snow anymore or look after any of the house elements — and living in a 5,000+ sq.ft. home with my wife and the dog — it was just time to move. In the end, we absolutely made the right decision.”
The Area
“Living on Avenue Road is actually a dream, considering that I had to get in the car for everything when I lived in Thornhill. If I want a coffee, I have three Starbucks to choose from, depending on how long I want to walk. If I want to go and shop, I can shop high-end at Pusateri’s or I can go to No Frills. There’s a variety of great restaurants along the street, and I don’t have to use my car. This part of Toronto is animated and busy, yet it has a community spirit and is everything that we’ve ever wanted to move a community for.”
The Building
“What drew me to Maven is that it ticked all the boxes. It had the location we desired and a suite that we felt was very much like our Thornhill home in that it has a large kitchen and bedroom. We liked that it was a boutique building with 55 neighbours who we knew were going to be our neighbours and not investors. This was the only condo in the city that really met all our desires, needs and wants. It turned out to be exactly what we wanted and I’m so glad we were able to purchase here.”
Working with Empire
“The Empire experience has been very special. Having been in the real estate business for close to 45 years, it’s clear that Empire is a big company that thinks like a family. They’re extremely focused, they care about what they do and how they do it, and they’re very proud of their brand. Empire definitely has the right approach to building.”
Want to learn more about Empire Maven? Click here to explore our community website. And don’t forget to explore our blog, which spotlights great restaurants and local shops on Avenue Road, as well as insights on the benefits of downsizing from a home to a condo.