Forest Hill, the exclusive Canadian neighborhood shaped by unusual rules

 Today’s home renovation shows are peppered with the phrase “curb appeal” but the idea of a gorgeous front yard is nothing new.

In the upmarket Toronto suburb of Forest Hill, attractive streetscapes were deemed so important in the early days of the community that planners introduced strict rules aimed at beautifying the neighbourhood.

Not only were homeowners required to hire architects to design their homes, in the 1920s they were also obliged to plant at least one tree in the front yard.

Despite the one-tree rule being mulched, today’s residents take enormous pride in their streetscapes.

Eileen Farrow, a broker at Chestnut Park Real Estate, an affiliate of Christies International Real Estate, says Forest Hill’s original 1920s mansions were usually built using rough-hued stone, with mahogany interiors.

“More recently, the new mansions are still built of limestone but with smooth texture and crisper lines,” Farrow says.

One such property is 46 Forest Hill Road. A redesign by Toronto architects Audax respects the historic setting while introducing a contemporary edge, including strong vertical lines of glass on the facade.

Listed for $CA16.8 million ($17.14 million), the two-and-a-half-storey home includes seven bedrooms, a bar, gym, pool room, home office and lavish marble-walled bathroom. There’s a pool at the rear with formal gardens and entertaining areas. As for the front, Forest Hill’s founding fathers would not be disappointed with the leafy grandeur.

Elsewhere in Toronto, house-hunters can take their pick from a vast range of properties, from high-rise apartments to sprawling estates, cutting-edge modern residences and Victorian-era homes.

• Related: The town where America’s wealthy go incognito 
• Related: This chateau could double as Disney’s Castle
• Related: How Italy became a creative superpower

Current market

Canada’s most populous city has attracted buyers from around the world. It’s widely regarded as safe and secure, with modern infrastructure, an abundance of outdoor recreational activities and a vibrant cultural scene.

Toronto’s property prices have plummeted this year – down 19 per cent from about $CA921,000 in April to $CA794,000 in July.

Can Australians buy in?

Yes, at a premium. The Ontario government has introduced a new foreign buyer’s tax of 15 per cent, part of a suite of measures designed to cool the red-hot housing market. And cool it did, as the July quarter figures reveal.

Farrow describes the downturn as “a pause”. “The market will bustle again in no time,” she says.

What you can buy for

$36.82 million

Inspired by the Palace of Versailles, a nine-bedroom penthouse offers panoramic views and five-star hotel amenities.

$7.67 million

A modern six-bedroom family home in Rosedale, one of Toronto’s oldest and wealthiest neighbourhoods.

$4.58 million

On a 1088-square-metre block, a five-bedroom home comes with games room, studio, nanny suite, cold cellar and pool.