Those looking to purchase real estate in the Toronto are likely to encounter numerous types of listings in two broad categories. In this article we will look at real estate listings strictly from the residential side; pieces of property that are purchased in order to rent out or provide a home.

Condominiums: Probably the most common type of listing in Toronto real estate, condominiums are single units in part of a larger structure. They can contain anywhere from 1 to 3 bedrooms as well as one or two bathrooms, living room, kitchen, and often a dining room. This type of unit is actually found in many different structures from skyscrapers to converted warehouses to buildings that were once stand alone homes.

People who live in condominiums own just the "air space" as defined by the outer walls. They do not own the land the building is on (most of the time). In addition, condo owners usually pay a monthly fee in order to cover maintenance costs of the building and so on, but do not pay property taxes (these are built in to the monthly fee).

Lofts: Lofts are pieces of real estate unique to larger cities, and typically located in downtown areas. They are generally two storey structures that include an open room that includes the bedroom on one floor and the kitchen and living room on the other. The main feature of a loft is the high ceilings, which allow a lot of vertical room for the dweller.

Townhouses: Townhouses are homes built in complexes with other homes which are identical and which share their side walls. For all intents and purposes these pieces of real estate are identical, although the units on the ends may be larger than the middle properties.

Stand alone single family dwellings: By far the most expensive property proposition in Toronto and any other major city, stand alone homes are meant to house a single family on property that they own. Owners must pay property taxes, and as horizontal space is increasingly used up in and around cities less SASF properties are available, driving up the prices of those already built.

Those are the four most common pieces of real estate that you are likely to come across when you are looking through the Toronto Real Estate Listings. Prices and quality will vary greatly, of course, and you are likely to come across combinations of the above categories as well (loft apartments, triplexes, and so on!).