Buying a squash court condo in Toronto: amenities, value, and due diligence
Looking for a squash court condo Toronto buyers will actually use—and that supports long-term value—means weighing lifestyle upside against operating costs and governance. A condo with squash court access can attract fitness-minded tenants and end users, but not every building maintains or keeps the courts. Below is a practical, Ontario-aware guide for buyers and investors assessing buildings with squash courts for sale in the GTA.
What you're really getting with an in-building squash court
Most Toronto buildings that advertise squash feature one or two courts, typically built in the 1990s–early 2000s, alongside a fitness centre and pool. Courts may be full-spec glass-back singles, older hardball dimensions, or multi-use spaces converted for racquet sports. Some towers downtown, in North York, and at larger master-planned sites still operate original courts, while others have repurposed them into yoga studios, spin rooms, or co-working lounges.
Buyer tip: Ask management for the booking system, permitted hours, guest policies, and any upcoming refurbishment plans. If the condo has already converted one court to another use, expect the remaining court to be in higher demand.
Zoning, declarations, and bylaw realities
How zoning and condo rules work together
In Toronto's residential apartment zones, amenity spaces such as indoor sports courts are generally treated as accessory to residential use. Whether a court stays a court is less about city zoning and more about the condo corporation's declaration, bylaws, and board priorities. Converting a court to a materially different use can require owner votes and sometimes city review if the change affects gross floor area or parking allocations.
Key due diligence: Review the status certificate, declaration, and most recent AGM minutes for any discussion of amenity alterations, cost overruns, or plans to re-purpose sports spaces.
Noise, hours, and liability
Squash generates impact noise. Well-run buildings add acoustic treatment and limit hours. Confirm whether courts sit above suites (older towers occasionally did) and whether the corporation's insurance covers sports injuries beyond standard premises liability. Your own condo insurance broker can advise on coverage for guests using amenities.
When courts disappear
It's not unusual for a 25-year-old building to weigh the cost of re-glazing walls, replacing sprung floors, and upgrading HVAC. Where participation is low, boards may vote to convert courts to lower-cost amenities. For investors banking on “condo with squash court” search appeal, assume the court could be removed over a long hold period unless board documents suggest otherwise.
Resale and rental potential: does a squash court move the needle?
Amenity-rich towers can command broader buyer interest, but the court itself is usually a marginal, not primary, price driver compared to location, transit, suite layout, outdoor space, and parking. Courts can help reduce churn among active tenants and appeal to professionals relocating from gym-centric neighbourhoods. In competitive downtown micro-markets, “stacked amenities” (gym + pool + court + concierge) sometimes support faster lease-up and a modest rent premium, especially near subway nodes and office cores.
However, maintenance fees matter. Older towers with pools and courts often carry higher common expenses, which can offset rent premiums. Investors should underwrite both scenarios: keeping the court (higher operating costs, higher amenity appeal) versus repurposing (lower costs, potentially less niche appeal).
For context on comparables, suites at well-located buildings such as 1 Charles St. in Yorkville or community-focused nodes like the Canary District illustrate how location and lifestyle programming, not a single amenity, anchor resale performance.
Operating costs and reserve funds: what to read in the documents
Squash courts introduce specific line items: glass wall inspections, floor resurfacing, dehumidification, and increased janitorial. Look for mention of “court refurbishment,” “gym expansion,” or “amenity modernization” in the reserve fund study. If the board defers replacement cycles, the court's quality may slide, reducing usage and weakening the amenity's marketing value.
Special assessments tied to pools or major HVAC retrofits can appear in buildings from the 1990s cohort. While not a given, it's prudent to model your numbers with a contingency. When reviewing a status certificate, scan for recent large claims or planned capital projects; courts often get bundled into larger amenity refurbishments.
Where to find a squash court condo in Toronto
Downtown towers near the Financial District and University corridor, plus North York City Centre and select Scarborough master-plans, historically offered racquet amenities. Some large multi-tower sites in North York, such as Emerald City at Don Mills/Sheppard, illustrate how developers traded full courts for broader fitness suites in later phases. If your amenity wish list includes racquet sports, you'll often be looking at late-'90s and early-2000s stock.
If you're expanding your search to comparable athletic features, check communities known for indoor courts and gyms, including North York condos with indoor basketball facilities and Mississauga towers with court amenities, which can attract a similar tenant profile.
Seasonal market patterns to plan around
In Toronto, spring (March–June) and fall (September–November) typically see the most new listings and competitive bidding for well-located condos. Amenity-forward buildings near campuses and hospitals often lease fastest in late summer. Winter can present value for buyers willing to negotiate on listings that have sat, especially if sellers are wary of carrying fees on larger amenity footprints over the slower season. As always, micro-market dynamics vary by intersection and building quality.
Regional and building-type considerations
Newer mid- and low-rise condos in Toronto often skip squash courts to keep fees lean, prioritizing compact gyms and social lounges. If your priority is lower monthly costs over niche amenities, that trade-off can support better cash flow. Conversely, legacy core towers with courts can fit owner-occupiers who value on-site athletics and are comfortable with higher but predictable operating budgets.
Co-ops rarely include squash courts and may have unique financing and occupancy rules. If you're exploring value segments, review Toronto co-op condo options and compare carrying costs against comparable condos without premium amenities.
Investor lens: financing nuances, rentals, and rules
Lenders focus on the building's financial health more than any single amenity. A clean status certificate, a fully funded reserve plan, and no material litigation will matter more to underwriting than whether a court exists. That said, unusually high fees, aging mechanical systems, or announced amenity overhauls can trigger deeper lender review.
For rentals, Toronto's short-term rental bylaw requires the unit be your principal residence to host short stays, with registration and tax collection rules. Many condo corporations prohibit short-term rentals regardless of city rules. If part of your strategy involves furnished leasing, verify both municipal and building-level regulations.
Neighbourhoods around transit nodes and employment centres tend to show stronger lease absorption. Case in point: a transit-connected node like Emerald City or an established downtown address such as One Charles can maintain demand even when a specific amenity is under renovation.
Choosing the right suite within an amenity-heavy building
Within a tower that offers a squash court, unit fundamentals still drive outcomes. Corner exposure, efficient layouts, and outdoor space typically outperform. See examples of desirable footprints in a corner unit in Toronto or a 1000 sq. ft. two-bedroom that allows for a proper home office. If entertaining is part of your lifestyle calculus, filter for buildings that allow grilling—here's a curated look at a Toronto condo with a BBQ-friendly balcony policy.
A practical note: avoid units directly adjacent to amenity floors if impact noise is a concern, and ask to view during peak gym hours to gauge acoustics and elevator traffic.
How to validate “squash courts for sale” in listings
Listings sometimes label multi-purpose racquet rooms as “squash,” or note a court that's closed for refurbishment. Before offering, verify with management whether the court is operational, how bookings are handled, and whether there are budgeted upgrades in the next 3–5 years. Do not underwrite rent or resale premiums on an amenity you haven't seen functioning.
Working with data and local expertise
Market context—days on market, fee trajectories, and comparable resales in amenity-heavy vs. lean buildings—helps calibrate offers. Resources like KeyHomes.ca aggregate building-level insights, letting you cross-check suites at boutique addresses with larger complexes, and explore neighbourhoods from the core to emerging districts. When researching, it can be helpful to contrast an established luxury node against a developing community such as the Canary District condo market to understand how amenity packages influence absorption and fees over time.
If you're mapping lifestyle features beyond squash, KeyHomes.ca maintains curated pages for specialty buildings—everything from low-rise options to athletic-focused communities—so you can anticipate fee patterns and long-term governance considerations before you tour.
Practical on-site checklist for a squash court building
- Confirm court type (singles vs. doubles), booking platform, and typical wait times.
- Inspect condition: floor wear, glass integrity, ventilation, and humidity control.
- Ask for any scheduled amenity refurbishments and estimated downtime.
- Review reserve fund study line items tied to courts, gyms, pools, and HVAC.
- Check noise transfer in nearby hallways and in any adjacent suites (if possible).
- Verify guest policies, hours, and whether lessons or leagues run (traffic impact).
- Model fees at current and +10% to account for potential increases in older towers.
- Cross-compare suite fundamentals in the building against nearby peers without courts.