Gloria and Minh made the move out east 3 years ago so Minh could pursue his MBA at the University of Toronto. Having lived in Vancouver their entire lives, and never visiting the east coast before, they relied solely on the Internet to find their new home. With one criteria in mind – must be close to school and the subway – a simple Google search landed them on the Hollyburn website, which led them to their new home at 20 Prince Arthur in The Annex, Toronto. It wasn’t long before 2 became 3, as the couple added their adorable corgi, Stuart, to the family and soon after that, they grew to 4 when they welcomed their first son, Evan.
We interviewed them to find out how they’ve chosen to Make Hollyburn Home.
Hollyburn: What do you like about renting?
Gloria: I like that everything’s included, the gym, and the sense of community. All our neighbours are so friendly!
Minh: It really feels like we’re living with our friends! I also like the flexibility that renting offers and the fact that home maintenance is handled by the property manager.
Hollyburn: What is the biggest myth that you want people to know about renting?
Minh: People sometimes think that renters cannot afford to buy a home. Many people choose to rent…not only because of affordability, but because of the lifestyle it offers. We get to live in one of the best neighbourhoods in Toronto, without committing to a mortgage and we’re walking distance to everything we need because we rent.
Hollyburn: What is your favourite feature of your suite?
Gloria: That view! It reminds me of back home in Vancouver with all the trees, especially in the summer time when everything is lush and green.
Hollyburn: Do you have any daily rituals that you do in your apartment?
Gloria: We’ve made a lot of friends in the building, especially because of Stuart. There’s another corgi that lives here and we hang out almost every night in the lobby after taking the dogs for a walk.
Hollyburn: What is your favourite room in your apartment?
Minh: We spend a lot for time in the living room.
Gloria: There’s so much natural light!
Hollyburn: Do you have any tips on making your rental space feel like home?
Minh: Hang up pictures that make you happy.
Gloria: Experiment with different furniture layouts until you have a configuration that works for you.
Hollyburn: What is your best storage tip?
Minh: Simplify and throw out things you don’t use…even though this can be hard with a dog and a baby!
Gloria: Use furniture that comes with storage. For example, we keep items under the sofa or the bed.
Hollyburn: How was your experience searching for an apartment?
Minh: It was very straight forward. We had to do everything remotely, so it was helpful to see the 360 view of the space on the Hollyburn website. It gave us peace-of-mind knowing we were renting from a professional management company as well.
Hollyburn: Were there any pleasant surprises when you finally got here?
Gloria: The level of customer service and how clean the building was! When we arrived, the resident manager was so friendly; he showed us all around the building. It really helped make this transition less intimidating.
Hollyburn: Have you required any repairs since living with Hollyburn?
Gloria: We have, and they’ve always been dealt with quickly and easily. We just put in our maintenance request and the job is usually done within a few days.
Photos by Paul Krol.
Stay tuned for more blog posts just like this one in our #MakeHollyburnYourHome blog series!
If you are a current Hollyburn resident and would like to be featured, please email: olivia@hollyburn.com.
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