08/19/2026
1️⃣ We could afford the kind of home we actually wanted.
For us, moving east meant getting more for our money — more space, a backyard, a garage and neighbourhoods where our family had room to grow.
You can still spend a lot on a home in Durham, but compared with Toronto, your budget can open up very different options.
2️⃣ We wanted a little more room to breathe.
This was about more than the house.
Durham has beautiful parks, trails, conservation areas, waterfront and plenty of communities where life just feels a little less crowded.
We wanted to be able to step outside our front door and have some space around us.
3️⃣ We didn’t have to give up Toronto to leave Toronto.
This was a big one.
Our family and friends are still there. We can still head downtown for dinner, a game, a concert or anything else Toronto has to offer.
We just don’t have to live in the middle of it every day.
4️⃣ We wanted a different everyday pace for our family.
Toronto is an amazing city, but we realized we didn’t need everything it offers every single day.
We wanted our normal day-to-day life to feel a little easier and less hectic, while still having access to the city when we wanted it.
For us, Durham gave us that balance.
5️⃣ Durham gave us choices about how we wanted to live.
And this is probably one of the most underrated things about Durham Region.
You can live closer to Toronto in Pickering or Ajax, find beautiful established communities in Whitby and Oshawa, head farther east to Bowmanville or Newcastle, or choose a quieter rural lifestyle.
They’re all Durham, but they can feel completely different.
We chose Durham because it gave our family the combination of space, lifestyle and connection to Toronto that we were looking for.
And we’ve never regretted making the move east.
Thinking about leaving Toronto for Durham Region but don’t know where to start?
Send us a DM. We’d be happy to help you figure out which Durham community might fit your family.
Suzy & Deeb Basmaji
Cedar Crest Homes
RE/MAX Jazz Inc., Brokerage
🌐 cedarcresthomes.ca
📞 289-200-8488