> OTHER HOMES ON THE TOUR

56 Metcalfe St. On their home’s front deck, Adam Molson, 35, wife, Michelle 33, and 2-year-old Adele are enjoying the weather as they watch the informal parade of passersby. Their handsome property includes five apartments: a one-bedroom and four two-bedroom units, all renovated with features that include white oak hardwood floors, slate and ceramic tiling, and stainless steel appliances. Molson, along with two investors, purchased the property in 2014 for just over $1 million and about $350,000 went into the renovations. “The whole house was in terrible condition,” Molson notes. “While not a restoration, the property is in keeping with the neighbourhood.”

165 Carlton St. A different concept in urban living has come to life in a Victorian mansion that was built in the late 1800s as part of Cabbagetown’s Chamberlain Block. Owner Carol Buss, 51, bought the property in the late 1990s, and has spent an estimated $1.5 million on renovations. She’s the force behind a communal living experience that allows three individuals to enjoy the modernized apartment home. Features include an enormous kitchen and two living rooms — plus a dining room for 12. There are three decks and an ensuite bathroom for each resident. “I decided that if I were going to live as a single person,” Buss says of her motivation to create the shared space, “it would be ideal to have company: people who want to share a beautiful home.”