A cute Toronto home with a pool is somehow going for under $650,000

Finding a detached house in Toronto for under $650,000 is rare enough. Finding one with a backyard swimming pool feels almost too good to be true.

That's exactly why the home at 3 Burchell Rd. in Etobicoke is likely to raise a few eyebrows.

From the street, the three-bedroom detached home looks modest, but inside it has been extensively renovated with modern finishes, an updated kitchen and a bright, functional layout designed for family living.

The living room. 

The main floor features an open-concept living and dining area, with a walkout from the dining room to a private backyard deck.

The kitchen. 

The kitchen comes equipped with a gas cooktop, built-in oven, and microwave, while downstairs, the finished recreation room includes an in-wall surround-sound home theatre system.

The pool. 

But it's the backyard that's the biggest surprise.

A little shed to hold pool equipment. 

Rather than the tiny patch of grass you'd normally expect at this price point, the property comes with an in-ground swimming pool, giving the next owner a private place to cool off during Toronto's increasingly hot summers.

The dining room. 

According to the listing, the home is completely move-in ready and is being marketed as an ideal option for a young family.

One of the bedrooms. 

So why is a detached Toronto house with a pool listed for less than many downtown condos?

An aerial view of the property. 

The answer is largely location.

The lower level bathroom. 

The property sits in Rexdale, where home prices remain significantly lower than much of the rest of the city.

The basement recreation room and home office. 

While the average detached home in Etobicoke sells for roughly $1.5 million, the average home price in Rexdale sits closer to $803,500, making it one of Toronto's more affordable pockets for buyers looking for detached houses.

The primary bedroom. 

Even then, a listing at $638,888 still stands out.

The basement. 

The house last sold in 2015 for $473,333, meaning its asking price represents a relatively modest increase over the past decade compared with many other parts of Toronto.

The back patio. 

Part of the reason prices have remained comparatively low is Rexdale's long-standing stigmatized reputation. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, media coverage of several high-profile crimes helped cement the neighbourhood's image as one of Toronto's tougher areas.

The main bathroom. 

Although much of Rexdale has always been made up of quiet residential streets, schools and family homes, the area also struggled for years with underinvestment in community services and infrastructure.

The basement. 

More recently, the neighbourhood has continued to experience higher-than-average crime rates compared with Toronto as a whole. 

Storage room. 

Whether that reputation is enough to outweigh a renovated detached house with a pool will ultimately be up to buyers.

The back of the house. 

But in a city where $650,000 often buys a one-bedroom condo, this listing certainly makes a compelling case for taking a second look at Rexdale.