Riversdale has seen real reinvestment in recent years, and older housing stock there means condition varies block to block, so the right question is not when to buy but whether the specific house you are looking at has permitted work behind it or unpermitted upgrades that will surface at inspection.
A home inspection, generally $400 to $600, is the standard way to confirm what shape a Riversdale property is actually in before removing conditions, since an older neighbourhood carries more of that risk than a newer one.
Waiting rarely fixes a pricing question; knowing what a specific house is worth today does. Get your hand-reviewed valuation from Joel Dyck.