319 ARLINGTON AVE., TORONTO
ASKING PRICE $1,049,800
SELLING PRICE $1,065,000
PREVIOUS SELLING PRICE $625,000 (2013)
TAXES $3,134 (2013)
DAYS ON THE MARKET 14
LISTING AGENT Ira Jelinek, Harvey Kalles Real Estate Ltd.
The Action: This detached residence was listed around $1-million mid-construction last winter and while offers were made, building to suit a buyer's particular tastes could delay progress for the seller. So agent Ira Jelinek recommended not just selecting universal finishes, but also expanding before relisting at a higher price. Subsequent deals fell apart and the price dropped a few times until the $1.049-million price tag brought in two competing bids in December.
What They Got: In 2014, a three-bedroom, three-bathroom house was gutted and redesigned as a modern 2,000-square-foot space with a fourth bedroom, bathroom and laundry facilities upstairs, as well as open entertaining spaces, including a new recreation area in the basement.
The main floor was rearranged with a glass-clad staircase by the living room and a central kitchen with LED lights, high-end appliances, island and built-in storage, including a wine rack, as well as a family room addition with sliding doors to a deck and larger backyard as a garage off the driveway was removed on the 25-by-104-foot lot.
The Agent's Take: "[The seller] blew out the back and built a big expansion of about 800 square feet," says Mr. Jelinek. "It was new inside and never lived in, and had modern finishes … [like] the beautiful white oak stained flooring, cupboards in the kitchen and the long entertaining and living area people really liked."
Editor's note: Done Deals contain information gathered from real estate agents, home buyers, home sellers and sale prices that are publicly available from government sources. While we try to publish Done Deals as soon as possible after the transaction has occurred, long closings can cause delays.