Done Deal, 114 Riverdale Ave., Toronto
114 RIVERDALE AVE., TORONTO
ASKING PRICE $729,900
SELLING PRICE $745,000
PREVIOUS SELLING PRICE $507,100 (2005)
TAXES $4,968 (2011)
DAYS ON THE MARKET Seven
LISTING AGENTS Sandra Pate and Lina Risi, Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Johnston and Daniel Division
The Action: In the North Riverdale community, this three-storey, semi-detached Victorian had 16 scheduled showings and two open houses with 50 to 70 visitors each day. Two returned with bids.
What They Got: A brick façade, stained glass windows and tin ceilings are some pieces of the past preserved in this late 19th century house, which was also outfitted with modern mechanics, such as new wiring, plumbing, heating and cooling systems.
For entertaining, there is a fireside living room and separate dining area with hardwood floors and crown mouldings, as well as a custom kitchen with porcelain and granite finishes, stainless steel appliances and double doors to a deck and landscaped garden.
More privacy is offered on the second floor, which has two bedrooms and the larger of two bathrooms, and the third floor, where there is a third bedroom and open family room with a sun deck.
The basement was not finished and parking is not available. However, the 17-by-137-foot lot is a short walk to schools, Withrow Park and Danforth Avenue shops, subway and restaurants.
The Agent's Take: "There aren't that many Victorians in Riverdale, most of the houses were built later," agent Sandra Pate said. "It had really nice, original tin ceilings both in the dining room and on the second floor. You don't get to see those very often, especially in the smaller houses. They tended to do that in the more grand houses."
Buyers also appreciated the updates. "[The sellers]said they spent about $70,000 redoing the kitchen and opening the staircase to the basement, so it was a really nice, compact and beautifully done kitchen," Ms. Pate said.
"They had also redone their third floor family room … which was a lovely sitting room with a fireplace and a walkout to a deck."