30 OSTEND AVE., TORONTO
ASKING PRICE $559,900
SELLING PRICE $633,000
PREVIOUS SELLING PRICE $367,000 (2004); $185,000 (1996)
TAXES $3,355 (2010)
DAYS ON THE MARKET Six
LISTING AGENT Julie Kinnear, Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd.
The Action: Two open houses were organized for this semi-detached, two-storey house, which backs onto commercial spaces operating on Bloor Street. However, that drawback was minor for several buyers who proceeded to draft competing bids.
What They Got: Though this 1,710-square-foot house was constructed about three decades ago, it bears many modern mechanics and finishes installed between 2004 and 2009.
New cosmetic touches consist of custom draperies in areas like the formal dining room, laminate floors in the lower level recreation room and porcelain tiles in one of two bathrooms and the kitchen, which was also remodeled with new cabinetry and counters.
Less apparent repairs and replacements include a new roof, furnace, insulation and wiring, as well as updated exterior lighting, brickwork, porch and deck off the kitchen. The right-of-way driveway to the rear parking was also repaved.
The refinished walnut hardwood floors, deep baseboards, trims and stained glass windows are some original components of the three-bedroom house, as well as an antique cast iron fireplace in the living room.
Outside, there is an flagstone patio and fenced yard professionally landscaped with perennial gardens and sprinkler system.
The Agent's Take: "Swansea is very popular for the school district, the proximity to Bloor West Village and the fact it's on the subway line and has rolling hills," agent Julie Kinnear says. "It's half a block to all the action."
Plus, the recent changes drastically raised the property's value. "The clients had really taken care of it and improved it very meticulously," Ms. Kinnear said. "There was not a hair out of place."