44 GALT AVE., TORONTO
ASKING PRICE $729,000
SELLING PRICE $747,000
PREVIOUS SELLING PRICE $623,000 (2010); $224,900 (1999)
TAXES $4,562 (2013)
DAYS ON THE MARKET Six
LISTING AGENT Linda Ing-Gilbert, Re/Max Hallmark Realty Ltd.
The Action: Last fall, nearly 250 buyers toured this detached Victorian residence, but just two were brave enough to make an offer as countless shoppers sat on the sidelines anticipating a bidding war with no other comparable homes available.
What They Got: This roughly 70-year-old structure is largely original with minor modifications, such as an open living and dining areas with hardwood floors and a traditional kitchen with cork floors and a walkout to a deck, perennial gardens and parking off a laneway behind the 20-by-100-foot lot.
The home's upper and lower levels are divided with three second-floor bedrooms, a third-floor master suite with rooftop access and a lower-level recreation area with concrete floors, a second full bathroom and a walkout.
The Agent's Take: "A lot of time people are just blowing out houses and it lacks character, but this had that Victorian feel with original plaster ceiling medallions in the living and dining room," says agent Linda Ing-Gilbert. "And it's open concept, but still has separate rooms, so it has warmth and character you can't recreate."
The home's surrounding was equally welcoming. "Galt is one of the premium, tree-lined streets in south Riverdale … so its very picturesque and the houses have a stately, sophisticated conformity to them," Ms. Ing-Gilbert adds.
"[Plus] it's two blocks from Queen Street or a block from Gerrard – where there's the whole hustle and bustle with restaurants and Starbucks – and schools are within walking distance."
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.