475 DAVISVILLE AVE., TORONTO
ASKING PRICE $649,000
SELLING PRICE $730,000
PREVIOUS SELLING PRICES $571,000 (2008); $245,000 (1997)
TAXES $3,663 (2012)
DAYS ON THE MARKET Eight
LISTING AGENT Sheree Cerqua, Royal LePage Signature Realty
The Action: In the hopes of avoiding a drawn-out selling process for this semi-detached house in Davisville Village, agent Sheree Cerqua had it professionally redecorated, priced it in the mid-$600,000s and deferred any bids until the following week. With few alternatives early in the year, several dozen tours were quickly arranged and several buyers presented competing offers.
What They Got: By 2008, the mechanics and interior cosmetics of this roughly 80-year-old, brick house were modernized, so it bears updated laminate flooring in the lower-level recreation area and hardwood floors in the three upper bedrooms and an open eat-in kitchen, living and dining space on the main floor.
The current owner not only replaced the windows, skylight, chimney and veranda, and added new plantings, stonework and decking to the 17-by-100-foot lot, but also collaborated with the owners of the adjacent yoga studio to create a carport where each has a parking spot.
The Agent's Take: "It was a real cute house for a young family," Ms. Cerqua said. "It's on the smaller side, but it did have three bedrooms, which is typical."
But the place was efficiently designed, even outside. "The property fronts onto Davisville and is L-shaped, so when you walk out to your backyard – which was very secluded, quiet and fully fenced-in – at the very back of the garden is a gate that led to parking underneath a carport," adds Ms. Cerqua.
"They had a little mudroom, which was really cute off the back, so coming in with families or groceries, you're walking into a great space for kicking off boots and coats."
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.