Heritage appeal draws buyer to Lawrence Park home

307 Blythwood Rd. (also 228 Stibbard Ave.), Toronto

Asking price: $4,589,000 (March, 2021)

Selling price: $4,480,000 (March, 2021)

Taxes: $14,000 (2020)

Days on the market: Six

Listing agents: Nigel Denham, Robert Nelson and Penny Brown, Sotheby’s International Realty Canada

The action

This 2½-storey house sits on a 105-foot-by-250-foot lot that fronts and backs onto two streets, Blythwood Road and Stibbard Avenue, near Sherwood Park and the Blythwood Ravine. In an earlier attempted sale, the property was pitched mainly to builders as a tear down with an asking price of as much as $7.5-milllion. That attempt ultimately failed, having drawn offers as low as $3.2-million.

Relisted this March, the new agents pursued a marketing strategy that played up the property’s heritage value.

“What the [previous broker] was really missing was how special, unique and beautiful this house is and could be if restored,” agent Nigel Denham said.

Online marketing materials encouraged one out of town house hunter to come and see the property for himself.

“He flew in for 24 hours to physically see it himself and firmed the deal up that day,” Mr. Denham said.

What they got

A private road with a hidden entrance off of Stibbard Avenue leads to this 116-year-old, stone structure with 4,307 square feet of living space, including the finished attic. The basement is partially finished.

There are seven bedrooms, five bathrooms and two stairwells, as well as a walk-in pantry between the kitchen and dining room.

A covered deck is accessible from two entertaining areas, including one with coffered ceilings and a gas fireplace.

Upstairs, the largest bedroom has a fireplace, balcony, and full bathroom.

The agent’s take

“Most of the housing stock in Lawrence Park are two storeys, so this was a very large and very grand house,” Mr. Denham said.

“The family that built it came from England … and wanted to build something as a reminder of the grand English manor homes back in England.”

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