Train tracks can’t derail sale of Parkdale home

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22 Strickland Ave., Toronto

Asking price: $999,000

Selling price: $1,350,000

Previous selling price: $880,000 (2016); $502,000 (2008); $268,000 (2002)

Taxes: $3,950 (2018)

Days on the market: two

Listing agent: Andrew Ipekian, Keller Williams Referred Urban Realty

The action

This semi-detached house faces railway tracks and lacks parking. Considering those major drawbacks, it was priced at less than $1-million in late February. About 40 buyers assessed its value in person and one tabled a pre-emptive offer of $1,350,000 within 48 hours.

“[Properties in] Parkdale are recently turning over rather quickly and the fact this was so beautiful and in a popular location made it appealing to everybody,” agent Andrew Ipekian said.

“The trains are very quiet, which is not normal, and often you find people who don’t mind either trains, ambulances or living next to a fire station … already live in the neighbourhood. It becomes white noise and they don’t care.”

What they got

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Various owners have transformed this 40-year home, evident from the exposed brick walls in some areas to heated floors, a walk-in shower stall and freestanding tub in one of two updated bathrooms.

In 2016, $250,000 was invested in new, hand-scrapped hardwood flooring, a lower-level laundry room and a reconfigured kitchen with upgraded finishes and better access to the west-facing patio and the 19-by-100-foot grounds.

The living and dining areas boast 10-foot ceilings and the largest of three bedrooms has a skylight, vaulted, beamed ceilings and a rooftop terrace.

The agent’s take

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“[There are a lot of semis], but not everyone had a third floor, so it was a nice, big, additional space you could use as a bedroom, office or play area,” Mr. Ipekian said.

“[Plus] it didn’t have your typical white kitchen. It has character with a mixture of stone and wood counters and different colour cabinetry.”

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