513 ST. GEORGE ST., NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C.
LISTING PRICE $1.675-million
SELLING PRICE $1.645-million
PREVIOUS SELLING PRICE $729,000 (June, 2007)
DAYS ON MARKET Seven
TAXES $5,792.52
LISTING AGENT James Garbutt, Sutton Group West Coast Realty
The action: The house sold to a Surrey family. The sellers are part of the exodus heading from Vancouver to more affordable Victoria, says Mr. Garbutt. Many Vancouverites are selling to buy into areas of Vancouver Island, due to lower price, less traffic, and general livability.
What they got: The 3,559-square-foot Queen’s Park heritage house, circa 1892, features intact fir floors, claw-foot tub, tin ceilings, wainscoting, original light fixtures, hand-carved stairs and baluster. The six-bedroom house has also been lifted and upgraded with new electrical and plumbing, gourmet kitchen, double-glazed windows, full-height two-bedroom basement suite and landscaping.
The agent’s take: The sellers spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on renovating the house, which is listed on the heritage register, says listing agent James Garbutt. As a result, the property set a selling record for a heritage house on a relatively small lot for the area, measuring 32 by 132 feet. As well, the garage needs to be rebuilt. “Even new houses on small lots haven’t come close to this price point,” says Mr. Garbutt.