459 shaw street

my client has purchased this home

• 4+1 bedrooms/3 bathrooms
• 2 1/2 storeys
• 3 units
• Victorian rowhouse

I have never witnessed such an intense real estate market. Unless you have purchased a home in Toronto in 2021 (or maybe early 2017), you can’t quite appreciate it. The bidding wars are heated but the true winners are the sellers (obviously) and the creative/flexible buyers. These clients are the latter.

After trying to buy homes with 15+ offers or immediate pre-emptive bids, my clients set their eyes on something that could have been overlooked. This tenanted, 2 1/2 storey Victorian rowhouse is divided into three units and, due to COVID, the tenant on the main floor did not allow showings. Would you buy a house if you couldn’t physically access the main floor and backyard? What if there were photos, a 3D tour and an inspection from a very reputable firm? It’s not ideal, but the charm of the stained glass windows, soaring ceilings and original stairs, plus the central location in Italy with some of the best parks and restaurants in the city just minutes away, my clients had to take a shot. Most buyers felt otherwise, though, and my clients wound up purchasing this home with incredible potential for just over $1M. Who does that?!?

MLS #C5116649