Sale of the Week: the $1.3-million Leaside home that shows the power of a well-timed bully offer

Sale of the Week: the $1.3-million Leaside home that shows the power of a well-timed bully offer

toronto-sale-of-the-week-81-bessborough-drive-intro

Address: 81 Bessborough Drive
Neighbourhood: Leaside
Agent: James LaPointe, Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Brokerage

The Property: The same-day sale of this two-storey, three-bedroom home was helped along by the property’s top-tier school district, which includes Rolph Road Elementary, Bessborough Elementary and Middle School, and Leaside High School (Margaret Atwood went there in the fifties). Another major draw was its location on Bessborough Drive, a Leaside street with cachet.

The History: The previous owner was a single professional mom of one who had owned the property since around 1994. The well-maintained home, built in 1937, retained most of its original details over the years, including hardwood floors and leaded windows. In the early 70s, though, a previous owner updated the kitchen, and the boiler and air conditioners are modern.

The Fate: The home will be spared a teardown, a fate increasingly common in Leaside. The buyers are a couple with a child, and they plan on doing some renovations over the next few years. The 30-by-115-foot lot may allow for the home to be lengthened.

The Sale: The “for sale” sign went into the ground at 10:30 a.m. Within eight hours, the buying agent had emailed a firm $1,305,000 early bid with one caveat: it would expire in three hours. Immediately, the selling agent called the seller, who was interested. Other potential buyers couldn’t be contacted because of the calculated dinner-hour deadline, so the seller accepted the deal by 8:30 p.m., after the home had been on the market for only 10 hours.

By the Numbers:

• $1,305,000
• 109 per cent of list price
• 10 hours on the market
• 3 bedrooms
• 2 parking spaces in the driveway
• 2 washrooms
• 1 tactical bully offer