House of the Week: $1.4 million for a Junction home with access to all kinds of public transit
Address: 53 Dorval Road
Neighbourhood: Junction Area
Agent: Evelyn M. Roberts and David Anderson Oey , Harvey Kalles Real Estate
Price: $1,418,000
The Place: A sturdy red-brick home with a modern interior in Toronto’s west end.
Bragging Rights: The house is located near Bloor and Dundas, which puts it a short distance from a subway station, a GO station and a stop on the soon-to-be-completed Union Pearson Express , a rail line that will run directly to Pearson Airport. Bonus: getting on the subway so far west improves one’s odds of scoring a seat.
Big Selling Point: Though the interior looks quite modern, the exterior has been kept mostly intact—no massive glass-and-steel third-floor additions here—meaning the buyer won’t be moving into a home the neighbours already dislike.
Possible Deal Breaker: The basement is unfinished. Great for indoor floor hockey games, but not so great for lounging or sleeping.
By the Numbers:
• $1,418,000
• 2,150 square feet, approximately
• 4 bedrooms
• 3 bathrooms
• 3 outdoor decks
• 3 parking spaces
• 1 unfinished basement
• 1 nearby subway station
298779 The house is extremely close to the Dundas West subway station, and it will also enjoy convenient access to the Union Pearson Express when the line is completed in 2015. House of the Week: 53 Dorval Road House of the Week: 53 Dorval Road https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-1-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-1.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-1.jpg 1000 667 {"copyright":"www.birdhousemedia.ca"} https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road/slide/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-1/ toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-1 0 0
298780 The foyer. House of the Week: 53 Dorval Road House of the Week: 53 Dorval Road https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-2-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-2.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-2.jpg 1000 667 {"copyright":"www.birdhousemedia.ca"} https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road/slide/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-2/ toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-2 0 0
298781 The living room has a fireplace. House of the Week: 53 Dorval Road House of the Week: 53 Dorval Road https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-3-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-3.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-3.jpg 1000 667 {"copyright":"www.birdhousemedia.ca"} https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road/slide/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-3/ toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-3 0 0
298782 The kitchen is super sleek. House of the Week: 53 Dorval Road House of the Week: 53 Dorval Road https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-4-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-4.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-4.jpg 1000 667 {"copyright":"www.birdhousemedia.ca"} https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road/slide/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-4/ toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-4 0 0
298783 Those dining chairs are from Structube. They're extremely popular with home stagers. Start looking for them in real estate photo galleries and you'll be surprised how often you see them. House of the Week: 53 Dorval Road House of the Week: 53 Dorval Road https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-5-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-5.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-5.jpg 1000 667 {"copyright":"www.birdhousemedia.ca"} https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road/slide/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-5/ toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-5 0 0
298784 And there's a mudroom and powder room at the rear of the house. House of the Week: 53 Dorval Road House of the Week: 53 Dorval Road https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-6-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-6.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-6.jpg 1000 667 {"copyright":"www.birdhousemedia.ca"} https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road/slide/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-6/ toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-6 0 0
298785 There are two bedrooms on the second floor of the house. Here's one of them. House of the Week: 53 Dorval Road House of the Week: 53 Dorval Road https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-7-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-7.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-7.jpg 1000 667 {"copyright":"www.birdhousemedia.ca"} https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road/slide/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-7/ toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-7 0 0
298786 And the master bedroom is also on the second floor. House of the Week: 53 Dorval Road House of the Week: 53 Dorval Road https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-8-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-8.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-8.jpg 1000 667 {"copyright":"www.birdhousemedia.ca"} https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road/slide/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-8/ toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-8 0 0
298787 The master bedroom's en suite washroom shares a design sensibility with the rest of the house: white and flat. House of the Week: 53 Dorval Road House of the Week: 53 Dorval Road https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-9-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-9.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-9.jpg 1000 667 {"copyright":"www.birdhousemedia.ca"} https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road/slide/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-9/ toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-9 0 0
298788 There are two more bedrooms on the third floor. Here's one. House of the Week: 53 Dorval Road House of the Week: 53 Dorval Road https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-10-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-10.jpg 1000 667 {"copyright":"www.birdhousemedia.ca"} https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road/slide/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-10/ toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-10 0 0
298789 And here's the other third-floor bedroom. House of the Week: 53 Dorval Road House of the Week: 53 Dorval Road https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-11-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-11.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-11.jpg 1000 667 {"copyright":"www.birdhousemedia.ca"} https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road/slide/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-11/ toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-11 0 0
298790 There's nothing too exciting happening in the backyard, but here it is, all the same. House of the Week: 53 Dorval Road House of the Week: 53 Dorval Road https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-12-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-12.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-12.jpg 1000 667 {"copyright":"www.birdhousemedia.ca"} https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road/slide/toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-12/ toronto-house-of-the-week-53-dorval-road-12 0 0
$1.5M at Bloor and Dundas ??? You can get the same or better in Moore Park for that price.
133 Rose Park Dr. ( 1.399M ). Didn’t take long EH ???
Before and after video: http://www.dept356.com/2014/11/dorval-before-after-video/
Nice home but different type of property – a duplex (plus a basement apartment) not a single family home, and not nearly as walkable or TTC accessible.
Of course this is TTC accessible, its right beside Dundas West station. Its a lovely home, I don’t understand why people tend to lean towards negative comments. Firstly its the asking price at 1.4 million, that doesn’t necessarily mean it will sell for that much but the Toronto market will tell us if someone is willing to pay for it. Much respect to Dept 356 for all their hard work that clearly went into this remodel. I’m sure a lot of blood sweat and tears went into this and I for one think its an amazing job… it did make it into Toronto Life’s House of the Week so they certainly did something right! Congrats to all that worked on this project, it is a beautiful job!
I was given a tour during the open house – this has been exquisitely
reconstructed with an elegant nod to it’s former life. My favorite part
is that the old shed was demolished but the corrugated metal was
up-cycled to create the back fence. The back addition was clad in a
similar style of rust proof corrugated steel. Brilliant and beautiful,
and I completely covet the mudroom. This house is just delicious,
that’s the best way to put it…
Realtor’s using “the Junction” to sell homes even when in fact they’re quite a distance away from the actual Junction neighbourhood…. a time honoured tradition.
You’re right. By MLS zones, his property is actually located in High Park North. However, Toronto Life classifies them based on their own real estate guides which use different neighbourhood borders.
come on… it made it into Toronto life house section and that says? Have u seen some of the houses that make it there?! Get a grip! I agree with people, it’s not negative comments but let’s be realistic.. when last u went around Dundas West subway to wanna spend $1.5mil there? Location, Location and this is NOT NOT NOT!!
Sorry buddy, first off, you keep quoting the wrong listing price for the property and I’ve seen people pay far more for real estate in this area. The price listed says 1.4 not 1.5 and keep in mind the access to the new Go transit station as well currently being built at Dundas and Bloor that goes directly to Union Station and Pearson Airport. They are revitalizing the area and there are few houses on the market which has been dictating the price along with renovation. You or I may not pay this price, but someone will or just under it and you do understand the difference between asking price and sold price, right? And hate to tell you, the fact that it appeared in Toronto Life Magazine is a good chance it will get that asking price.
This is madness.
The end is nigh.
The neighbourhood is awesome. Simply awesome. I don’t know why they call it the Junction because it’s not in the Junction. It’s in a much better spot and I know because I live there. Walking distance to High Park, Roncesvalles, The Junction and Bloor West Village. Perfect for young families and so accessible. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. People are paying that kind of money for houses in this neighbourhood. Unfortunately, this particular house is asking too much. They didn’t finish the basement and they made some mistakes (imo) on the first floor (including the kitchen which should be a big selling feature). They also made some mistakes pricing the house. It’s been relisted for a third time recently. First 1.3 then 1.4 and now 1.38. They did a great job in some places and not so great in others. Overall, a beautiful home in a great neighbourhood, just not worth the asking price in my opinion.
It is a great neighbourhood, but unfortunately there’s not a great (elementary) school there.