Sale of the Week: the $985,000 rowhouse where Roy Thomson learned to walk

Sale of the Week: the $985,000 rowhouse where Roy Thomson learned to walk

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Address: 32 Monteith Street
Neighbourhood: Church-Wellesley Village
Agent: Penny Brown and Richard Silver, Sotheby’s International Realty Canada, Brokerage

The Property: This freehold rowhouse is Victorian on the outside, modern on the inside. The recent reno spans four levels and includes two master-sized bedrooms, the larger of which has its own walkout to a large rooftop terrace. The property is on a dead-end street with a view over recently refurbished Barbara Hall Park.

The History: Built in 1887, this house was the birthplace of Canadian media baron Roy Thomson. Strict heritage protections bar changes to its facade. Even architectural indignities as small as placing garbage bins at the curb are forbidden. When the sellers originally bought the property a year ago, according to one of the selling agents, the interior was “dilapidated.” They modernized the home with a custom kitchen and an open-concept floor plan.

The Fate: The purchasers are downsizers who lived nearby and wanted to stay in the area. The agent believes the Church-Wellesley area is becoming more attractive to families seeking relatively accessible downtown home prices.

The Sale: The lack of parking hampered the sale at first, but ultimately the enterprising sellers included two years’ worth of prepaid parking at a nearby apartment building. The home sold after 51 days on the market.

By the Numbers:

• $985,000
• 1,846 square feet
• 94 per cent of list price
• 51 days on the market
• 4 washrooms
• 3 bedrooms
• 2 offers
• 1 parking spot, prepaid