House of the Week: $1.4 million for an Airbnb-ready home in Kensington Market

Address: 44 Nassau Street
Neighbourhood: Kensington Market Agent: Patricia Katz, Sutton Group Associates Realty Inc., Brokerage Price: $1,399,000

The place: A three-bedroom income property in one of the more quiet parts of Kensington.

The history: The house, like most of the others on Nassau, was built in the 1870s. It still has many of its original architectural details: oak floors, transom windows, and a solid-wood staircase and bannister. The owners did plenty of sprucing, though: the wiring and plumbing are all new, and so is the soundproofing between the basement and main house.

Big selling point: The basement unit, with its three bedrooms and two separate entrances, means this house could handle a tenant. There are sure to be plenty of students looking to snag a room in the middle of one of the city’s most exciting neighbourhoods, a short walk from the U of T campus. Or, the buyer could do what the current owners are doing and list the place on Airbnb for $150 a night.

Possible deal breaker: Sure, the house has tons of great original details. But, unless the Barbie Mansion aesthetic appeals, it’ll take a new coat of paint and a little elbow grease to really bring them out.

By the numbers:

• $1,399,000 • $4,568.00 in taxes (2015) • 1581 square feet • 904-square-foot finished basement • 6 bedrooms (three in the basement apartment) • 4 bathrooms • 2 parking spaces • 1 rooftop deck

The house still has some original 19th-century details, like oak flooring.

The staircase is also original.

The living room has a large bay window. The seller’s colour choices are bold, but easily changed.

There’s an office on the main floor that could probably also be used as a bedroom.

Here’s one area where the house breaks with Victorian tradition: the kitchen and dining room are combined.

The dining area has a view of the backyard.

There are three bedrooms on the second floor of the house. Here’s one of them.

Another bedroom.

The rooftop deck looks north.

All three bedrooms share this updated bathroom.

And here’s the master bedroom.

The basement is a self-contained apartment. Those fresh towels are probably for the Airbnb guests.

The basement kitchen and living area.

There are three bedrooms in the basement. Here’s one.

Another basement bedroom.

And the last basement bedroom.

The basement bathroom.

The agent says this backyard is filled with fruit-bearing shrubs in summer.