House of the Week: $800,000 for a super-skinny row house in Corktown

Address: 8 Percy Street
Neighbourhood: Corktown Agents: Alex Brott and Heather Hadden, Sage Real Estate Limited, Brokerage Price: $799,000 Previously sold for: $465,000 in 2012

The place

A 127-year old row house, located on a laneway with a hidden courtyard.

The history

This home, built in 1890, is on one of Toronto’s few residential laneways. Neighbours call it the “Republic of Percy,” and it has a tight-knit community. The sellers bought the house in 2012, after which they upgraded the soundproofing and finished part of the basement.

There’s a little room for a dining table at the front of the house:

The living room has an exposed brick column:

Another view of the living room:

The kitchen has a door to a small backyard:

Here’s the backyard:

There are two bedrooms on the second floor. Here’s one of them:

And the master bedroom:

The upstairs bathroom is one of two in the house:

Big selling point

The house is full of exposed joists, beams and brick, giving it the raw look that many buyers of older homes covet.

Possible deal breaker

The house is narrow—just 13.5 feet wide—and there’s only 867 square feet of living space. But that figure doesn’t include the basement, where a newly built spare bedroom offers a little extra breathing room:

By the numbers

• $799,000 • $3,208.99 in taxes (2017) • 867 square feet • 13.5-by-55.83-foot lot • 3 bedrooms • 2 bathrooms