If you spend enough time obsessing over YouTube or TikTok videos of people renovating their homes, a house like 18 Glendale Ave. could be everything you could want and more to turn those dreams into reality.
The century-old two-storey home has nine-foot ceilings, original hardwood floors and moulding, and even original stained glass windows.
As the listing says: “This property is a contractor’s dream. […] With tremendous potential for renovation […] this home provides the perfect canvas for contractors and DIY enthusiasts.”
The upstairs landing.
At first glance, it definitely looks like it could be transformed into one of those stunning renovated heritage homes we so often see going for several million dollars.
The dining room.
The main floor has grand principal rooms with big windows to add lots of natural light.
Double wood doors, stained glass windows and a fireplace.
There’s a cozy fireplace in the dining room, which could be a stunning focal piece.
The kitchen with a breakfast area.
The kitchen is on the small side, but a wall could be knocked down to expand it.
What could be the dining room off the kitchen with French doors.
There’s also enough space to add a powder room or a full extra bathroom on the main floor.
A bedroom.
Upstairs you have four bedrooms and a bathroom.
Another bedroom.
The bedrooms are quite large and bright.
Original wood wainscotting upstairs.
You could even combine two to make a luxurious primary suite.
The basement recreation room.
The basement is finished and could be converted into a rental unit as there is a separate entrance.
The backyard.
The backyard is also decently sized as the lot goes back 90 feet, so there’s potential to add onto the house if you need some extra room.
A bedroom with a patio.
Plus, it’s in a neighbourhood where detached houses can sell for almost $5 million.
A sunroom.
So when you see that the listing price is $1,249,925, it feels too good to be true.
Built-in bookcases.
And that’s because it kind of is.
The upstairs bathroom.
The listing notes that this house is being sold “as is”, which is already a bit of a red flag.
The pantry off the kitchen.
That, coupled with the “contractors’ dream” statement, really means you’re going to have to gut this house down to the studs.
The downstairs bathroom.
And the thing about old houses like this, there’s no telling what’s behind those walls.
Sconces around the room.
Knob and tube electrical? Maybe. Asbestos? Probably somewhere. Rotting joist? Who knows!
A weird door somewhere.
Even if you do get an inspection, they won’t be able to tell you everything that could be wrong with this house.
The sunroom looking into the living room.
So you’re likely in for many expensive surprises and that doesn’t even begin to consider the cost of the renovation bits.
The kitchen has relatively new appliances.
A new kitchen can run you anywhere from $10,000 for a basic, mostly DIY kitchen to over $200,000 for a luxury kitchen with top-of-the-line appliances that you might expect to see in that multimillion-dollar luxury home.
The foyer.
So while the listing price is $1.2 million, the reality is that you’re looking at spending another $250 to $600 per square foot in renovation costs.
The driveway and side entrance.
And now it makes sense why it’s a “contractor’s dream”- they stand to make a solid chunk of change off this house.
