39 Howland Avenue - ANNEX (UPDATE)
I REALLY like this house.
That massive ivy trunk (or whatever you call it) that goes across the front door portico freaks me out, but otherwise, I love this house.
The furniture isn't my style, and there is definitley work that could be done to the the kitchen and upstairs, but there is just something about it.
This house is currently 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and it sits on 31 x 127 foot lot.
There is room to do an addition at the back if you wanted but the back set of stairs would probably have to go. I think I would want to get rid of them anyway. This house isn't huge and they seem to take up a lot of space. (UPDATE: I'm kind of obsessed with this house and can't stop thinking about it...and I agree with the commentors below that the stairs should stay, but only on the first floor. The ones on the second floor don't make sense to me but it might not make financial sense to get rid of them anyhow. But the first floor ones are a pretty interesting aspect of the house. Kind of like the house at 254 Major Street.
There is a double car garage in the back which narrows the yard at the back though but if you want a garage....
This house could be great with a new kitchen (and family room if you did an addition), some new flooring upstairs and some paint, and probably new washrooms as there are no photos. And someone to deal with that ivy. If you don't do the addition, and leave the stairs, that isn't a HUGE cost. (UPDATE #2: thanks to the reader who pointed out the only third floor bathroom that is smooshed into a corner in a bedroom. I missed it and that could be a costly fix though I suppose you could just open up that whole room and make it one big washroom for not a huge amount. But it will definitely add to the cost of renos that, if you have the money to buy a $2 million house, you will probably want to do and make the house your own anyhow.)
If I were redoing the kitchen, I would be inclined to leave the rooms closed off but maybe do something like what Canadian House and Home Senior Design Editor Sally Armstrong did with the wall between her kitchen and dining room...
There is a pocket door that can be opened with stools that works really well for a family, or closes for more formal occasions.
And the feel of this house should stay formal, but it could still function well for a modern family.
The basement is only partially finished so money would need to be put into that if you wanted the space.
But, all in all, this is a great house.
It is listed at $1,895,000.
When you consider that the layout of the house, at least on the first floor, is basically the same as the semi at 81 Howland just up the street that needed a LOT of work and it eventually sold for $1,500,000...
This house as a detached and in need of a lot LESS work is a steal.
It's just a little closer to Bloor which might turn some buyers away. But if you wanted a big house with lots of character, in the Annex that worked well for a family, that could be easily overlooked!
I think this house will sell fast and maybe closer to $1,950,000.
