1887 HISTORIC BEAUTY FOR SALE

SPRUCE LODGE
Character second to none! Built in 1887 by George Blair, 479 Nelson Avenue was one of the first Burlington properties to be designated under the OHA. Check it out...for sale now!

VIEW VIRTUAL TOUR

Currently offered at $1.189 million on realtor.ca

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AMAZING VIEWS

This old home is on a great UNDER-RATED (perhaps UN-DISCOVERED) street over-looking the mountain brow. Its the street we bought our first home on in fact. Some updating is required but this home sits on a beautiful extra large lot (92ft x 153ft) with million dollar city views.

69 Mountain Park Av, Hamilton, ON
Currently listed at $729,900 on realtor.ca

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Photos by Tom Vogel, www.vogelcreative.com

MARVELOUS MANTEL

Our second home - an 1890s beauty - featured the most amazingly intricate marble fireplace I have ever seen. Seriously pales anything I have laid my eyes on and TRUST ME I have been to a ton of open houses. WARNING...It has the power to induce purchase so be careful as this house is now back on the market. Offered at $589,900 on realtor.ca

Check it out...should have chiseled off the wall when we moved!

And here is a video of our old place:


The home has since been renovated but looses a lot of the character (I believe) we achieved through design and colour (all Farrow & Ball paints). However, this home still defies all the cookie cutter options out there. The current owners even call it a "Mini Mansion" (and that it is). Check it out... 378 Queen Street South in beautiful Hamilton!

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RED HOT

When I saw this one come on the market last week on realtor.ca I knew it would fly. And it did - for nearly $40,000 over-asking! Besides being priced right ($589,900) vs. comparables, it possessed all the characteristics of a winning purchase: Hot neighbourhood (South West Hamilton), tons of space (3,000+ square feet with 6+ bedrooms), old world charm with room to update in the right places (kitchen and bathrooms), large double lot, parking and garage (all rarities in the city) and unique features (original vault with iron door in the basement). I didn't even need to see the virtual tour or even go to the open house (which was super busy btw) to know it would sell fast. FRESH BRICK --- Scratch that --- RED HOT BRICK to whoever bought. A great family home or a surefire investment if the buyers plan to flip. Just glad I REALLY LOVE my home as this one had the potential to sway me.

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BUY THIS

This one just came on the market. Its a 4-Plex but could be a stunning single family home once again. #18 Homewood is in a great neighbourhood, close to vibrant and bustling Locke Street and nestled amongst other stately homes. Its listed at $729,000 and is not even on realtor.ca yet. If someone is able to snatch up for $699,000 or $689,000 they could easily put in $100,000 and feel safe with their investment. They could even collect income for a  few years before they take over and renovate.

Totally worth it as I've seen average home in this neighbourhood sell for high-fives, some over six and a recent one for high sevens (flip). I honestly can't believe that last one. It goes to show how seductive shiny, new and turn-key can be. Check it out here (nice, but not an $800,000 house...I saw a huge stone Tudor with a pool sell on Markland in the low sevens just over a year before this).

And this one is up now for $619,000...it sold not even 6 months ago in the low-threes. Give me a break. Sure its a great neighbourhood and the renos are pretty, but its an average house and there's no way they spent $300,000 fixing it up. See befores and afters.

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If this goes for in the sixes, then what does one pay for the really nice ones down the street and up the corner? I remember being able to buy a great house in south west Hamilton for under $400,000. Like our second house here:

Not anymore! Get out there and buy in this great neighbourhood before you get priced out and flippers strip all the character out.

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50 SHADES OF BRICK

This is my 2012 wrap-up a few weeks late. Anyhow, all these houses were pretty awesome - and all were on the market at some point (some 2011). Lucky the people who snatched them up!

3 Inglewood

150 Aberdeen

24 Inglewood

77 Creighton

1 South Street

2 Victoria

9 Ravenscliffe

14 Ravenscliffe

13 Inglewood

24 Undercliffe

32 Aberdeen

32 St. Clair

35 Cross Street

488 Golf Links

53 Glenfern 

42 Osler

47 Claremont

60 Mountain Avenue

77 Stanley Avenue

137 George Street

187 Herkimer

288 Charlton Avenue

And, the one we finally got for ourselves! 250 James Street South. 

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