If you’ve ever wanted a home that reminds you of a 1970s brutalist university library then 112 Westwood Lane in Richmond Hill is it. Just kidding… sort of.
This home is equal parts strange and equal parts amazing and is like no home we’ve ever featured before.
From the get-go, 112 Westwood Lane captivates with its winding entrance and dramatic design.
The front entrance.
If you look closely you’ll see an eye on the side of the building that looks like it’s part of the trees – it’s trippy.
The foyer.
Inside, you’re greeted by an austere concrete, glass, and tile foyer that kinda looks like a corporate office building lobby.
The family room.
As you make your way further into the home it opens up into the family room with imposingly tall ceilings and an all stainless steel fireplace.
A room in the basement with a walk-out.
Most of the house is all on one level but there is a basement with three bedrooms as well as a second kitchen.
The kitchen that opens to the patio.
On the main floor, in addition to the principal rooms you’ll find three generously sized bedrooms.
A sunroom area with an interesting art installation.
There are some interesting design choices throughout.
The primary bedroom.
From the leopard print rug to the all black bathroom it’s a bit fever dream-ish.
The view from the foyer to the sunroom.
And while the listing photos have a completely empty home, in the right hands with some interesting interior design this place could be really cool.
Soaring ceilings and tons of natural light.
The soaring ceilings and modern materials throughout lend itself to an interesting backdrop for some eye-popping designer furniture.
A powder room.
But what really sets this home apart is its dedication to entertainment. Calling all party enthusiasts!
The backyard.
As the listing mentions, the layout is designed for those who love to host, featuring numerous walk-outs to the patio and an expansive pool that’s just begging for a summer celebration.
Annual property tax is $52,475.80.
Although, the current snow covering makes it hard to picture summer parties.
A built-in hot tub.
But there’s also a sunken hot tub situation in the house, which seems like the perfect party spot during the colder months.
The kitchen has an attached butler’s pantry and laundry room.
And the kitchen is massive, so whenever everyone inevitably ends up there it won’t feel too cramped.
But this home is anything but average and is also sitting on approximately 5.7 acres of land. Plus, it backs onto lush green space right next to the Richmond Hill Golf & Country Club.
A view of the house.
However, we wouldn’t be surprised if it takes a while for this home to sell. It’s definitely out there design wise and the price point means finding that perfect buyer will be tricky.
TORONTO – One expert predicts Ottawa‘s changes to mortgage rules will help spur demand among potential homebuyers but says policies aimed at driving new supply are needed to address the “core issues” facing the market.
The federal government’s changes, set to come into force mid-December, include a higher price cap for insured mortgages to allow more people to qualify for a mortgage with less than a 20 per cent down payment.
The government will also expand its 30-year mortgage amortization to include first-time homebuyers buying any type of home, as well as anybody buying a newly built home.
CIBC Capital Markets deputy chief economist Benjamin Tal calls it a “significant” move likely to accelerate the recovery of the housing market, a process already underway as interest rates have begun to fall.
However, he says in a note that policymakers should aim to “prevent that from becoming too much of a good thing” through policies geared toward the supply side.
Tal says the main issue is the lack of supply available to respond to Canada’s rapidly increasing population, particularly in major cities.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17,2024.
OTTAWA – The Canadian Real Estate Association says the number of homes sold in August fell compared with a year ago as the market remained largely stuck in a holding pattern despite borrowing costs beginning to come down.
The association says the number of homes sold in August fell 2.1 per cent compared with the same month last year.
On a seasonally adjusted month-over-month basis, national home sales edged up 1.3 per cent from July.
CREA senior economist Shaun Cathcart says that with forecasts of lower interest rates throughout the rest of this year and into 2025, “it makes sense that prospective buyers might continue to hold off for improved affordability, especially since prices are still well behaved in most of the country.”
The national average sale price for August amounted to $649,100, a 0.1 per cent increase compared with a year earlier.
The number of newly listed properties was up 1.1 per cent month-over-month.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 16, 2024.
MONTREAL – Two Quebec real estate brokers are facing fines and years-long suspensions for submitting bogus offers on homes to drive up prices during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Christine Girouard has been suspended for 14 years and her business partner, Jonathan Dauphinais-Fortin, has been suspended for nine years after Quebec’s authority of real estate brokerage found they used fake bids to get buyers to raise their offers.
Girouard is a well-known broker who previously starred on a Quebec reality show that follows top real estate agents in the province.
She is facing a fine of $50,000, while Dauphinais-Fortin has been fined $10,000.
The two brokers were suspended in May 2023 after La Presse published an article about their practices.
One buyer ended up paying $40,000 more than his initial offer in 2022 after Girouard and Dauphinais-Fortin concocted a second bid on the house he wanted to buy.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2024.
