Real eState
House of the Week: $4.8 million for a humongous Whitby estate with a turret and a 15-foot-tall waterfall
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Neighbourhood: Central Whitby
Price: $4,800,000
Size: 6,500 square feet
Bedrooms: 4+4
Bathrooms: 5
Agent: Kelsey Schoenrock, Chestnut Park Real Estate
The place
A stately country house in Whitby sitting on a staggering 13 acres of forested land. Located off Anderson Street, it’s a short drive to Whitby’s downtown strip but far enough from city life to feel like an escape.
The history
The current owners, Bob and Judy, were living nearby and raising their three kids when they came across this property in 1991. Bob was eager for a slice of cottage life, and Judy wanted to stay close to Whitby, so the spot seemed like the perfect compromise. After several years of living off-site, they hired architect Duff Ryan and Vicki King of Willow Hill Designs to help them realize their dream. Construction finished in 2001, and now, 22 years later, they’re looking to downsize.
The tour
Stepping through the front door—imported from Colorado—reveals this grand foyer. On the right is the dining area, sectioned off by rounded, taupe-stained pine walls.
The partial wall and cut-out windows allow natural light into the space, and the room was built specifically to accommodate that large circular dining table.
Here’s a view from above. The outer ring of the table can be removed to seat smaller groups.
Just beyond the dining area is this lodge-inspired great room, with cedar log beams, pine ceilings and hemlock floors. The 20-foot-tall transom windows overlook land that backs onto the Greenbelt.
That reading nook beside the limestone fireplace is the ideal spot for a morning coffee.
Opposite the great room is the kitchen, which features matte granite countertops, a butler’s pantry and an island with seating for three. The tin ceiling was made by an artisan in Waterloo.
The kitchen also has a wet bar.
And, yes, this home comes with a turret. This is its main level, which houses a breakfast room. There’s porch access through the doors on the left and a three-season sitting room on the right.
Here’s that sitting room—the owners wanted a space to enjoy the outdoors in the summertime without having to worry about flies and mosquitoes.
Back inside on the main floor is this office, which can be seen from the second floor.
Here’s the main-floor powder room, with an antique metal wash basin.
This laundry room down the hall has a built-in gift-wrapping station, and its large porcelain sink is great for prepping flower arrangements.
The primary bedroom sits on the main floor and features a faux-stone wall that conceals the ensuite bathroom.
The ensuite has plenty of storage.
It also comes with a glass shower and jet tub that overlook the sprawling woods.
A quick detour outside shows off the main bedroom’s porch, which has more of those cedar logs, this time as pillars.
The catwalk on the second floor is almost always bathed in natural light.
Above the garage is the guest suite. Whitewashed ceilings and soft pine floors add a bit of freshness.
Here’s a reverse view of the suite to show its cozy window bench.
Guests also have their own ensuite.
This sewing room could easily be converted into another bedroom.
And so could this exercise room with vaulted ceilings.
The estate’s painting studio sits at the end of the second-floor hall. That railing on the right overlooks an escape ladder.
Here’s the ceiling, which is itself a work of art.
If a daring escape isn’t your thing, you can reach the basement via the winding staircase.
There are are four more bedrooms in the basement. This one has an ensuite.
Here’s that ensuite, with a double vanity and a raised shower.
Beyond these stained-glass doors is a walk-up bar, a media room, a games room, a wine cellar and a tasting area.
And here’s a look at that bar. The doors on the right lead to a 700-square-foot patio with a hot tub.
The games room is fashioned for the outdoorsy types.
The sunken media room showcases another fireplace (this one’s granite) and a movie screen that can be hidden away via the folding doors on either side.
Here’s the tasting area, with hemlock flooring. It lives directly under the turret.
Beside it is the wine cellar.
This huge workshop sits underneath the three-car garage. It’s completely separate from the main home, so it could be renovated into a rental unit.
Outside is this firepit with log benches. Since the owners have tapped many of the property’s maple trees, you could use the cauldron to boil sap.
Here’s the back of the house, with its 15-foot-tall waterfall currently covered in snow.
The property also comes with a 12-foot lined pond, home to about 100 trout.
Have a house that’s about to hit the market? Send your listing to realestate@torontolife.com.
Real eState
Toronto real estate agent puts comical spin on promoting burnt-down house – NOW Toronto
A Toronto real estate agent posted a picture of a $799,000 house that appears to be burnt down on TikTok saying it’s perfect for first-time homebuyers on a budget.
The agent, Ruthie Miller, was half joking.
Miller’s real estate career has run parallel to being a stand-up comedian. She found the run-down house as she was trying to look for a place to invest in herself.
Though she wasn’t the seller of the house, she thought posting the entertaining video on TikTok would attract more buyers to it.
The Yorkdale-Glen neighbourhood home is placed on a 25 x 130 ft. lot and the listing includes pictures of burnt down areas in the home.
Miller posted the video a week ago, but now the price is currently over $1 million on Realtor.ca.
“This house did have a fire and probably needs a lot of work. If you’re anything like me and you think to yourself, ‘Oh, I can fix him. All he needs is a little bit of TLC. He’s just had some bad relationships in the past,’ then you might be into this one,” Miller said in the video.
Some viewers were confused and wondered if the video was a parody.
“LOL genuinely can’t tell if this is a joke or not … a budget? Your gonna need another 200k to fix it it’s not even livable,” one person commented.
When asked if she thought her comedic approach to real estate could mislead people, Miller said, “I don’t know.”
Miller told Now Toronto that she was joking about some parts, especially about the house being suitable for a first-time homebuyer because of the structural issues.
Miller believes she’s bringing attention to real estate regardless of the method and people are going to look at the listing and request more information if they want to.
“I’m a comedian also, so why not mesh the two? It’s a clever way of doing it,” Miller challenged.
Miller believes Toronto’s real estate market always has room for humour.
“I personally like it. I hope I’m not breaking any rules with my professionalism. I like blending comedy with real estate. It’s easy to make fun of realtors because they’re usually advertising multi-million dollar properties when most of the city can’t afford rent.”
Real eState
Former HGTV star from Los Gatos sentenced in $10M real estate fraud case – CBS San Francisco
LOS GATOS – A Los Gatos man who starred in a real estate reality show was sentenced to jail and ordered to pay back nearly $10 million to his victims after being convicted of real estate fraud, prosecutors said Tuesday.
According to Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen’s office, 58-year-old Charles “Todd” Hill received a four-year sentence. Hill starred in the HGTV show “Flip It to Win It“, which featured teams buying dilapidated homes and fixing them, before selling them for a profit.
The show aired in 2014.
Prosecutors said Hill was convicted in Sep. 2023 after admitting to grand theft with aggravated white-collar enhancements for committing real estate and financial fraud against 11 victims. Hill was indicted in 2019 following an investigation by the DA’s office.
“Some see the huge amount of money in Silicon Valley real estate as a business opportunity,” Rosen said in a statement. “Others, unfortunately, see it as a criminal opportunity – and we will hold those people strictly accountable.”
According to the DA’s office, Hill engaged in “multiple fraud schemes”, with some scams dating back before the HGTV show.
Prosecutors said in one instance, he diverted construction money for his personal use. In another, Hill created a Ponzi scheme by taking money intended to buy homes from an investor and spending it on a lavish lifestyle instead. He hid the theft by creating false balance sheets and used fraudulent information to obtain loans, according to prosecutors.
In a third case, prosecutors said an investor who provided $250,000 to remodel a home toured the property, only finding it to be a “burnt down shell” with no work performed.
Hill had used the money on a rented apartment in San Francisco along with spending on hotels, vacations and luxury cars, prosecutors said.
In addition to jail time, Hill was ordered to pay back $9,402,678.43 in restitution and serve 10 years probation. Hill has been remanded into custody, the DA’s office announced.
Real eState
Unlocking success in real estate with Glenn Zdrill – paNOW
Since Zdrill is well versed in all aspects of the real estate industry, you’ll have answers to questions before you even think to ask them – like, “How does mortgage loan insurance work?” or “How much will I need for closing costs?”
“Closing costs typically range from 1.5 to four per cent of the home’s purchase price and include things like legal and administrative fees, your home inspection, appraisal fees and more. So, you need to budget for this. Its my job to make sure you’re asking all of the right questions and I’m giving you the information you need to make informed decisions.”
As a licensed realtor with RE/MAX P.A. Realty, Zdrill has the option to show any property on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) database. He prides himself on understanding the market and current trends including property prices and the community.
“Prince Albert continues to have a lot of things happening with the construction of the new hospital, swimming pool and rinks. When I got into real estate over a year ago, I believed Prince Albert was a community on the verge of a boom and we’re starting to see that come to fruition.”
Selling or buying a home involves a multitude of moving parts, from negotiations to closing procedures and Zdrill is committed to helping his clients navigate the complexities with confidence.
Contact Glenn Zdrill through the RE/MAX P.A. Realty office at 2370 – Second Ave. W or give him a call at 306-961-5767.
*Please note, this article is not intended to solicit any properties already listed for sale.
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**This content was created by paNOW’s commercial content division.
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