Nothing Odd About 148 Jane Street
This house on Jane Street in Ontario wasn't anything special on the outside. The street was actually quite mundane with nothing of particular mention surrounding it, apart from more average similar-looking structures to its left and right.
Not many people had ever seen the inside of 148 Jane Street, but what they did know was that the people who lived at the address had lived there as far back as they can remember. But one day that would all change when a pair of realtors received a mysterious phone call about the property.
The Real Estate Agency
For Whom The Bell Tolls
Both Gladys and Carla were well-experienced real estate agents who knew what they were doing and how to do it correctly. But there are certain things that come up in the real estate profession that no one expects. Things that will dumbfound even the most seasoned professional into a stupor. This was exactly that type of day.
Something was brewing over the horizon and it was going to be a big one. There was an ominous silence in the air, then, suddenly a piercing ring stuck through the silence like a knife. It was the phone… a phone call that would change everything.
Musings Of A Perfect Stranger
Something Hidden
Generally, when people call the real estate office to sell their homes they are a bit more optimistic and excited about the change in their life that they will be going through ever so shortly. But not Joyce, she didn’t seem to be any of those things. Gladys and Carla both felt like the homeowner, Joyce, was hiding something from them.
It could possibly be something that would make the place impossible to sell. After all, if there is a reason for people to not want to buy a property, you generally either try to fix it as soon as possible or you hide it as best you can and hope that no one notices.
The Good Fight
Seen It All?
Gladys and Carla Spizzirri were certainly not amateurs in the real estate business. They had been through it all, or so they thought. The savvy sisters had seen things that would send most people running for the hills. But not these two, they could handle almost anything.
Even still, thoughts were likely racing through their heads about what they would find once they arrived at Joyce’s place. Despite their wildest guesses, there was nothing they could do to prepare themselves for the shock that would greet them when they finally opened the door. But the first challenge would be actually getting into Joyce’s place in the first place.
Behind The Door
Ready To Part?
During Joyce’s phone call with the real estate agents, they learned something very interesting that would be telling as to what the surprise within the property would be. As it turned out, the woman selling the home in question was 96-years-old. Even more impressive than that was the fact that Joyce was incredibly lucid and had great hearing.
Carla Spizzirri, thinking back to her conversations with her own grandmother, had to yell at her to even be understood. Therefore, she was highly impressed with this potential client. But her amazement wouldn’t stop there once she saw the place where Joyce lived.
Untouched Secrets
The Shape Of It All
Both Gladys and Carla were terrified by what they might find behind the front door at 148 Jane Street. Surely, they thought, a 96-year-old woman wouldn’t have been able to keep the place in very good shape alone without help. As the deadlines started to creep up, both Gladys and Carla became wearier.
They were very concerned about the cleanliness of the building and what they would find inside. At worst they feared that they would be stepping into the home of a massive hoarder – that the home would be full from floor to ceiling with junk that Joyce had collected over the decades.
The Big Upside
Record Highs
Joyce’s place was located in the Old Mill neighborhood of Toronto. Other properties that Gladys and Carla Spizzirri had sold in the neighborhood had all gone for very high prices. But none of them were expecting just how much Joyce’s home could go for on the market.
Based on their calculations, the home’s estimated value came to a mind-blowing $968,000, but that number could easily drop based on the condition of the inside of the home and how many repairs it would need to get it back into tip-top shape. Yet, there was another stumbling block in the way, the possibility that Joyce would change her mind about putting the listing on the market.
Fleeting Uncertainty
A Shocking Scene
Still, Gladys and Carla had not seen the inside of Joyce’s home at 148 Jane Street, a critical part of trying to sell a home of course. The duo would have to visit the home and do a number of inspections before the home would be ready for any potential buyers. So, with that in mind, Carla and Gladys setup a time with Joyce to come by and verify the property and see exactly what they are dealing with.
But they never expected what they were about to find inside of the old home. It was a scene that would shock and awe just about anyone who would walk through the front doors.
Final Decisions
Beyond Spectacular
Nothing could have prepared them for the site that lay just beyond the wooden exterior of the front doors. The home was anything but ordinary, and it was also anything but in disrepair. As it turned out, Joyce was a very traditional woman and a very proud homeowner. On the inside, her residence was beyond astonishing.
But what was even more breathtaking, was how her place had been kept. The furniture and decorations that adorned the inside of the fantastic home were something rarely seen in those days. She took such great pride in her abode that it was impeccably clean, not a speck of dirt or dust in sight. But that wasn’t all.
The Time Capsule
More Than Four Walls
Each and every room was more magnificent than the last one that the crew visited. This was the most immaculate home that Carla or Gladys had ever seen. The place was much more than just a residence, it was a monument to a time in history long past.
And Joyce now that the immaculate condition inside along with the decades Joyce had lived there was the reason behind her hesitation to sell the home. But as far as Gladys and Carla could see, there was only one major downfall to the condition of the inside of the home. One that hopefully wouldn’t affect any potential buyers, but only time would tell if it was truly a deal-breaker.
The Interior Design
An Acquired Taste
And that one singular room was located in the basement. Complete with a wet bar, and fantastic wood paneling, the room looked like it literally just jumped out of the set of Mad Men and was ready to be anyone’s man-cave. We can only guess who spent most of their time in the basement.
Surely it must have been Joyce’s husband’s favorite space to hang out and enjoy some time with his friends or just some down time alone. For this was the only place in the entire home that didn’t have unique splashes of baroque prints, floral patterns and pastels with tone-on-tone accents – certainly a particular taste.
The Backyard
The Inspection
Even the best looking home can be deeply flawed, all the way down to its foundation. Or the walls can be full of dangerous and deadly mold that could be almost impossible to remove from the premises. But the real estate agents, Clara and Gladys, had confidence that their new property would pass with flying colors.
Even though the two agents and the homeowner had confidence that everything would be up to code with the home, there was always room for doubt. There could always be something hidden under the surface, and everyone was in for a big surprise when the inspectors finally showed up.
Beneath The Surface
The War
Gladys and Clara raced back to their office on the very same day and listed Joyce’s home at 148 Jane Street for a whopping $699,000 and pretty soon something amazing happened. There was an all-out bidding war over the property. Once people got a look at what was inside, they went crazy.
It seemed that everyone wanted it. Everyone looking to buy a home in the neighborhood was interested in buying Joyce’s home. But not only were people who were actively home searching interested in the extraordinary property – even those who weren’t looking to buy real estate were drawn by the unique listing.
A Museum Or A Home?
The Renovation
According to the owner of the home, Joyce, the only thing in the place that had changed significantly was the kitchen. The room was renovated in the 1960s to update the design and upgrade the appliances. Which is understandable considering a kitchen with 1940s appliances would not be very practical in a modern world.
Joyce said that even though the appliances in the kitchen were from the 1960s they all still worked and were in fine order at the time that she wanted to sell the time-capsule home. That prospect probably wasn’t so surprising considering how well she took care of everything else in the home.
Retirement
Lingering Questions
Joyce and her husband had moved into the place back in 1942, a period of time that was defined by war and all of the aftermath and destruction caused by it. The residence was a two-story brick building with bedrooms. One big question that lingered on everyone’s mind when she listed the property was whether the new owners would keep the interior aesthetic of the home in place, or do the unthinkable and completely renovate everything into something more modern.
The original listing for the property is currently not on the market and any further details about potential buyers and Joyce have not been reported. Seeing as how the property isn’t a museum, any new owners have the right to do whatever they would like to do with it. Let’s all cross our fingers that this gem stays intact.