Visualize a 100-year-old home, and the images that cross your mind's eye tend to be of the dog-eared variety.
While those images might -- in most cases -- be relatively accurate, there are sometimes exceptions to the norm. A modest-looking one-and-a-half storey home found in a tidy little pocket of homes on Bannerman Avenue -- 317 Bannerman Avenue, to be precise -- is one of those exceptions.
"It looks very deceiving from the street," says RE/MAX Performance Realty's Jeff Stern as he gestures to the smartly stuccoed home, which sits on an unusually large lot for a home of its vintage. "While it looks good from the outside, it looks even better once you step inside."
True enough: Unlike many older homes that are divided up into small rooms, 317 Bannerman has a spacious, bright living room that's notable for not only its largely open floor plan -- L-shaped, with the living room merging into a large dining area; and the bright interior comes from a series of large windows around the side and front of the home. A southern exposure also allows copious amounts of sunlight to enter the space.
"There's just so much daylight -- looking at the home from the street, you don't expect it," says Stern. "And even by today's standards, the floor plan is open. I think that's because the owners knocked out a wall to enlarge the space. It may have sacrificed a bedroom, but it made the living room. And the flooring that runs through the living room and dining room is the original oak. It adds so much character."
Two more anomalies (that is, for a century-old home) await in back: a den/bedroom of the dining room, and a u-shaped, eat-in kitchen big enough for a table for four -- the latter of which is situated adjacent to another large window. Meanwhile, there's another large window over the sink to further brighten the area -- as well as ample counter (black/grey arborite) and cupboard space (they're white).
To finish things off, the walls have been painted eggshell blue, there's a light grey ceramic backsplash -- and a faux brick surround around the oven. In short, this home is far from dated, adds Stern.
"The family has been here for 30 years and has really taken pride in the home. Everything is so well maintained, and even the colours are quite contemporary. The biggest thing, though, is the layout. Everything is so open and accessible, and there are all kinds of windows. That's highly unusual for a home this age," he says.
There are also several unusual (in a good way, that is) features to be found on the 1,289 sq. ft. home's upper level, which contains two bedrooms and a four-piece bathroom. First, both rooms are unusually large for a turn-of-the century home. Second, there's a decent amount of closet space that comes via a long semi walk-in closet in the master bedroom, as well as a storage closet by the stairs.
Like the master bedroom, the second bedroom -- which shares an old-style angled ceiling -- has a larger than normal closet (this one open). And the bathroom is sufficiently large to have room for an armoire-style storage unit. With an unusual abundance of existing storage space plus room to place auxilliary storage, there shouldn't be any problems associated with having a lack of storage space.
"This home is full of surprises from how open it is to the room to the storage space," says Stern. "You might say its design was ahead of its time."
Yet another pleasant surprise exists in the form of a lower level (with approximately 750 sq. ft. of livable space) that has been developed, with a third bedroom, compact rec room -- and an exceptionally large mechanical room with a cold room that can be used for storage, as well as under-the-stairs storage. Even after a century, the floor is solid and level, and the foundation (likely stone) appears to be in excellent shape.
"The bedroom is a nice size, and the rec room could make for a nice play room or exercise room," he says. "It's a very functional, and solid basement."
One other thing -- maybe two, adds Stern.
"There's also a big, well-maintained garage out back that makes for a private back yard, and the home is in a great area -- all the homes around it are in good repair. There's pride in this area, and there's even a good neighbourhood watch group in place. You don't see a home that offers so much value for the price so often. It's a 100-year-old gem that rates as a very pleasant surprise in every way."
lewys@mts.net
DETAILS
Address: 317 Bannerman Ave.
Year Built: 1909
Style: One-and-a-half storey
Size: 1,289 sq. ft. (with another 750 sq. ft. in lower level)
Lot Size: 33' x 120'
Bedrooms: 3, plus main-level den
Bathrooms: 1
Selling Price: $129,900
Realtor: Jeff Stern RE/MAX Performance Realty @ 795-9600
