The Complete Guide to Selling an Older Home in Toronto

I love old houses and always have and feel like I got some great deals because the sellers hadn’t done a lot to prepare their houses for sale. It was my win. My favourite, and luckiest, acquisition was a beautiful Georgian designed by a fairly prominent architectural firm for a top executive in the Toronto oil industry in 1937.

Drawings from our beautiful 1937 Georgian home.

It had beautiful rain collector boxes at the tops of the eavestrough downspouts, a lovely pair of large round windows flanking the large front door, which was topped by a sculpted shell canopy, and well proportioned double-hung windows with panels underneath them and louvered shutters held back by iron shutter dogs. A majestic and thick chimney, 3 interesting original bathrooms with one-piece elongated toilets from 1937 that still functioned beautifully were other rare features of the day, and the house waste of the first that had the interior walls made of gypsum lath (smaller sheets of drywall) with smooth plaster perfectly laid over it.

We modernized certain elements while keeping many others, and had a ton of respect for the house as it had been designed and built. It had been loved by the same family for 40 years prior to my wife and I falling in love with it. It also had two massive sunrooms with stunning walls of windows which we reconstructed, with hydronically heated floors connected to the modern boiler that we replaced the original behemoth with.

An Instagram that I have recently been enjoying shows original drawings of houses and their floor plans from the early half of the 20th century, and it’s really fascinating. I’m a total nerd for this kind of thing! I guess it’s the architect in me, as I’ve been designing house layouts since I was a young teen.

Selling an older home in Toronto can be a very rewarding endeavour, but it comes with a good list of particular challenges and considerations. You may be looking to downsize, relocate, or simply effect a change of scene, so understanding the ins and outs of selling an older property is critical in making such a transaction work to your favour, and to also represent it properly to prospective buyers.

Preparing the Property for Sale:

Making your older home appealing to potential buyers is of vital importance, prior to listing it for sale. I always emphasize that we look for any signs of decay, as these are the first things that outsiders will spot.

In fact, it’ll be what they’re looking to find, in order to either get a bargain, or to assure themselves that they’re not buying a money-pit. Putting your best foot forward, initially, but ensuring that your home is in its best possible condition by tackling any necessary and obvious repairs and maintenance issues is paramount…

Peeling, chipped or worn paint is a biggie, and a fresh coat and proper preparation and treatment of the damage is an economical fix that gives a great return. This, and other cosmetic enhancements to the curb appeal of your house will attract people at first glance, giving them a stellar first impression of the property being well-maintained, and thus increase it’s initial perceived value.

Minor plumbing or electrical problems should be eliminated to ensure buyers that there are no safety issues, as these systems, if deteriorated, can cause the greatest damage, and the prospect of this scares off many buyers.

Older homes can age gracefully, but most don’t, due to neglect. The responsibility is huge, but, like anything of value, conscientious attention is well-placed. Consider, as a comparison, the preservation of vintage cars, the proper storage of a wine collection, or even one’s own personal upkeep through exercise and good nutrition.

If you love older Toronto homes, read this post about older Toronto condos right here.

Upkeep Items to Note:

Below are some things to keep in mind, and to have good records of, in the event that you are asked the typical questions that are included in the thorough quizzes put forth by buyers and their agents, in order for you to look like a superstar seller of a covetable property.

Prove that you’ve been on top of things, and have all your maintenance records on hand, and that you’ve done all the right things to ensure the preservation of your property… no one wants to begin a relationship with a new home by acquiring a money-pit… You may even consider having a home inspector, architect or general contractor come through the house to highlight any issues that may resurface with a potential buyer’s visit/inspection. These are the biggies:

Foundation and basement: Check outside for any mortar cracks in the brickwork caused by settling or unevenness of the foundation, This can even show in irregularities in your siding or paint cracks. Also check mould and efflorescence on the interior walls and understand the causes. Often these are residual from past problems, such as improper grading up to the outside walls of the house, poor drainage from eavestroughs or piles firewood and other things left against the house. At the very least, sure that the efflorescence is dry, and any flaky paint is scraped off and cleaned up.
The age and condition of the roof: Check for loose, cupping or worn shingles. Are there any leaks manifesting themselves inside the house (stained ceilings and walls)? Is the roof bowing (indicating possible rot of the structure beneath)?
Age of the plumbing system: Low water pressure is often an indication of a problem. There could be an insufficient water service into the house, but often galvanized piping is the culprit as it gets older, developing build-up on the insides, from corrosion, restricting flow, just like human arteries that develop plaque due to cholesterol. In homes with galvanized piping, it can be quite apparent when rusty water runs from taps that haven’t been run in a number of days before clear water finally comes out. Copper piping has been around since at least the 1940s, and is considered reliable, since it doesn’t corrode. Lead pipes and connections exist in many houses built prior to the 1960s and these can case many problems and contaminate water that passes through them. Assuring buyers of any upgrades that have been made or having an understanding of what is in the house will be reassuring to buyers, who are never pleased with unexpected surprises. This knowledge can assist with a clearer offer process, and help the buyers have discussions with their insurance companies prior to firming up a sale.
Wiring and electrical distribution details: Having grounded outlets is important as it reduces the changes of fire in the future. Aluminum or knob-and-tube wiring and often frowned-upon by insurers, thus presenting a problem for buyers. Knob-and-tube is actually quite safe until upgrades are spliced into it without using junction boxes at the splice, and an electrician can often fix these issues to make them safe for an inspection, In fact a certification that an an older electrical system is safe can be acceptable to many insurers. The other important component is the electrical panel, and an older one may not be able to handle modern appliances or the extra loads of tons of new electronics, Sometimes it’s a simple matter of replacing fuses with fuse-breakers of upgrading to circuit-breakers. Other times, a new owner will want to have a higher-capacity electrical service brought to the house. In any case, having an understanding of what exists and what has been done to the electrical system in a house will answer necessary questions and give a peace of mind by eliminating guess-work when much of the system is hidden in walls and ceilings.
Utility bills: Many real estate agents will want to have an idea of past utility bills before listing; prospective buyers commonly inquire about the cost of heating, air conditioning, electrical and water usage. Knowing how old is your furnace or HVAC system is, and similarly when the windows have been replaced is great information to offer up.
A precasting inspection — a home inspection performed before putting the house up for sale — gives you time to consider and possibly fix any serious issues that a buyer’s inspection would uncover, thus positioning you better for when it’s time to negotiate with buyers
Saving receipts and warranties for new appliances, repairs, and renovations also helps show an inspector, and prospective buyers, that you are conscientious and that your house has been well-maintained.

Are you thinking about making your home smart? Here are some smart home investments for a refined lifestyle. Read more.

Take Advantage of the Home’s Unique Features

Market the unique and special features found in many older houses, which attract many people with architectural planning and details that aren’t created any more. Buyers may be particularly drawn to these properties because they admire and crave the uniqueness and unusually crafted features such as inglenooks, front hall fireplaces, stained glass windows, elaborate hardware, laundry chutes, sunrooms, butler’s pantries and special tile-work or inlaid hardwood flooring details.

Highlighting the unique charm and character embodied in these details is key to successful marketing. Draw attention to such historical aspects, architectural details, plus any renovations or upgrades that have been done over time to showcase its character and modernize functionality. Professional photography can showcase the property in the best light and generate interest online by creating visually appealing listings. Utilizing both traditional and digital marketing channels, such as social media and global media channels, ensures a broad reach, attracting a diverse audience looking for these traits and types of properties.

In Toronto, there are countless homes that are well over 100 years old, filled with these great features, but not without their share of old-house problems. Many buyers specifically ask to avoid looking at anything modern, some even cherishing aged creaking floors, iron clawfoot bathtubs, or little secret cubbies such as milk boxes at the side door.

If your house has particular historic value, such as being designed by a well-known architect or having been the residence of a prominent citizen, or having been the scene of a significant (but peaceful) occurrence, or if it possesses an architectural style that defines a neighbourhood or boasts construction details that are over an above what one normally sees, these need to be highlighted.

Front halls sometimes had built-in phone tables or niches which could be used to prominently display something of importance to you… maybe even an old phone!

Cold rooms in the basement, that are naturally ventilated to the outside are cherished by people who like to cook and have a place to store fruit and vegetables, or by wine-lovers, whose collections can remain in relatively stable cooler conditions.

Toronto has a distinct architectural history. Read more about it in this post next.

Other Items to Keep in Mind

“Design” and “decoration” are two different things… and old decor can be a huge liability. Dreary wallpaper, crazy graphics and wild paint colours, and popcorn or scalloped plaster ceilings will often diminish the effect of the great details that would otherwise be the eye-candy or the pièce de résistance in a space. Simple touches like tasteful paint colours, refitting the hardware on kitchen cabinets, or updating bathroom faucets can make a world of difference, Window coverings can also dress up a room, though old drapes can bring a space down. Switching dull bulbs in existing light fixtures to brighten a space (but beware of the colour rating… LED bulbs of 2700 or 3000K give the most comfortable light, or warm compact fluorescents, if replacing halogen and other incandescent bulbs. Great lighting will show well during showings and in professional photography used in the listing,

Stage your home to complement details and to highlight spaciousness. Remove large collections of things that clutter rooms, and select your best and most functional pieces of furniture, art and accessories, Combining modern pieces with older ones can often appear sophisticated, and give buyers an idea that an old house can showcase any type of decor and lifestyle. Rugs that are framed by the rich hardwood exude a feeling of warmth while feeling clean and luxurious.

Certain rooms can be redesignated to introduce contemporary lifestyle features such as a home office, a media room, or excercise area. As I mentioned earlier, lighting goes a long way, so making sure that natural light isn’t obscured by heavy old draperies and light fixtures all function well and are lamped with bulbs giving the correct light colour are paramount to a home showing well.

Emphasize the space you have to make it stand out from other homes… Compared to newer homes, an older one may have higher ceilings in addition to the wider casings on doors and windows, deep baseboards, and attractive panelling. Many people love the dark, old wood, but consider painting it to match your light trim. I have convinced people to do this in their homes, and they’ve been grateful after having done it. There was a time, a century ago, when people painted their woodwork to display that they had the money to afford to paint. Really! Then, others noticed that this improved the dark, dreary interiors that many houses had. They were tall, deep, and had smaller windows as well as less lights.

If you can, create vistas from room to room through archways, french doors or even views to a beautifully manicured ornamental tree outside, then emphasize these sight lines to make things seem larger by drawing the eye over a longer distance in a glance.

Marketing Strategies for Older Homes:

Highlighting the unique charm and character of your older home is key to effective marketing. Emphasize the historical aspects, architectural details, and any renovations or upgrades that have been done over the years to either update it or to showcase its character.

Professional photography can showcase the property in the best light and generate interest online by creating visually appealing listings. Utilizing both traditional and digital marketing channels such as social media and global website partners, ensures a broad reach and attracts a diverse audience interested in the distinct qualities of older homes.

Are you considering listing your home for sale soon? You can learn more about my selling process right here.

Should You Renovate an Older Home?

Many are over 100+ years old. These homes are filled with original, charming features as well as their fair share of old house problems. We absolutely love old houses because the history and character can’t be replicated in a new build.

Unique, thoughtful layouts and incredible attention to detail make these homes extra desirable for those looking to get away from the cookie-cutter designs of new builds and suburbia. However, all this old-world character often comes with a bit of a required renovation.

Highlight features such as inglenooks, fireplaces in front halls, sunrooms, pantries, seating areas on stair landings

There are a couple of categories of older homes:

1. Well maintained with some updates throughout:

A house falls into this category if no significant renovations have been done and most of the original features are still in place. This home has been well taken care of and has some minor, but visible updates. For example: updated wiring, some plumbing updates such as bathrooms and a kitchen. These updates are usually 20-30 years old, function well and have no immediate need for replacement other than cosmetic appeal.

We call these homes “move-in ready with lots of room to improve.” These types of older homes will attract buyers with plans to live in the house for several years without completing any further improvements. Often this buyer will be eager to invest their max budget for a bigger, better home requiring future renovations vs. a smaller turn-key home – longevity in a home is a big factor for most buyers these days. The importance of prepping a home like this for sale cannot be understated. A well-maintained home is one thing, but for a buyer to truly be able to envision comfortably living in a space without immediate renovations, is another.

How to prepare a well-maintained older home:

Complete a home inspection a few months before the house goes on the market, then rectify small items that need attention, as a good home inspection instils confidence in buyers.
Declutter. Potential buyers will feel better when entering a space that has character, but doesn’t feel crowded, dirty and oppressive.
Fresh, neutral paint colours give buyers a starting point to work from, where they can add their own touches and personalize to their own tastes, It’s easier to imagine adding to a clean palate than to subtract from a chaotic one,
Home staging is often vital to making people fall in love with a place. It can often combine the seller’s cherished (better) furnishings and be supplemented with other complementary items that will make them shine! I have had clients that have resisted having anything in their houses, especially some builders that have wanted to allow buyers to clearly see all their fine construction or renovation work. This actually makes house feel smaller, since it’s more difficult to imagine the scale of rooms without points of reference (a king bed, a sectional sofa or a large piece of art on the wall).
Online and social media marketing will bring this listing to the forefront in a modern world, and it can be made to stand out amongst its peers with professional photos and a feeling of being refreshed and ready to live in.
The buyers for these houses are ones that are not looking to do extensive work on the outset, and may even be happy to move right in without doing any renovations at all, for a number of years.

2. An original-condition older home that needs everything to be updated:

In contrast to the above example, you should have the house completely cleared-out. All furniture, paint cans, old-lady things, and debris must go… think “dumpster”. As an alternative, if there seems to be any quantity of items of interest (but ones that no one you know wants to keep) you could call a home-contents seller to see if they’d do a sale, with the proposal that they remove everything from the house — I’ve done this, and not had to pay anything… and not gotten anything in return either.

The place should be broom-swept clean at the very least. This will enable buyers to get a full idea of what exists, what is required, and will allow them to be able to picture the potential of particular rooms and details much better, Make sure to also empty garages, sheds, and clean up the yard. I bought an old house across from Trinity Bellwoods Park, years ago in my less-experienced days, and it came with an old Volvo in the garage. That was a bit of a trick to get rid of… The less perceived work there is for a prospective buyer upon taking possession of the property, the better.

How to prepare an original-condition home that needs everything to be updated:

Refresh the walls with a coat of neutral paint or just white primer to make rooms look cleaner, brighter and even larger.
Marketing needs to be focused on future opportunity and the potential value and return on a renovation or rebuild. Opening the eyes of prospective buyers to what can be achieved, what structural changes may be possible to open up spaces, and what can be added to the building under current zoning bylaws would be highly valuable information. I can offer countless ideas to this regard and can help develop a future scenario to assist, as I’ve done this myself dozens of times. To me, these houses are ripe with opportunity and are exciting challenges that give back immense rewards,
The buyers of these houses will often have more experience with resolving issues, and may be builders or renovators that will gut the building and rebuild all the interior, including electrical, plumbing and mechanical systems, For them, it’s most important to get a sold shell to work with, so it needs to be shown in its most pure light.
Many of these houses are marketed as “Where-Is/As-Is”, and it’s up to the buyer to do their own due diligence. Many are simply a building on a piece of land that has tremendous value. Land value is often higher than the value of the “improvement”, which refers to the house that sits on it, However, a lot of these tattered As-Is homes are gems in the rough… fixtures in their neighbourhoods. It may take more creativity to work with them, but highlighting what’s good can often save them from being demolished. We’re seeing a lot of this re-use in Toronto’s older neighbourhoods, and this contributes to the consistency snd beauty of the streets that they are on, In the end, the more of this that we see happening, the higher the valuations of these neighbourhoods appears to be heading.

What does it mean to find your Life of Luxury? Read more about it here.

Other Considerations when Selling an Older Home

Beyond selling an older home, you may also be selling an opportunity in an established neighbourhood, or one on a beautifully matured lot. Toronto’s older neighbourhoods sit amongst scenic ravines, dynamic high streets, and benefit from abundant infrastructure, such as good schools, community centres, parks, subway lines, and walkable amenities.

Older neighbourhoods are getting more love, now, than ever before due to their conveniences and modern lifestyles that revolve more around personal time, walking, family and urban life, People don’t want to be slaves to their cars any more, and many crave choices when it comes to personal time – restaurants, shops, museums, recreation.

The commercial areas around these established neighbourhoods flourishes, attracting other businesses and often heightens the interest in particular locates, and contribute to major increases in surrounding property values.

How to Get Started

Talk to me about your old home. I have lived in this city all my life and know about all the old neighbourhoods. I’ve lived in several of them, and I’ve owned several old homes, too. I’ve renovated, embellished and loved them. I have re-planned them, revitalized them, rebuilt several.

I can tell you what you can achieve, or help present to a buyer what value they can extract from your old home. If you’re looking at old houses, I can help you figure out the structure, the existing utility and distribution systems, and what you could do to capitalize on an astute investment. In addition to assessing the houses themselves, I thoroughly evaluate their contexts and what may be happening to benefit the future of a particular neighbourhood. The luxury of location and the richness of history are established and unique. This is what makes older homes so special.

Are you looking for Toronto real estate advice? Reach out directly by calling 416-824-1242, emailing robert@lifeofluxury.ca, or filling out the form on this page.

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