You've probably heard the phrase, "don't judge a book by its cover". Well, this story certainly parallels that iconic saying. It starts with a 96-year-old woman living in Toronto for nearly 75 years.
She decided that she wanted to move out of the house, but was reluctant to do so. Her realtors were skeptical about what they're going to find. They assumed the worst, and hoped for the best. Just wait until you see what they discovered.
The Sister Agents
This is the Spizzirri sisters, Carla and Gladys. They're both well-known real estate agents in the Toronto area and have plenty of experience between the two.
Together, they aim to dominate the Toronto housing market, and well, they're on their way to doing so. But, with that being said, there's no amount of experience in the industry that could've prepared them for what a little 96-year-old lady had in store.
It Began With A Call
It started like any other day for the sisters. It was Carla who was in the office, and of course, there was nothing unusual about the phone ringing.
Carla took the call and found herself conversing with a hesitant yet pleasant woman named Joyce. The call started very normally, but it didn't take long for Carla to realize this wasn't a normal call.
Carla Expected The Worst
At first it seemed like Joyce was simply a potential seller looking to get the best price for the sale of her house. Carla assured Joyce that she would work hard to get the best price for her house that she could.
Carla wasn't expecting a mansion or a luxury house. In fact, Carla had a mental image of what she thought the house looked like.
Joyce Revealed Her Age
Joyce revealed that she was 96 years old, and Carla started to worry. Usually, homeowners at that age have neglected their house for years just because of the physical demand.
Often times elderly homeowners live in pretty gross houses, to be honest. If the owner wasn't bringing in fat paychecks, Carla and Gladys could conclude that this might not attract buyers or command a good price.
She Had Collected Memories
Joyce revealed that she's been collecting an assortment of mementos in her home. That only made Carla feel more vindicated in her original thesis that the house is probably in bad condition.
But, Joyce was very lucid, which kept piquing Carla's interest. She didn't expect the house to be in good condition, but she loved that Joyce's mind was as sharp as a needle.
She Had A Plan For The Future
Joyce was beginning to feel like it was time to move out of her house. She was starting to feel like it was time to move to a retirement home for the rest of her years.
She was formerly a seamstress, and her age has made it really hard to do needlework.
She Became Hesitant
Even though she had a plan, she still hesitated to leave her home. It was only natural for a woman who had invested so much time in the house. I mean, she had been living there since she was 24 years old.
Joyce had decorated the home herself, and it held decades upon decades of memories. It was nearly impossible to let go.
Putting The Deal On Pause
The fact that she was hesitant to sell was becoming a huge headache to Gladys and Carla. They couldn't market the house properly if she wasn't committed to selling it.
Joyce's ambivalence was also concerning Carla and Gladys, who began to think that the house was in really poor condition.
They Began To Prepare For The Worst
It isn't rocket science to realize that if someone is hesitant to sell their house and is being really vague as to why, it's probably not a good reason.
Carla and Gladys were still holding off hope that the house wasn't a complete disaster, but that hope was shrinking significantly.
But, She Came Around
Eventually, Joyce came round. She finally decided that she would sell her home. Carla and Gladys, being good realtors, pushed aside all their worries and placed their efforts and concentration into the sale.
They tried their best to rid their thoughts of their worries about the condition of the property and they were instead determined to sell the home.
They Expected A Mess
Before they had seen anything, they imagined the worst. They were getting mentally prepared for garbage everywhere and a smell that could knock you off your feet.
They assumed restoration costs would play a huge fact for a potential buyer. It's also daunting knowing that someone had been living in the house for 72 years untouched.
But They Still Hadn't Seen The Place
Their concerns were growing by the minute. As a realtor, not seeing inside the house of the place you're selling is not ideal. In fact, it's frightening.
The situation was becoming stressful for all parties involved, and a decision had to be made. The sisters needed to know what they were dealing with.
So, They Went For A Visit
Carla and Gladys finally felt like it was time to go look at the house. The unspoiled, untouched home held plenty of secrets which Gladys and her sister were finally going to be able to uncover.
The two realtors were about to find out just how poor their misconceptions truly were.
It Was A Great Location
The sisters eventually found out where the house was, and they were pretty relieved. It was in an area of West Toronto where the real estate marketing was booming.
There's a chance that even if Joyce's house was in bad shape, they could still sell the house for a relatively high price just based on location.
Joyce Invited Them Over
The whole negotiation period had been incredibly overdrawn and long-winded. Joyce was finally on track for the last time, and was convinced that now was the time to sell the house.
She sent a picture of the outside of the house, and it wasn't anything too special. The inside, however, was very different.
It Looked Very Normal
It wasn't spectacular looking, but it also wasn't all that gross either. At least from the outside, the sisters felt good about what they were seeing. A normal-looking exterior in a decent neighborhood.
Now, all Carla and Gladys could hope for was a normal looking interior. But man, oh, man they were wrong.
It Was A Time Capsule
From the second that the sisters walked in, every fear they had just flew away into the baby blue wallpaper.
The inside was like nothing they had ever seen before. The interior took their breath away. It was in pristine condition and was literally the best case scenario for everyone involved.
They Didn't Expect It
The house was a classic. It was like stepping into a time capsule of sorts and it felt like she was living in a museum of the 1950s or 1960s.
It was actually making the sisters feel a little bit silly because of the aspersions that they cast on the house before they entered it.
It Was Astounding
It's a house that only gets better and more significant the longer you stay in it. The sisters were hoping that Joyce had some homeowner's insurance for all of her vintage possessions.
The home has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and every single room was in immaculate shape. The color coordination was insane.
It Was Immaculate
Everything matched in the house. It was a palette of soft colors all the way from the wallpaper to the furniture. She had been selective and thoughtful with her choices in her decor and her efforts over the past seven decades had really paid off.
The floral, if done poorly, can take over a room, but in her house, it was not overwhelming.
The First Bathroom
The first bathroom we're going to explore is in the basement. It's designed in a such a way that the sink was spacious in some ways, and calming in others.
The sink gives the bathroom a hint of luxury, but the lilac coloring added a calming effect. The decor was superb.
Another Bathroom
The second bathroom strongly represents her preferences toward pastels and pink in particular. It was painted in pink, with pink accents and even toweling.
It truly had been an incredible privilege for the sisters to behold such a picture of the 50s in this day and age. She probably spent a lot of her savings to preserve this.
The Practical Laundry
Joyce's house wasn't just the belle of the ball in terms of its aesthetics, but it's also practical. That made Carla and Gladys very happy. This is the laundry room.
It's simple, gives ample room for movement and plenty of counter space. There's a lot of potential for this room.
The Basement Was Beautiful
The fact that there is a finished basement also helps. The cozy basement is a hidden gem. Yes, space may be limited, but there is more than enough rooms to lounge around comfortably.
The color scheme deviates from the other parts of the house, but it still has some character.
A Space To Enjoy
It still kept with the 50s to 60s theme, but it was more bold then the other rooms in the house. It was comfortable and inviting, yet functional. It would not be hard to convince buyers that investing in the home and customizing any room would be easy.
That's an important conversation that needed to be had in order to get maximum value.
The Bedroom
The house was equipped with a seamstress room, and a few bedrooms. The master bedroom was actually a good size and could easily accommodate a double bed.
Her bedroom was keeping with the lilac color palette and vivid purple carpets. The contrast of the two was actually rather unique and pretty.
The Only Thing Renovated
It's hard to believe that Joyce was able to leave the house unspoiled for over seven decades. But, there is just one exception to that. The kitchen had been renovated in the mid-sixties, and Joyce remodelled it.
The room is no doubt keeping with the theme of the house and by no means a sore thumb. The rest of the house is exactly as Joyce had bought it.
Other Amenities
There's a garden in the backyard, and even enough space to put in a pool if that's the plan. Joyce also put in astroturf in the backyard instead of regular grass so that it would cut down on maintenance.
There was one thing that still could be a roadblock: passing the health inspections. Thankfully, Joyce's little time capsule passed the inspections with flying colors.
Not For Everyone
There was also the problem of having such a feminine look. It really would distract half of the buyers, and isolate the other half.
While a buyer certainly couldn't complain about the condition of the house, it could be hard for them to see past all of the pink and purple.
The Selling Price
With all of that being said, Joyce finally was able to get a listing for her house. Carla and Gladys put it up on the market for just under $700,000. It's a wonderful price for a home that hasn't been remodeled in 72 years.
The fact that the pictures of Joyce's home went viral tells us that she probably won't have a hard time selling the house.
