Sellers beat the competition by listing Lawrence Park North semi in February lull

31 Unsworth Ave., Toronto

Asking price: $1,398,000 (February, 2024)

Selling price: $1.44-million (February, 2024)

Taxes: $5,536 (2023)

Days on the market: Six

Listing agent: Andrew Ipekian, Keller Williams Referred Urban Realty

The action

Owners of this semi-detached house prepared it for sale but the agent proposed they hold off listing it until they saw a clear sign that shoppers were actively buying properties rather than continuously browsing. That moment arrived when an outdated house nearby sold for roughly $1.2-million, so they went live for $1.398-million the last week of February.

“Not much had sold in that specific area or that street,” said agent Andrew Ipekian. “One of the great things about listing in February before the spring market is that there’s less competition.

“Once that other one sold, we wanted to follow suit because you never know if someone else is going to sell at a lower price, so you want to continue with the momentum.”

Only one offer was registered on the presentation date, though it hit $1.44-million. “The house had been renovated a while back, but still very livable versus the other house that needed a lot more renovations,” said Mr. Ipekian.

“When you set an offer date, sometimes people think it’s going to go for a crazy number, so they decide not to bid or they’re not sure. One family decided to bid and ended up getting the house.”

What they got

The house contains three bedrooms, a remodeled kitchen and two updated bathrooms.

Entertaining areas are on the main and lower levels.

The 19- by 106-foot lot has a right-of-way driveway.

The agent’s take

“The big selling feature of the property was the proximity to the subway and shops on Yonge Street, as well as the school district,” Mr. Ipekian said.

“The neighbourhood is a really great community, in fact, they have a block party every year, which you don’t normally find in other neighbourhoods.”