I saw the "FOR SALE" sign last Monday, and I have been waiting for it for quite a while.
I am talking about my "dream" house cross the street, which I wrote about it four years ago on the grand opening day of this town house development. Unfortunately, my ideal model was sold out when I got there. What was even sadder was that even if it were still available, I could not afford it. $610K for a 1700 sq-ft townhouse? Neither K nor I had the gut to throw our hard-earned money on it.
Last year, it was finally finished and a sales office was setup in a unit in the street-facing row to sell the remaining units. I went there and chatted with the sales lady and learnt that there was still one of my dream units left, but the price had increased to $690K. I did not bother to ask her to show me the unit, partially because it was in a different row, also because I was stunned by the price increase.
Since then, I have been waiting for a "FOR SALE" sign for that unit model, so I can have look inside. So, when finally I saw it, I immediately made email-reminder for myself to see the open house over the weekend. After 6 years of drooling, I have to physically feel it.
Today is Sunday, a lazy day, and K is gone to have an acupuncture therapy for his behind-the-knee hamstring problem that has been bothering him for the last couple of years. When I step onto the street, I see "OPEN HOUSE" signs on both sides of the street. There is a picture of the Realtor on the sign. Wow, I have to say: he is very good-looking!
A middle-aged woman is waiting on the curb to cross the street (jay walking) and I follow her to the south side. Surprisingly, she is also going to see that unit.
After I ring the door bell twice, the door is opened and here comes the Realtor: Mr. M. Wahab. He is even more "dreamy" than in the picture: tall, dark and totally handsome. Based on his name, I guess he is a middle-east descendant, probably Iranian. I always think Iranian men have very high percentage of male beauty as long as they don't hide it under the beard. Mr. Wahab's attire, especially the tight-fit white dress shirt that showcases his wide chest and strong shoulder, tells me he is aware of his attractiveness and probably is using it as an advantage in this overly competitive business he is in.
Too much about the salesman, so let's focus on the house, which is totally empty. I was told the owner bought it from the builder and rented it out for a while, and now the owner put it on the market. To be fair, the unit still looks brand new.
Since I have been sort of obsessed with it for a long time, the floor plan is already in my head. Now I can compare it with the actual thing. The main floor feels wide, which is one of the reasons I like it, but it does not feel as big as I expected, probably because it is empty. It is also because of the entrance closet, which protrudes into the middle of main floor, divides a square layout into two, making the bigger half feel smaller than it could be and the smaller half virtually useless.
The second floor has three bedrooms, and all of them have a nice rectangular shape. If I have to be picky, then 1)the hallway and the stairway feel a bit jammed; 2)the master bedroom en suite only has a shower, no bath tub. But the second bathroom shared by the other two bedrooms has a bath tub. Should it be the other way around?
On the ground floor, I see the double garage, the laundry room, and the French door to the backyard. The yard is a small but the size is decent for a small family. Too bad it is not fully enclosed: there is only a half-way fence between units, giving the landscaper the access to mow the lawn. The lawn care is not free though: together with snow-removing, it costs about $100 a month. But still, it is a free hold townhouse, which means everything else has to be taken care of by the individual unit owner.
By the time I finish all the floors, the women has left and no other potential buyers show up. So I have a little chat with Mr. "Dreamy". He told me that there is another town home unit at Bayview and Cummer. He volunteers to show me the unit because he knows the listing agent well. Since I drive home via Cummer sometimes, I know roughly what he is talking about, but it does not interest me because the unit has three levels in addition to the garage level. Even though it is cheaper (middle 600K) and bigger (2300 sq-ft), my love is still on this unit we are in.
So, what's the new price after all?
A hefty $729,900!! That's almost 20% of increase over four years!
Bye-bye, Mr. Dreamy...
Bye-bye, my dream...
