When It Came Time For This 96-Year-Old Woman To Sell Her Home, Real Estate Agents Were Shocked By What They Found Inside
People buy and sell homes every day. Real estate agents are used to the routine of staging, inspecting, and selling the home but every now and again, they come across a house that takes them by surprise.
Sisters Gladys and Carla Spizzirri are real estate agents who work together as part of a real estate team. They got the shock of their lives when they showed up to this 96-year-old woman's property. They had heard rumors but couldn't believe it when they saw it for themselves. Keep reading to find out why they were so surprised.
A Normal House From The Outside
This is the house that caught Gladys and Carla off guard. From the outside, it looks like a totally normal two-story home in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This house is located at 148 Jane Street. It looks just like all of the other houses on that street, and if you were to walk by it, you would never know what was lurking inside.
One day, Gladys and Carla got an unusual call about this seemingly ordinary house.
The Phone Call That Set Everything In Motion
Gladys and Carla Spizzirri had been working in the real estate industry for some time when they came across this house. They thought they had seen everything there was to see in the Toronto real estate market. One day, they got a phone call that changed everything.
On that day, they showed up to work just like they did every other weekday. Then the phone rang and the voice on the other end had an interesting proposition for them.
The Real Estate Agents Were Seasoned Professionals
Sisters Gladys and Carla hadn't always worked together. They both entered the real estate profession separately and then they later decided to join forces. It became clear to both of them that they worked well as a team. One sister would work on finding new clients while the other would work on closing deals with existing clients.
Gladys and Carla were used to working hard to get the job done, but for some reason, they knew that this particular case was going to require even more dedication.
Meet The Homeowner: Joyce
This is a photo of Joyce. She is 96 years old. It was her voice on the other end of that fateful phone call. Joyce told the realtors that she was interested in selling her home. Still, there was something in her voice that told Gladys and Carla that she was hesitant about putting her house on the market.
It became clear to the sisters that Joyce had just typed "realtor" into Google and their site was the first site that she clicked on.
Prepared For Anything (Or Were They?)
Gladys and Carla Spizzirri are seasoned real estate agents. They've been around this block a time or two. They knew that Joyce sounded a bit odd on the phone, and they had dealt with clients who were reluctant to move before. They thought they knew how to handle this specific case.
When they finally got to see Joyce's home, though, they realized that they were in for more than they bargained for. This was unlike anything they had ever seen.
Joyce Was Being Secretive
Gladys and Carla could tell that Joyce wasn't excited about selling her home. Normally, when people are contemplating a big move, there is a bit more excitement in their voice. Moving from an old house to a new house usually means a new beginning and a fresh start. It's something that most clients feel happy about.
The realtors got the impression that Joyce was hiding something from them, but they brushed that feeling off. They thought she might just be unhappy about moving into a retirement home in the future.
They Were Expecting The Worst Like A Hoarder Or A House That Was Never Updated
On the phone, Joyce told Gladys and Carla that she had lived in her house on Jane Street for the past 70 years. She remodeled the kitchen once several years ago, but other than that, no major work had been done on the house. This set off alarm bells in the realtors' minds. A house that hasn't been updated in 70 years usually isn't very sellable.
The sisters were worried about walking into an outdated dump of a house.
Finally, It Was Time To See The House
Gladys and Carla knew that when a homeowner is secretive about the state of their house, it's usually because there's something wrong with the house— a leaky basement, a roof that needs replacing, broken appliances. People keep secrets from real estate agents all the time.
This secret wasn't a usual kind of secret, though. It was something that Carla and Gladys Spizzirri hadn't seen in all their years as professionals in the real estate arena.
Inspecting The House On Jane Street
Gladys and Carla walked together through the front door of the house on Jane Street. As they opened the door, they expected the house to be a bit of a mess. They didn't think that a 96-year-old woman would be able to maintain a property of that size on her own very well.
The Spizzirris prepared themselves for the worst-case scenario, one in which the house was in such bad shape that they wouldn't even be able to sell it.
The Absolutely Gorgeous Interior
Nothing could have prepared Carla and Gladys for what they saw as they walked through Joyce's front door. The entryway of the house was absolutely gorgeous. The walls were covered in ornate blue wallpaper and decorate with tasteful gold antiques.
The house wasn't cluttered at all. In fact, it was expertly decorated and maintained. The front hallway was practically tame in comparison to the rest of the house! Gladys and Carla couldn't believe their eyes.
It Was Like A Time Capsule
So far, the only information Gladys and Carla had been able to get about the home was an address and a photo of the front. Nothing about it seemed remarkable except for the potentially huge sum they could sell the house for if it was in decent shape.
They never could have expected to be faced with such an unusual sight once they finally had the chance to see the interior of the house in person.
The Pink Was A Little Overwhelming But Beautiful
Gladys and Carla had expected one of two things about Joyce's house. The first option, and the one that seemed the most likely, was that the house would be in terrible condition. Perhaps it might even be full of junk as in a hoarding situation.
The second possibility was that the house would be completely ordinary, just as it appeared from the outside. But the sisters had been completely wrong. The house was in great shape, and it was anything but ordinary.
Everything Was From When She Originally Moved In
Needless to say, Gladys and Carla were over the moon with excitement after finally viewing Joyce's home. It was bound to sell for a lot more money than they ever could have expected.
Joyce was an impeccable housekeeper and her home was practically a time capsule from the 1940s. This was the decade when Joyce had first moved into the house and began decorating and furnishing it. Everything looked absolutely pristine and unchanged.
Joyce Loved To Decorate With Themes
As Carla and Gladys giddily explored the house at 148 Jane Street, they realized something: that each room was even more impressive than the one they had just left. In fact, it was the most well-preserved home either of them had ever been witness to.
The house was practically a museum of Joyce's life, and now the sisters understood why she had been reluctant to part with it.
Would Buyers Like This Ornate Style?
There was one potentially huge drawback to Joyce's immaculately preserved home. She had decorated the house in a very feminine style, with plenty of pink and purple color splashes as well as silky and lacy fabrics. The house was definitely not a style that would appeal to the majority of men.
What were the real estate agents to do? It would cost a fortune to redecorate the entire home and cut deeply into the sales profit.
A Perfect Basement
After seeing room after room of pinks and purples, Gladys and Carla were about to be stunned again as they entered the basement. Lo and behold, Joyce's stunning home had a man-cave down in the basement.
This space was probably her husband's escape from the frilliness of the rest of the home. It featured wood paneling, a wet bar, and neutral furniture. Surely Joyce's husband must have enjoyed hours spend down in this spectacular (and masculine) area.
The Backyard Wasn't As Nice As The Rest Of The House
You might expect this house to have a spectacular backyard, maybe a "secret garden" of sorts. Not so. Just like the rest of the home's exterior, the backyard was completely ordinary, even plain. It had AstroTurf instead of real grass and one small storage shed.
This disappointing yard wasn't a deal-breaker though! Now Gladys and Carla just needed a professional home inspector come and check for any flaws in the home.
Waiting For Inspection Day
Any real estate professional can tell you that even the best-looking houses can have a whole lot of problems lurking under the surfaces. From minor problems to big ones like flood damage or unhealthy mold, almost any home has a flaw or two.
Carla and Gladys were fully confident that Joyce's house was in great condition. But even so, they knew they had to wait for the inspector's official findings. You just never know.
Worried About Hidden Surprises
After a nail-biting wait, the home inspectors finally arrived at 148 Jane Street and got to work. The teams thoroughly checked out every inch of Joyce's home, looking for any hidden surprises that could derail the house's sale.
There was no need to worry. The house was in near-perfect condition, with the inspectors saying that it was in about the same state as it had been when Joyce had first moved in 70 years earlier. It was time to list the house and find a buyer for it!
Putting The House Up For Sale
As you can imagine, Gladys and Carla were eager to get this gem of a home on the market as soon as possible. In fact, they listed it the very same day as the inspection. Their asking price: a jaw-dropping $699,000!
A bidding war quickly started. Everyone who saw the house was astonished by its interior and wanted it for themselves.
People Couldn't Get Enough Of These Photos
As word spread about the condition of Joyce's home, the story began to attract some major attention. It was picked up by news outlets and became a huge story, eventually going viral. People were absolutely obsessed with the house.
In fact, a lot of people who saw the home felt that it should be preserved as a 1940s museum rather than somewhere to live. But then Joyce revealed that she had, in fact, made a change to the home while she lived in it.
From The '40s To The '60s
Many of the home's new fans were flabbergasted that it had been kept intact since the 1940s. Some of them were disappointed when Joyce revealed that she had actually had the kitchen renovated in the 1960s.
The reason for the update was that she'd wanted to upgrade her appliances to the more modern ones that had become available, which is perfectly reasonable. And the current kitchen was still exactly the same as it had been in the '60s.
Joyce's Next Steps
Joyce had always enjoyed interior design and had furnished her home at 148 Jane Street exactly the way she wanted it. So why was she willing to leave it after 70 happy years in the house?
Well, Joyce was finally ready to retire. She was going to move into a retirement community and enjoy her golden years in comfort and relaxation. Even so, it must have been difficult to leave her home behind.
The Future Of The House
When Joyce and her husband moved into the home in 1942, it was a very different time. Things have changed a lot in the ensuing 70 years. So one question that everyone has about Joyce's house is whether the new owners will keep it as the time capsule it was, or whether they'll want to renovate and modernize the place.
The new owners, of course, will have the right to do whatever they'd like with their property. Those of us who appreciate history certainly hope that they'll make an effort to keep things the same, but only time will tell.
What About The Furniture?
Well, this could be a dealbreaker to potential buyers of Joyce's house! It turns out that the remarkable vintage furniture filling the home isn't included in the sale. This might be disappointing to people who are attracted to the unique interior.
Joyce's daughter wanted to keep the furniture, which is perfectly reasonable. She probably has lots of fond memories attached to the furnishings (and to the house itself.)
The Same Bed For 70 Years
It's hard for some of us to imagine living in the same place for so long, but Joyce has been in the home at 148 Jane Street since she was just 24 years old. Although you can't tell from the home's brick exterior, the inside is a museum of Joyce's life -- and of her impeccable sense of style!
This is the master bedroom, where Joyce said she spent lots of time. Everything looks just as fresh and well-kept as when it was brand new.
A Beautiful Bathroom
People are fascinated by Joyce's design style. As she told the Daily Mail, she has strong ideas about color. "I like soft colors, and I like things to match and flow well together. I prefer tone-to-tone to bright colors," she said.
This approach to color can be seen in the smallest details, even in the bathroom. The bath mat, toilet seat cover, and towels all complement each other. And there are matching gold accents throughout the room.
Details Are Everything
Now for the details. Joyce's unique home has a total of three bedrooms and two bathrooms. There are cozy fireplaces throughout the house, a perfect escape from those brutal Canadian winters.
The interior design style is most strongly from the 1940s, but also has elements from later decades. Each room has its own unique color scheme, but they all work nicely together too.
The House Was Very Well Maintained
Despite the fact that it's more than 70 years old, Joyce's house has all the modern conveniences. This dedicated laundry room is fully-equipped with everything you need to keep your wardrobe clean.
These cabinets look as shiny and new as if they were just hung last year. Even the laundry room of 148 Jane Street is a testament to the love and care that Joyce and her husband put into their home.
To Sell Or Not To Sell?
There was so much uncertainty in Joyce's voice during her phone call with Gladys and Carla that they were worried she might just change her mind about selling the house. She insisted that she was ready to part ways with the house despite how difficult that would be.
Leaving a house with so many precious memories is never easy, especially when you've lived in the same home for seven decades, as Joyce had.
Rising Housing Prices
Joyce's house had one other major thing going for it aside from the impressive interior: it was located in a nice neighborhood that was highly sought-after. Prices in the area had been rising over the past few years.
Carla and Gladys had already run the numbers on comparable houses in Joyce's neighborhood. Even if her home wasn't in decent condition, it would fetch a fortune when it was sold. Luckily, it had a unique inside as well!
Prime Real Estate Location
As they say in real estate, location is everything. This was something Gladys and Carla knew well, having worked in the industry for so many years, They'd had great luck selling other homes in Joyce's neighborhood at high listings. How much would Joyce's house sell for?
The numbers they had already crunched indicated that Joyce's home could be worth an astonishing $968,000. But there were so many unknowns still involved. If the home was in terrible shape, which was likely, the price would be much, much lower. And then again, Joyce might decide not to sell her house after all.
Would She Go Through With The Sale?
Carla and Gladys spoke with Joyce for quite a while after viewing the house since Joyce wanted to make sure she understood everything the real estate agents were telling her.
Both sisters were surprised that Joyce seemed very clear-headed and didn't seem to have any difficulty speaking with them despite being 96-years-old (as many elderly people do.) At the end of the day, Joyce confirmed she was ready to sell the house and close the sale.
Closing The Deal
In their three decades of working in Toronto, Gladys and Carla Spizzirri had learned the city inside and out but never experienced anything like this. They were experts who had been inside hundreds, if not thousands, of Toronto-area houses and Joyce's house was a first for them.
The sisters were grateful they had the opportunity to work with such a fascinating and unique woman. Who knew how much a simple phone call could change everyone's lives!
A Mansion Preserved In Time
This is the Pineheath house, a mansion in Yorkshire, England. You would think that anyone who owns a mansion wouldn't leave a single thing behind, but such is exactly the case for this 40-room estate.
The Pineheath house once belonged to an Indian-born aristocratic couple, Sir Dhunjibhoy and Lady Bomanji. The home was left virtually untouched after Lady Bonmanji's passing in 1986, nearly 50 years after her husband. When a local businessman purchased it with plans to restore it, he didn't know he'd be stepping into the past.
A Real Time Capsule
Sir Dhunjibhoy and Lady Bomanji ostensibly bought the home in the early 20th century, as many of the home's furnishings are in a style representative of the 1920's. This antique-style bathroom is one example. As you can see, its tub and the fixtures around the sink aren't styles you'd see in a modern bathroom.
Strangely though, the home was found in impeccable condition, despite the fact that no one has lived there since the '70s or '80s.
The Technology Isn't Up To Date
The home may have had a 1920's style to it, but many of the family's belongings were from another era. They clearly kept up with technology in the '80s. Old tape players and outdated television sets were found throughout the home.
After Lady Bomanji's death in 1986, the home went to her daughter who died in 2012. It seems that her daughter didn't do much with the home since it came into her possession.
An Apartment In Paris
A flat in Paris was left untouched since early 20th century. Its previous owner fled to the south of France during World War II and never returned. Upon her death at age 91, experts were sent back to the home to take inventory of what she left behind.
Much of its furnishings look as if they were from the 1800's. They were certainly outdated as well, including a stone sink and a wooden stove.
Very Unique Taste
It seems that the previous owner clearly had expensive taste, but she had some simple interests as well. In addition to a stuffed ostrich, experts also found a dated Mickey Mouse plush toy. De Florian also had a number of luxurious jewels, gowns, and porcelain.
However, the apartment was entirely furnished by the owner's grandmother, Marthe de Florian, who died in 1939. De Florian's granddaughter continued to pay the rent until her death, despite the fact that she didn't live there.
An Expensive Painting
Perhaps the most glorious find of the apartment was an original painting by 19th-century Italian artist Giovanni Boldini. The expert who excavated the home couldn't find any record of the Boldini painting in official archives, but a love note from Boldini himself proved they'd found a jackpot.
They believed that Madame de Florian must have been one of his muses. The painting sold for around $3 million, which was a world record at the time for the artist.
