Art House - Unique Toronto Real Estate

06/27/2026

06/05/2026

06/02/2026

How do you know when you have found the perfect home? You know it when you feel it. That calming feeling of arriving home hits you the minute you walk through the door of 105 De Grassi Street. As you browse, there are no major tradeoffs, only subtle personalizations. It is a home that feels fundamentally sound from almost every perspective. De Grassi Street is the most sought-after and charming street in the neighbourhood, and this attractive Victorian-era home is one of its finest examples.

Sitting on a proper 16 x 115 ft lot, the outdoor space is where it matters most: in the back. The backyard is an ideally deep, natural, private, low-maintenance oasis. Inside, the home has been artfully designed to maximize space and volume. The main floor ceilings are over 10 feet tall, while upstairs, vaulted ceilings in both the primary bedroom and spa-like washroom, complete with a skylight, create an airy feel.

The primary bedroom features custom closets, while the rear bedroom includes custom millwork and a window seat overlooking the backyard. There is a washroom on every floor, including a new 3-piece washroom in the recently lowered and finished basement. The lower level offers a rec room, office, or additional bedroom, along with excellent storage. The kitchen is perfectly sized, complete with a desk nook and walkout to the backyard. Outside, newer fencing and mature trees, including an impressive neighbouring birch, create multiple spots to unwind.

Next door, each attached neighbour is lovely and quiet. Most exciting is the upcoming Ontario Line station at Queen & De Grassi. Not too close, but an ideal walk away, it is a long-term catalyst for both convenience and future appreciation. The owners have a car and have consistently found street parking. Add quick access to the DVP and Gardiner Expressway, and you have a home that is not only unique, but also a safe bet.

2BR - 3WR, full finished basement, beautiful street, beautiful backyard.

Listed by me, $1.099M - Please contact me for more information. Link in bio!

06/01/2026

Open House Sat-Sun 1-4pm

04/25/2026

Two weeks ago, I featured a home in Queen West and talked about how homes in Toronto often form around the lifestyle of a neighbourhood, and become a reflection of its cultural identity. It’s not a new or surprising thought. It’s fairly obvious. You’re going to notice commonality in people’s priorities, fashion, and taste within neighbourhoods across the city.

You might be sitting in a neighbourhood right now, assimilated, loving life, and enjoying the balance. Or you might be the outlier, feeling like you don’t belong, or like you’re in transition to another place. Or maybe you are just you, and you couldn’t care less about this philosophical stuff. You live where you live because that’s where you ended up. When you see as many homes and neighbourhoods as I do, it’s hard not to pick up on the trends and the personalities that live there.

In the dining room of 40 Claremont Street, there’s a large bookshelf neatly organizing books about art, fashion, politics, and more. Prominently displayed is the adult children’s book Life Doesn’t Frighten Me. The book pairs Maya Angelou’s poem “Life Doesn’t Frighten Me”, a simple but surprisingly introspective rhyme, with artwork by the late painter Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Basquiat started as a street artist before bridging the gap between street art and the elite fine art world. This house feels like it’s waiting on something similar. Queen West started that transition years ago, back when it was harder and edgier. The home needs a lot of work, but is also an honest representation. The owners are seemingly moving through life in a way where they leave well enough alone. The priority is personal expression. We’ll make do with what we have, and do what we have to, not more, not less - the most important part is that it feels like home. They haven’t gentrified with the neighbourhood and although it doesn't come through well in the pictures, they’ve proudly run the other way.

If you are in the area on Sunday, I suggest you go by the open house to take a look.

~Nick

04/13/2026

This is a house where I think the neighbourhood and the home sync up really well. It feels like it belongs to west-enders who genuinely jive with Queen West. There is something about the culture of a neighbourhood and living in a home that embodies that culture. You can always spot the homes that don’t fit.

From the street, it blends right into a classic Victorian row, cozied up to the sidewalk. Inside, it’s a hodgepodge of styles meshed together over the years, not unlike Queen Street these days. I am not a believer that a home needs to be perfect or overly refined. In fact, I’m more suspicious of homes that are. I’d rather an honest property, flaws apparent, so I know what I’m getting into. With this house, you see the flaws and you see the valuable work that’s been done over time. You can tell what you’d need to do to make it yours, which makes it easier to assess value and decide whether to move forward. It’s a grand and spacious Victorian with the classic look and vibe.

What I like most is the size of the windows and the east-west exposure. Even though it’s a row home, there is plenty of light in every room, and you don’t get that bowling-alley feeling. You could also add a third bedroom on the second floor if needed, while maintaining the front family room.

~Nick