‘Very rare’ heritage home constructed in 1820s is back up for sale in Forest Hill
A heritage-designated property in Toronto’s coveted upper Forest Hill neighbourhood has hit the market—a home the listing agent says is 'very rare' for the area. Here’s what it looks like inside.
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171 Old Forest Hill Rd. A heritage-designated property in Toronto’s coveted upper Forest Hill neighbourhood has hit the market—a home the listing agent says is “very rare” for the area. Here’s what it looks like inside.
171 Old Forest Hill Rd. This home was first constructed in 1824, though the property pays homage to its historic roots while also keeping up with the times with some modern finishes.
William Moore House This house was officially designated a heritage property in 2000, as it was originally constructed for Capt. William Moore, who was a farmer and veteran of the War of 1812.
William Moore House It is one of the earliest surviving buildings in Toronto, according to the heritage property report, reflecting the early history of the area before the northern part of Forest Hill was developed.
A “very rare” home for the neighbourhood Batori Group’s Bobby Pasternak told CTV News Toronto that it’s “very rare” that this type of home exists in upper Forest Hill.
“This neighbourhood was really built in the early 1900s, 1920ish,” Pasternak said. “Most of the homes around … a lot of them have been knocked down and now they’re modern homes around, and this is the only heritage home in the neighbourhood.”
Sits on a “sprawling” lot Pasternak also pointed to the lot size of the property, calling it “sprawling” for the neighbourhood at around 80-feet-wide.
“There’s not really anything this size (in this neighbourhood), so the land is tremendous,” Pasternak said.
Designed by a prominent Canadian artist Erin Rothstein, a Montreal-born artist known for her hyperrealistic paintings, designed the home after she bought it.
“She has an amazing artistic eye,” Batori Group’s Bobby Pasternak told CTV News Toronto. “You have a mixture of heritage with this classic design.”
How many bedrooms? There are five-plus-one bedrooms and four bathrooms on the property, with the primary suite complete with an ensuite bathroom and walk-in closet.
Original floors and windows “It’s got over 10-foot ceilings on the main floor, which just feels so regal,” Pasternak noted. “All of the original windows are in place, which are beautiful and the original pine floors and the baseboards and the crown mouldings.”
Private backyard The Forest Hill home also has a private backyard, complete with a wood-fired oven.
Ample parking space Outside of the garage, which can accommodate one-and-a-half cars, Pasternak says up to eight cars can park on the property grounds.
How much is it selling for? The home has been listed for $3,849,000, which Pasternak said was priced down a little bit from when it was listed last year.
‘Just a matter of time’ While Pasternak didn’t say exactly how many showings there were, he said there have been a bunch since it went back up on the market.
“It’s just a matter of time ‘til somebody buys it, the right buyer,” Pasternak said, but added how its uniqueness for Forest Hill could take time. “If this house was in the Annex or Rosedale, it would be sold for 30 per cent more in five minutes, but in this neighbourhood … it’s so rare that people can’t really wrap their heads around it.”
