The Toronto real estate market never ceases to baffle me. One week they’re saying the housing market is slumping and the next a random house sells for $1,165,000 in six days.
This Yonge and Eglinton house got a crazy amount of attention in the short time it was listed. According to the realtor, it racked up over 2,100 hits on the MLS listing, 41 outside broker showings, 76 groups of people through the weekend open houses and five registered offers.
While it’s not a bad house, I don’t think it deserved this amount of attention. The living room seems spacious enough and has some nice large windows letting in some natural light.
The kitchen seems small and in desperate need of some new cabinets and countertops.
The upstairs bedrooms are nothing to write home about, even the master bedroom is meh.
The bathrooms also seem in need of an upgrade.
The basement has your typical rec room, laundry room and extra bedroom.
As far as outdoor space goes, there’s a private backyard but as the pictures were taken in the dead of winter, it’s hard to say if it’s nice or not.
Regardless of the ordinary nature of the home, the owners who bought the house back in 2015 for just over $800,000 are now sitting pretty with that 44 per cent increase in price.
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The Essentials
The Essentials- Address: 233 Castlefield Avenue
- Type: Semi-detached house
- Bedrooms: 3 + 1
- Bathrooms: 2
- Size: 19.58 x 133.45 feet
- Realtor: Harvey Kalles Real Estate Ltd. Brokerage
- Hit the market at: $795,000
- Sold for: $1,165,000
![233 castlefield ave toronto]()
Why it sold for what it did?
Why it sold for what it did?I honestly have no idea why this house sold for $1.17 million. Maybe for the location? I mean it certainly wasn’t for a stunning renovation job. According to the realtor, the only change made to the home was a conversion from hot water oil heat to a natural gas boiler.
![233 castlefield ave toronto]()
Was it worth it?
Was it worth it?I personally don’t think so. Even if you do a ton of renovations the house is average at best. But maybe I’m missing something.
Still, if you keep your eyes open for the signs of a substation home (like oddly frosted windows) you'll likely find one tucked away in Etobicoke or North York's Leaside neighbourhood. 
With an American motel vibe, the face of this building consists mostly of empty units on the second floor, save for one with a 4:20 signage. Judging by the presence of the two men alertly patrolling the balcony, it's easy to assume that 4:20 sells exactly what you think it does. 
While there's a back entrance that leads you right to the food court, a short walk through the Centre's main hallway sets the mood. 
From the happening barbershop to the gold and silver pawnshop, the businesses here operate almost exclusively in Spanish. Locals of the Jane and Finch area are the main patrons of Plaza Latina, where people greet each other by name as they pass one another in the hallway. 
Selling salsa CDs and telenovela DVDs, Mac Video has somehow managed to stay afloat over the years, while the market Super Guatemala also continues to thrive next door by selling products like candles, spices and snacks straight from Latin America.
As you near the food court, you'll see a couple of video game machines that have clearly seen their fair share of KOs over the years, yet are surprisingly still in full working order — much like everything else in Plaza Latina. 
Occupying the right corner of the market is where you'll find five stalls representing cuisine from Colombia, Mexico, Peru, El Salvador and Ecuador. 
The sixth store, a Chilean bakery called Autentica Spanish Food and Empanadas, is the main attraction at the far end of the food court. 
Operating apart from the other stalls, with prime real estate at the other end of the food court, it bustles with weekend customers vying for empanadas.
La Fuente Del Puro Sabor is the stall where you'll find fresh juices and the traditional Ecuadorian drink colada morada, a blend of black corn flour and berries.
Next to it is the Pupuseria El Buen Sabor, a stall that makes its traditional El Salvadoran corn tortillas from scratch. 
La Costeñita Colombiana is where you'll find plates of fried fish and meals for $15 that include giant soups, sizeable portions of rice and salads plus your choice of meat, like the Colombian bistec de higado — a beef liver special. 
Selling a huge menu of tacos, flautas and other traditional Mexican fare, Chilango Taco is a food court favourite. 
It's not hard to see why, considering they have some of the best chips and guac I've ever tried. At just $8, it's completely worth the house-baked chips and portion of small — but incredibly flavourful — guacamole. 
El Sabroson is the Peruvian restaurant serving up dishes like the popular Peruvian-Chinese beef dish lomo saltado, a salty Chifa favourite served on rice.
The last stall, Comedor Popular Ecuatoriano, is tucked in the corner with easy access to the food court exit. They serve full meals of fried fish with rice and slices of plantain and empanadas full of cheese. 
Their drink selection includes the popular sodas Inca Kola and Manzana, the Ecuadorian apple soda. Both are great options to go with whichever delicious Latin American meal you choose. 
If you have some understanding of Spanish, Plaza Latina is a great place to practice. However, English speakers are more than welcome here and displaying openness to food is totally embraced here. Just make sure to carry cash: it's either that or debit only. 
