Guelph Mercury
GUELPH — One of the latest additions to local real estate listings is being promoted far and wide.
“We are certainly casting a wide net,” said Andy Taylor, an agent with Sotheby’s International. “There could be a number of potential buyers, both local and maybe even international.”
With a $5.4 million price tag, it could take some effort to unite the sprawling estate with the right buyer.
Located at 2188 Victoria Rd. S. — adjacent the fifth hole of the new Victoria Park Valley golf club — some of the property’s amenities include a 5,000 square foot home with seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms, separate pool and carriage houses and a terrace with a large pool, waterfalls and two hot tubs.
“The house is spectacular,” Taylor said. “It really is a retreat.”
He said the property would be ideal for anyone seeking a quiet spot within commuting distance from Waterloo Region, Toronto and Pearson airport.
“It’s ideal for someone who wants to be out of the city and is looking for some quiet, but doesn’t want to have to drive to Muskoka,” Taylor said.
It was the home of entrepreneur Russ Hawkins, who died in October, 2012, after his airplane crashed at Puslinch Lake. Just a few months earlier, the estate was the site of Burgers, Bands and Balls, an event to raise funds for the Foundation of Guelph General Hospital.
With its lofty price tag, the property is by far the most expensive residential property listed locally on the MLS website.
“It is not typical for this area,” said Matthew Bennett-Monty, president of the Guelph and District Association of Realtors. “Certainly, looking at that property there is not much in terms of comparison.”
Bennett-Monty said there are several properties in Puslinch listed in excess of $1 million, but nothing remotely close to $5.4 million.
“I haven’t been through the property, but certainly looking at the photos it’s very impressive,” he said.
Bennett-Monty said his own brokerage deals in a lot of higher-end properties and is seeing “an increased number of buyers” for such listings, including “bi-generational” situations with parents and their adult children buying jointly.
He would not be surprised if the purchaser of 2188 Victoria is from another country.
Bennett-Monty noted his own firm tracks hits on its website and routinely detects interest from outside Canada.
“I know we have had hits from such places as Dubai and Jerusalem,” he said. “It’s interesting to be able to track that. Obviously, I don’t know if those people are serious buyers, but they’re keeping an eye on our market.”
stracey@guelphmercury.com