If you’ve ever strolled the leafy streets of Toronto’s Little Italy neighbourhood and wondered what the insides of those grand old homes-turned-too-many-apartments actually look like, well, wonder no more.
Anyone who has ever rented as a student in this city probably already knows the answer: many of them look like haunted houses that have given up trying.
And none of them haunt harder than 43 Dewson St.
A vacant unit.
Perched on a quiet corner just a stone’s throw from the buzz of College Street, this “majestic“ six-unit multiplex just hit the market for $1,945,000—after a not-so-subtle price drop from $2.2 million.
The living area of the vacant unit.
Why the discount? Because this place is rough. Like, a bathtub falling through the floor-level rough.
Another vacant unit with a fireplace.
Sure, if you squint through the cobwebs, crumbling plaster, and general aura of despair, you can catch glimpses of the home’s former glory and character-filled past.
A kitchen.
But let’s be honest, this is less “restoration project” and more “total gut job.”
Another vacant unit with a clawfoot tub.
Inside, you’ll find six one-bedroom units, each with a kitchen, living/dining area, and a full bath.
The building is close to Trinity Bellwoods, TTC and the Ossington strip.
Three of them are currently vacant, just waiting for someone with vision, courage, and access to a dumpster.
A bathroom.
The other three? Somehow still occupied by tenants with either unshakeable loyalty or, more likely, nowhere else to go.
The main original staircase.
The listing calls 43 Dewson St. an “incredible investment opportunity,” which might not be entirely wrong.
Big windows let in lots of natural light.
A property like this in Little Italy, post-reno, could easily be worth double the current asking price.
Another unit.
Fix it up, pass a few inspections, and you could be charging more than $2,000 a month per unit.
A bathroom that needs renovating.
But—and this is a big but—century homes in this kind of shape often turn into money pit nightmares. Behind every wall is something you never anticipated or thought was even possible.
The utility room.
Still, if you’re dreaming of becoming Toronto’s next big real estate mogul…or slumlord…43 Dewson St. could be your ticket.
There’s parking on the side of the house.
Just bring a contractor, a structural engineer, and maybe your therapist. You’re gonna need all three.