Buyers’ $325,000-over-asking bid knocks out two rivals

5 Harlowe Court, Whitby, Ont. WHITBY

Asking price: $1.1-million (November, 2021) Selling price: $1.425-million (November, 2021) Previous selling price: $225,000 (October, 1993) Taxes: $6,400 (2021) Days on the market: six Buyers’ agent: Ira Jelinek, Harvey Kalles Real Estate Ltd.

THE ACTION Agent Ira Jelinek’s clients were determined to move out of their three-bedroom townhouse in Ajax, Ont., and were in search of a larger house. The task was arduous, with several options to bid for that sold to rival offers. Finally, they outbid two other parties for this four-bedroom house in Whitby, about 60 kilometres east of Toronto, on a pie-shaped lot backing onto a ravine.

“Unfortunately, you can’t have too much of a [purchase] strategy,” Mr. Jelinek said. “It’s sort of out of your control when there are other buyers around. It’s just going to go to the highest bidder, so you have to figure out what it’s worth and what you’re willing to pay.”

WHAT THEY GOT This 2,754-squarefoot house has a two-storey plan with an L-shaped configuration, an unfinished basement and an attached double garage.

Directly off the front foyer is a dining area and an adjacent kitchen renovated with quartz countertops and stainless-steel appliances. Across the rear, there are two entertaining areas both with gas fireplaces and exits to a 500-square-foot deck and gated yard on the 38-foot-by-132-foot lot.

▪ A winding staircase leads upstairs to the bedrooms. The largest one has the luxury of his and her closets and access to one of three bathrooms.

THE AGENT’S TAKE “It has really nice curb appeal when you pull up and it was perfect inside,” Mr. Jelinek said.

“For this area, it’s what you’d expect for a four-bedroom, detached home, but this one was more special because it was on a court and on a ravine.”