Opening the house was something that they had been anticipating for quite a while and now they could finally do it. Gladys and Carla Spizzirri are sisters and realtors and they were ready to see the worst possible things in the house they were about to open for the first time. What they found was so incredible, they couldn’t believe it. In fact, rumors had been whispered about the house and its interior for quite some time and now, at long last, 148 Jane Street was being put on up for sale. People could finally take a peek inside and find out exactly what had been hidden away all these years.
A Totally Ordinary Home
At first glance, 148 Jane Street was just a normal house, on a regular street in Toronto, Ontario. The street itself was simple and plain, with no notable landmarks or anything special to notice in the area surrounding the house. More regular looking buildings flanked the home, resembling it in the bland exterior.
Very few people had ever been inside the house at 148 Jane Street and the only thing they really knew about the place was that the same people had lived there for as long as memory served. That would change the day the two realtors got a call asking them to list the house for sale . . . which would require a visit.
Priced to Sell
It was a pretty standard day at the agency where the two realtor sisters worked. Everyone was busy with the usual jobs, with no expectations that today would be any different than every other day they worked. They answered the phone, showed houses, and tried to land contracts.
The agency was actually owned by the sisters, Gladys and Carla Spizzirri. They hadn’t always worked together, but discovered in 2009 that they made the perfect team and it just made sense to keep the partnership going. One sister would search for listings they could sell and the other would close the deals with potential customers. Together, they worked like a machine, perfectly in sync.
The Phone Call
After years of working separately and together, Gladys and Carla knew what was what. They were good at their job and enjoyed doing it. There weren’t many surprises in their real estate agency, but sometimes, even professionals can be surprised and this was that time. Once in a while, something pops up that will shock even the most professional of realtors.
That’s exactly what was about to happen at the sisters’ office. Something was coming and they had no idea what to expect . . . but it was something big. Silence fell for a moment on the office, a brief pause in everything and then it happened. The phone rang. And it rang with a call that would change the lives of the realtor sisters forever.
When a Stranger Calls
The phone rings all the time in a real estate office, so at first, the call seemed like any other. However, it was the person calling who would change things so drastically. She was Joyce and she was possibly interested in selling her home, she told Gladys and Carla, but she wasn’t completely sure yet.
Joyce sounded hesitant as she explained that she wanted to sell the house. It was obvious by the way she spoke and the tone of her voice that she wasn’t very happy about the prospect, but she was a persistent woman. She would sell her house no matter what. But then, she let slip a secret that Carla and Gladys would never have expected to hear, something that would change everything.
A Secret
Most people view selling their homes as a step in a better direction and they’re happy about it when they call the real estate office. For them, the idea of selling means a new beginning. But Joyce didn’t appear to be happy or excited about the possible sale of her home.
Realtors develop a sixth sense about clients and in this case, both sisters felt like Joyce was keeping a secret. Maybe it was a secret that would make it virtually impossible to sell the house. They’d had run-ins with people who tried to hide unpleasant things about houses before, since this can seriously damage the chances of a home selling.
Taking On the Challenge
Joyce wasn’t trying to hide one of the usual homeowner issues, like a broken water heater or black mold. No, her secret was far, far bigger and it was something that no one would be able to resist learning more about.
Gladys and Carla decided to take on the challenge, since they knew they were capable of listing just about anything. They’d always done well in real estate and they were ready for a new opportunity. This, however, was the first time they would discover something so bizarre and that was saying something after years of real estate jobs.
Something New
After so many years in the business, the sisters figured they’d seen it all, or at least most of it. They’d already dealt with things that would make most people give up the career. Gladys and Carla were ready to handle just about anything, or at least, that’s what they thought until they encountered 148 Jane Street.
They were wondering what on earth they’d find at Joyce’s home when they arrived to do a walkthrough. What they didn’t know, despite some crazy guessing, was that they would be absolutely shocked by what they found in the house, but first, they needed to get into the house itself and that might prove more difficult than anticipated.
Opening the Door
Together, the sisters had covered the real estate industry for 3 years and they knew the city better than just about anyone. They were particularly renowned for buying and selling homes in the most popular neighborhoods in Toronto. Not only were they experts, they had the experience to go with their knowledge.
Once in a while, the sisters would find a home that nearly sold itself and required minimal legwork. Would this be the case with the new listing? They had no idea, but were skeptical. Joyce hadn’t been exactly keen on the sale of her property. The only way to know was to go and do an inspection of the home itself.
Ready to Move On
When Joyce had talked to the sister real estate agents, she’d mentioned something surprising, that would have an impact on how they saw the property. In fact, it hinted at the surprise they were about to find as they walked in that front door. The woman interested in selling her home was older . . . she was actually 96 years old.
While her age was surprising enough, Joyce was still quite lucid and had no hearing problems. That impressed Carla Spizzirri in particular, because she recalled having to raise her voice with her own grandmother in order to be understood. The fact that Joyce could hear just fine over the phone was amazing, but the biggest impression was yet to come, when the women saw where Joyce was living.
A Hidden Surprise
As the real estate agents approached the house, they still didn’t suspect what was to come. After all, the place looked just like every other house on the block and was nothing special. But once they opened the door, they would be shocked by what the house contained and there was no hiding the inside.
Joyce told the real estate duo that she had lived in this simple home for 70 years now. In those seven decades, the house had never been touched, apart from a single kitchen remodel which gave the kitchen modern conveniences. When they heard this news, the real estate agents found themselves dreading what they would find. Would the house be in such terrible condition that they would never be able to sell it?
Anticipating the Worst
As Gladys and Carla mounted the steps to 148 Jane Street, they were pretty worried about what they were about to find. At her age, how would Joyce have managed to keep the house in working condition without bringing in help? They were prepared for the worst.
The day to inspect the house was coming quickly and the two sisters worried more and more as the big day approached. They were anxious about how clean the house would be and what they might find piled up inside. Their worst nightmare was to enter the home of a hoarder and they worried that Joyce might have filled her home with junk and debris she’d collected over the past 70 years.
The Plus Side
On the plus side, no matter what they found on the inside of the house, the real estate agents were pleased with the location of the property. The area was one where housing prices had been rising for a while now and they knew the house would be worth quite a bit. Location matters in real estate and this home had that down pat.
As soon as they hung up with Joyce, the sisters started to work out the numbers and calculate how much the property might be worth. The number they worked out was higher than they’d even imagined and they realized that this place might be a goldmine for their real estate company. They decided it was finally time to check inside the house and find out just what they needed to do to get the house market ready.
Better Than Expected
Tucked away in the Old Mill neighborhood of Toronto, Joyce’s home was in the perfect location. The other houses the Spizzirri sisters had sold in that area had all fetched impressively high prices, but no one had any idea of just how valuable Joyce’s home would prove to be when listed on the market.
After running the numbers, the sisters had come up with a whopping estimated value of $968,000. Unfortunately, that number depended heavily on the interior condition of the home and how much it would require to fix the house up and bring it up to living standards. And, there was another issue. Joyce had been very hesitant on the phone. Would she change her mind about selling her home after all?
To Sell or Not to Sell
When Joyce had called the sisters for the first time, she’d sounded uncertain about the idea of selling the house and that had Gladys and Carla worried. The older lady assured them that she did intend to sell, despite spending an incredible 72 years living there. After so much time, leaving would be heartbreaking. This was a home that was filled with wonderful memories and a life fully lived.
The way Joyce talked gave the real estate agents paused. Was the senior citizen upset about leaving her home of over seven decades, or was she actually hiding something? It would be natural for her to feel hesitant about leaving the home where all her memories had been made, but if there was something wrong with the house, that would cause issues for the agency.
The Big Surprise
Before they could make a decision or even tell how much the house might go for, Carla and Gladys had to go to 148 Jane Street and inspect the home. There would need to be repairs and inspections done before the house was even remotely ready for a buyer and how long that would take depended on how badly the home had been maintained.
Finally, the real estate duo set up a date and time to go and see the house in person and figure out what needed to be done. They never, ever expected to find what they did and it was a scene that would have shocked anyone, real estate agent or not, when they came through that front door.
A Final Choice
At this point, the only thing Carla and Gladys had to base their plans off of was the address of the house and a photo of the exterior, which was pretty mundane. It resembled all the other houses on the street and it was really nothing special.
Joyce had made up her mind, once and for all. She was selling the home and all that remained was for Carla and Gladys to come over and see the place in person. Finally, the day had come and they showed up. Joyce opened the front door to the pair and they were stunned to see what existed just beyond that front door that had been hiding everything.
An Incredible Interior
There was no way the real estate agents could be prepared for what they found inside the house when that front door opened. The interior of the house was far from mundane and it was most definitely not a hoarder’s paradise. In fact, Joyce ended up being a traditional woman who held her home to the highest standards. She took pride in her home, and it showed.
Inside, the house was beautiful and stunning, but the meticulous care that had gone into keeping the house was what was surprising. Everything in the home was perfect, from the decorations and knick-knacks to the furniture. Joyce kept everything spotlessly clean and dusted. But that wasn’t the end of the surprise.
Back in Time
Gladys and Carla were stunned to see how impeccable the house was and they felt like they’d won the lottery. The pair was in shock over the place and they knew they’d be able to get more money than they’d ever anticipated, thanks to the perfect upkeep of the house. But that wasn’t the end of the surprises.
The home was like a time capsule. Anyone walking through the front door was pulled back to the 1940s, the time when Joyce had moved into the place and had started to decorate. From wallpaper to furniture, curtains and flooring, the entire house was decorated with a careful eye to fashion at the time.
A Very Special House
As the women moved from room to room, they discovered that each living space was even more fantastic than the previous one. The house was the cleanest and best maintained that the real estate agents had seen in their long careers. It was far more than a house . . . it was a tribute to a time long gone. Joyce had taken such care of her beautiful home that she was now hesitant to leave the place.
While the house was in amazing condition on the interior, there was a serious issue that Gladys and Carla spotted immediately. It was one that could be a deal breaker for potential buyers, but they hoped it wouldn’t be a big issue.
A Big Problem
The entire home, from top to bottom, was decorated in a distinctively feminine way. While the home was incredible and well kept, that one factor would have a major impact on any male buyers who wouldn’t be pleased with pink and floral in most of the rooms. Unless someone intended to completely redo the décor, the color scheme could be an issue.
Redecorating the place would be pricey and would take a huge amount of time. That could cut into the impressive price the real estate agents intended to charge. The purples, pinks, and golds of each room would definitely have an adverse effect on any masculine men walking through the door, but one room really stood out.
A Unique Space
The most unusual room was definitely an acquired taste. It was found in the basement and featured a wet bar, with elegant wood paneling that made it the perfect space for a man. It was already set up like a man cave and would only need a few tweaks to make it perfect. It was pretty obvious that a male had spent his time here.
Evidently, Joyce’s husband must have had his own private space to hang out on his own or with his friends, somewhere out of reach of the florals and pastels that filled the upstairs rooms. It was definitely a haven from the girly features elsewhere.
Behind the House
The home was impeccable, but the back yard was less than perfect. In fact, it had obviously been neglected. Someone had put down AstroTurf at some point, but apart from that, there was no landscaping or care taken in the backyard.
Despite the one sore point in the back yard, Gladys and Carla were certain they could get an amazing price for the property and the only thing to do now was bring in inspectors to ensure there were no hidden flaws or things that would need to be fixed before the home could be sold.
The Inspectors Arrive
Even a perfect looking house can have some serious problems that lurk in the deep recesses. It could have foundation problems or mold growing inside the walls. Any of these problems could mean a drastic drop in price, but Clara and Gladys were confident the new listing would be just fine, after seeing how well Joyce had kept it up.
Despite their confidence, and Joyce’s, too, there is always the possibility of something unexpected turning up. There might be an issue that had remained hidden for years, unnoticed by the homeowner. When the inspectors arrived to check the house, the entire group was about to get a huge surprise.
Under It All
When the home inspectors showed up at the property, they immediately set to work, searching and scouring every inch of the house. They looked everywhere, checking for surprises that might be hidden inside the old walls or under the house. There was a lot to cover and it took them a while, since they were being so thorough. Even so, their findings shocked everyone.
The house was, surprisingly, in pristine shape. In fact, the house was probably in a better state of repair than it had been the day the originally owners arrived. Joyce had cared for her home so well, along with her husband, that nothing extra needed to be done and home was ready to put on the market as soon as the real estate agents got back to the office. Such a find was unheard of!
The Battle
As soon as Gladys and Carla arrived back at the office, they put Joyce’s house up for sale at $699,000. Despite the surprisingly high price, something exciting occurred. A bidding war started up as people went nuts over the perfectly preserved house at 148 Jane Street. As soon as potential buyers saw the interior, they wanted to purchase the house and that quickly drove the bidding up.
For those interested in Joyce’s neighborhood, the house was a no-brainer, but pretty soon even people who weren’t actually looking to buy a house were getting interested. These were folks who hadn’t even thought about purchasing property . . . but the unique house had them interested.
A True Time Capsule
It didn’t take long before the amazing house and its stunning interior went viral, appearing on the news and all over the internet. Everyone became fascinated by the story. The incredible ability of a 96-year-old woman to maintain the gorgeous spaces caught people’s eye, but the rapidly skyrocketing price was also helpful in boosting the story’s popularity.
To the majority of those viewing and sharing the posts on the house, it seemed like it was preserved in museum status, instead of an actual home. Inside, the house reflected the 1940’s perfectly and in every way. Virtually nothing had been changed since the very beginning of Joyce’s life there and it was obvious.
A Whole New Kitchen
While the house remained largely untouched, Joyce admitted that there had been one rather large change. In the 1960’s, the kitchen had been modernized to create a kitchen that any chef would be proud of. Since the original design wasn’t terribly practical for modern times, it had been updated to let the owners cook properly.
Despite the last update to the kitchen occurring in the 1960’s, all the appliances in the home were still in great working order. Considering how well she cared for the rest of her home, that wasn’t terribly surprising to the real estate sisters. It made sense that this section of the time capsule would be as well preserved as the rest of it.
Where Joyce Went
As was evident in her meticulous care with decorating her home, Joyce considered herself to be an interior designer. She told this to the Daily Mail and it was pretty obvious that she took her calling seriously, with the major work done on her own home. But now that she was leaving such a beautiful space that she had decorated decades ago and cared for all these years, where would Joyce retire to?
The media learned that Joyce was selling her home so that she would have the money to relocate to a retirement home. She hoped to enjoy her remaining time without all the hard work that went along with keeping a home up. She’d previously worked as a seamstress, and though her home was immaculate, the woman had never done any professional interior designing. According to HGTV, she said, “I’ve always tried to be individual, and follow my own styles.”
Nothing Stays the Same
148 Jane Street had been Joyce’s home, along with her husband, since 1942. Back then, the war was on everyone’s mind and the destruction that came about because of it had long lasting effects. The happy couple had moved into the two level brick house and set about making it a home. One thing everyone wanted to know was whether or not the new owners would keep the interior as it was or do a massive remodel. It seemed a shame to destroy all the hard work that Joyce had put into the place, but it was ideal for renovating.
At this point, no one knows what the new homeowners have done. We can only assume the place has been sold, as the original listing no longer exists. Since the house is not a heritage site or even a museum, though, the buyers can do whatever they want to it. Everyone is hoping they preserve the time capsule as it is.
The Bad News
Unfortunately, there was some very bad news for whoever ended up buying the house that Joyce created. Despite the perfection of the interior, the furniture wasn’t included in the buying price. That would have quite the impact on the design of the home, so it was a bit of a disappointment.
Joyce’s daughter was to take on the furniture as her inheritance, which is good, since she probably has fond memories of the amazing antiques that were still in place from her childhood. It did make a dent in how attractive the house was, though. No matter what people do to the house in the coming years, however, it will always remain a reminder of what history can look like in house form.
After 70 Years
Joyce was just 24 years old when she first moved into 148 Jane Street and she’d been there for seven decades. Despite all that living and even having a child, she managed to keep that home looking like it did the day she moved in. What looked like a simple brick house from the outside was transformed by her interior modeling skills and turned into an amazing place to live.
In the master bedroom, where Joyce spent the majority of her latter years in the house still looks sparkling clean. Even the chairs look as though no one has ever sat on them and the bed appears to be brand new, even though it dates back to the 40s.
Gentle Colors
Joyce told the media that her design style was tone on tone décor and that she enjoys soft colors and designs that match. From the look of her home, she enjoyed pastel shades of pink, purple, blue and aqua. What might look ridiculous in any other home was actually so well done in her house that space is inviting and comfortable, even years after the decorating was done.
Everything in the house was carefully selected, with such great attention to detail that no item is unexpectedly places. Towels and photo frames and even the seat covers on the toilets are all impeccably chosen to suit the design of the room they’re in. After 70 years, most houses would look old and in a state of disrepair, but you would never know that so long has passed in here. In fact, stepping into the house feels like you literally step back through the decades and into the past. Joyce’s daughter told the media that her mother was smitten with pink and the pink rooms in the house were her absolute favorite.
All the Pretty Details
This three-bedroom house with two bathrooms features wall to wall carpets, and wallpapers that touch on all the post-war decades. Metallic wallpaper, baroque patterns, gold touches, and floral sweeps, are just a few of the details that make this space amazing. Then there are the fireplaces, which are designed to keep the house warm throughout the cold Toronto winters.
Every room in the house was carefully planned and decorated to mix well. It looks like something out of a museum, with custom cupboards and made-to-order hardware throughout the space, including wrought iron and fixtures. The master bedroom featured bright purple and lilac colors, with aqua accents and a touch of fuchsia. Every room has its own color scheme that is impeccably selected.
Below the House
While the main floors of Joyce’s home are absolutely gorgeous, even the basement is incredible. The laundry room is carefully outfitted with wooden cabinets that look as though they were just put in and there is a full complement of laundry machines here, which are likely not from the same timeline as the rest of the house, since things have advanced a lot in the past decades.
Not only did Joyce enjoy looking after her home and decorating it, she maintained the place to a standard that most of us couldn’t even imagine, let alone achieve. Just look at the images here and you’ll see that this woman and her husband definitely looked after everything they owned and they looked after it well.