Real Estate Agents Left Shocked After Viewing A 96-Year-Old’s Home

Carla and Gladys are two sisters who are both professionals in the real estate industry. They’ve seen and sold countless houses, and live enjoyable, if not repetitive lives. However, neither of them could anticipate how one phone call and one old woman’s secret would shake the foundation of what they thought they new about real estate. Joyce was pushing 100 when she called the sisters at their office, and immediately they could tell that she had something to hide. Just what that something was, though, no one could have guessed.

A House Like Any Other

148 Jane Street was an unassuming Toronto house like all the rest in its neighborhood. It was simple, plain, didn’t boast, and seemingly had nothing that it was trying to hide. It was completely unworthy in every single way.

On the Market

The house didn’t get many visitors, despite being an old staple of the neighborhood. However, that changed when the house went up for sale and the realtors decided to go and see what they were working with.

The Realtor Sisters

Gladys and Carla both worked in the same real estate office. Their day usually consisted of answering emails and phone calls, selling to clients, and checking out properties. The sisters owned the business, and thought nothing of it when called upon to sell the house on Jane Street.

An Occasional Surprise

The pair were very experienced in the real estate industry. They were familiar with how the business worked, and despite it being a relatively routine job, the two enjoyed it immensely, especially when they get the occasional surprise with a property.

Pure Shock

While surprises came and went as the years went by, the two were in for the shock of a lifetime. Neither they nor anybody else could have predicted the outcome of that fateful phone call.

The Stranger

Phone calls were obviously an everyday, regular occurrence in the office. However, when it went off this time, it was answered without a second thought. On the other end of the line was a woman named Joyce who was considering selling her home, but remained hesitant.

Joyce’s Secret

The sisters could tell that Joyce wasn’t fully sold on the idea of selling her home, but continued to discuss the possibility of it with her. However, one piece of information that slipped out of Joyce made the two reconsider everything.

Conflicted Emotions

In the experience of the sisters, most people who are looking to sell their home are happy and excited. It marks the beginning of a new chapter in their lives, after all. However, Joyce was far from being thrilled about the idea of parting with her house.

Something to Hide

Throughout the years, the realtor sisters had developed a keen sense of reading a client. It wasn’t uncommon for people to hide something about the house that might make it harder to sell, and the two had a feeling this is what was happening with Joyce.

Searching For Answers

What Joyce had to hide about the house wasn’t something typical like black mold or broken equipment. No, her secret came as much bigger of a shock to Gladys and Carla, once they figured it out.

Total Shock

Despite a large number of years between them in the industry, none of their previous skills, clients, sales, or anything even remotely in between could prepare them for what happened next.

The Fateful Day

When the two sisters set out for the house that morning, they casually speculated at what they expected to find. However, not even their wildest guess came anywhere close to the mark.

Not Expecting Much

The pair knew the Toronto real estate world inside and out and had made quite a name for themselves in the industry. Many houses sold themselves, although the sisters had a feeling that this wouldn’t be the case with Joyce’s house.

The Information Joyce Let Slip

What Joyce had let slip on the phone was going to have an impact on the sale of the property, yes, but neither of the two sisters quite understand just how severe what she had stated was.

Very Healthy

Joyce was 96 years old when she contacted the real estate agents. Despite this, she was still in incredible health. She was very lucid, not hard of hearing, and seemed to be in great shape for someone of her age. However, the biggest surprise was still yet to come.

Once in a Lifetime

Despite having a piece of the puzzle already, and low expectations, what the sisters found when they walked through the door of that Jane Street home was the discovery of a lifetime.

70 Years

Over the phone, Joyce had informed the two that she had been in the home for over 70 years. Despite this, the only part of the house she touched was the kitchen, which was remodeled. The sisters were certain this spelled disaster for their sale.

Worse Than They Thought

Despite having already low expectations, the reality of the situation was much different. There was no way a person of that age could look after her own home, but what had actually been happening was shocking.

Hoarding Habits

It turned out that Joyce was a hoarder. Bits of rubbish, waste, clothes, and anything else dating back as far as 70 years ago were all built up around the home. Despite this, the sisters held out hope that they could fix the home up.

Glimmers of Hope

It wasn’t all bad for Carla and Gladys, though. The area the house was in had seen a steady increase in property prices. Therefore, the two knew that if they could fix the house up, they could make a lucrative sale.

Crunching Numbers

Jane Street was located in a neighborhood called Old Mill. This was a particularly popular area in the city for home buyers, and Joyce, along with the sisters, arrived at a value of $968,000 dollars.

Not Done Yet

Despite this value, they still needed to consider the inside of the house. How much was it going to cost them to get the place fixed up? On top of that, they still needed to convince Joyce to actually sell.

Making Decisions

After thinking long and hard about it, Joyce came to terms with selling her home. She had lived there for 70 years, almost all of her life, so the decision was certainly difficult for her to make.

Still Skeptical

Even after settling on selling the home, Joyce still seemed unusually upset about parting ways with the property. This was setting off alarm bells in the sister’s heads, who still remained skeptical.

Repair Jobs

The final value that could be put on the home was going to depend on the condition of the inside. More importantly, they needed to get a feel for the maintenance history of the house, and what work had already been done.

Shock and Awe

When the sisters finally reached 148 Jane Street, they prepared themselves and entered through the front door. What they found floored them, leaving them speechless and shocked.

Deductions

Prior to visiting the home, the pair could only make an estimate based on the area and the outside of the house. They presumed it looked no different from every other home on the block, but they were very wrong.

What Was Waiting Inside

Once Joyce had finally settled on selling the home, the two set out. They remained hesitant but optimistic, and when Joyce greeted them at the front door, they couldn’t have anticipated what awaited them inside.

Lies of a Different Kind

Joyce seemed to be hiding something alright, but it wasn’t what the sisters had in mind. Rather than being a hoarder, Joyce’s home was in incredible condition. The interior of the house was perfect in every way.

Picture Perfect

Joyce was a traditionalist that maintained her classic home beautifully. Everything from the decor to the furniture was in perfect condition, and the whole house was sparkling clean. However, there was more to be discovered.

Stuck in Time

Joyce’s home seemed like it was trapped in a time bubble. It was stunning, well maintained, and nothing like what they were expecting. The two seemed to hit the jackpot and knew this property could be sold for a high amount.

The Genius Behind the Home

Walking through the front door was like being transported straight back to the 40s, and Joyce is the one to thank for that. She did it all herself, from the curtains to the carpet, and the furniture to the decor.

A Gemstone

This home was by far the most well looked after that the sisters had ever seen in their career. Every single room was nicer than the one before it, and it didn’t seem to end. However, there was one issue that the pair uncovered.

Too Feminine?

As one might expect, the home was very feminine. This cut the potential target market for the house in half. It would take a lot of work to redecorate it, so it was unlikely a male would every purchase the property.

The Basement

However, what they found in the basement put that to rest. It turns out that the room had been turned into a man cave, no doubt by Joyce’s husband. It boasted a bar, wood paneling, and a much cooler tone to the gold and pinks of upstairs.

The Only Flaw

The only drawback to the property that Carla and Gladys found was the backyard. In her old age, Joyce was not able to maintain this as well as the interior. While it was certainly a pretty yard, organized and with some flowers, it paled when compared to the stunning inside.

Private Inspections

The sisters hired private inspectors to check out the house for themselves. There was certainly something that had to be wrong about it. The foundation, the walls, something. However, the inspectors came back and reported that the home was in mint condition.

To Market

The home went to market, starting at just under $700,000 dollars. The bidding war was instant. People were entranced with the home, and even people uninterested in the purchase found themselves following it.

Viral Sensation

Eventually, the war became so intense that it ended up going viral on the internet. Joyce became a celebrity overnight, and everybody wanted to hear just how she managed to keep the home in such good shape.

She Cared For The House

Joyce attributed the style and cleanliness of the home down to her unique sense of style. She had always loved creating and decorating, so it was only natural that she went all out for her home of 70 years.

Finally Sold

Eventually, the home sold for a large amount, minus the furniture which was Joyce’s daughter’s inheritance. The money that Joyce made was more than enough for her retirement home fees, and so she parted ways with the house.