Realtors Found This Hiding In A 96-Year-Old Woman’s Home

Carla and Gladys Spizzirri, sisters and real estate partners, had their eyes on one specific house that they waited a long time to get a good look at. Soon enough, the house at 148 Jane Street was ready to go on the market. Realtors from across the city finally had their chance to look inside this home. Much to their surprise, what waited for them inside was nothing like they ever would have imagined…

A Regular Home

Judging from the exterior of the home, 148 Jane Street appears to look like any other home in Toronto, Ontario. There wasn’t much that stuck out about the street; it looked like a normal, quiet residential area. There was nothing surprising about the exterior of the home or the neighboring homes, so it was thought to be safe to assume there wasn’t anything too surprising inside either.

Looking To Sell

The group of people who have been inside of those home are far and few between. The home was so special because the same people had lived there for as long as most people could even remember. Regardless, the things they thought they knew about this home proved to be untrue soon enough. Everything began when realtors Carla and Gladys got a call saying the owner of the home wanted to put it up for sale; they were dying to see the home first-hand.

Just A Regular Day

This particular day at work started out just like any other. Everyone was sitting at their desks doing their daily jobs, so no one expected that something so exciting would be happening. Some peoples’ jobs included things like answering the phone, showing homes, and trying to secure business. Carla and Gladys Spizzirri owned the business, and although the two of them did not always work together, this all changed when they realized how much stronger they are together. One of them usually looks for homes to sell, while the other handles potential customers.

Surprising Event

After obtaining plenty of years of professional experience, Carla and Gladys knew how to run their business. They were great at real estate and genuinely enjoyed their job. Though things didn’t usually come so surprisingly in this field, sometimes they got thrown a curveball. This was one of those times.

The Phone Rings

Apparently, not even professional real estate agents have seen it all! They were not yet aware, but they were about to see something unlike anything they’ve ever seen before. They had no idea what the extent of this new project would be; at first, they thought this was just another home to sell. When the office received this phone call, no one knew that it would be one that would change the company forever.

A Call From A Stranger

At this office the phone seems to ring nonstop every day, so they answered it as usual. They didn’t think much of the call until they realized who they were speaking with on the other end. It was an older woman who was named Joyce, and she was looking to possibly sell her home, but she was still on the fence about it.

A Secret

The more Joyce explained her thoughts on selling her home, the more hesitant she became. The office could tell just by her tone of voice that she wasn’t so excited about the idea of this. However, they could also tell that she was persistent, and they had a feeling she would end up selling her house in the end. Joyce told the two sisters a big secret, one that would change everything they thought of this potential sale.

A Different Kind Of Emotion

Most people who decide to sell their homes do so because they believe it’s what is right for them in that moment. It’s like a new and fresh start for them, which is why people are usually quite happy to be in touch with a real estate agent. However, Joyce did not share the same excitement in leaving her home as most people experience.

Hiding Something

It is pretty common for a professional realtor to be able to ‘read between the lines’ while talking with their clients, and both of these sisters could tell by Joyce’s voice that she had a big secret she was hiding. What could it be? They first thought that maybe it was something that would make it more difficult to sell the home, but they weren’t too worried because they already had experience with selling difficult homes.

Challenge Accepted

Joyce was not someone who was trying to hide small details of issues in the home, like mold or a bad water heater. Her secret was, without a doubt, much bigger than that. So, Carla and Gladys put on a brave face and decided to dive head-first into this big challenge. What was Joyce hiding in her home?

No Way To Prepare

These sisters were confident that they could sell any home they were presented. They knew they were excellent at their jobs, and they were always looking for new and exciting opportunities. Even though they had plenty of experience with what they were doing, nothing could have prepared them for what they were about to see in this home.

Something New

These sisters were not like any other real estate agent; they took homes that would make most people quit and conqured them successfully. They thought the could sell any home at this point; at least, that’s what they thought before they were handed this job. Both of them were trying to imagine every possibility of what they would find at Joyce’s home when they walked in, as to try and be as prepared as possible. They were both far off from what actually happened, though. So, what did they see?

Low Expectations

This sister duo had been in the real estate business for over three years, so they knew Toronto quite well at this point. They were most well-known for buying and selling homes located in very popular areas of the city. Every once in a while they got their hands on a perfect home; one that they could sell with very minimal effort. Could this be Joyce’s secret, that her home was in top-notch condition? They hoped so, but they weren’t expecting it. The only way to find out what was going on was to go look for themselves.

Moving On

When Joyce called the real estate company, she told them some uncommon news, which was definitely going to affect the sale of the home. She told the two women that they would notice something very surprising the moment they walked in the door. What could she be alluding to?

A Living Legend

Joyce was a pretty old woman, 96 years old to be exact. While 96 is not such a common age to be selling your home at, Joyce’s hearing and conceptualization was still very sharp. Carla thought this was something for Joyce to brag about, as Carla’s grandma was not in as great of shape. While it was heartwarming to see someone Joyce’s age in such good health, this was nothing compared to what they were about to see in her home…

Their Expectations

The real estate agents had no idea that they would see something so incredible the moment they walked into this home. The exterior of the house was not what stuck out; the outside looked like every other home on the street. Joyce was right, though. They noticed what she was referring to from the moment they walked in the front door.

A Looming Disaster

The sisters found out that Joyce had been living in the same home for seven decades already! In those 70 years, the only room she remodeled at all was the kitchen. The rest of the house was in the same style as it was the day she bought the home. When Joyce told the sisters this, they were unsure about coming to see the home. If it had not been renovated in 70 years, there was a good chance it was pretty poorly kept up with.

Worst-Case Scenario

When Carla and Gladys arrived to 148 Jane Street, they were a bit nervous about how everything would go. They had the image in their mind of an extremely unkept home, as they assumed Joyce would not have been able to keep up wih it on her own. They mentally prepared themselves for every worst-case scenario they could think of.

A Hoarder

As their visitation day got closer and closer, the sisters grew more nervous for what they’d see. They were worried, for one, about how much effort would need to be put into the home if their biggest fear was true. The biggest nightmare that the sisters ever thought of was walking into a hoarder’s home and having to try and sell it. It wasn’t out of the question that Joyce could have been collecting things over the past 70 years that were now covered with dust.

Not All Bad

One positive that they knew they could count on was the fact that this home was in a great location. Homes in this area had been selling for a lot of money lately, so they knew they’d sell it for a good price. After they spoke with Joyce, they started doing some research to see how much they thought they’d really be able to get from this house, and they ended with a number that was higher than they expected. The last thing they had to do before listing the house for sale was go and inspect it in-person.

So Far So Good

Joyce’s home was located in Old Mill, which was one of the best areas of Toronto to buy a house in. The sisters had sold a few homes in this neighborhood in the past, each earning a great sum of money. Still, they wouldn’t have a real estimate until they saw the house, but after an initial calculation, they estimated that the property was worth $968,000!

Still So Hesitant

Still, they could not guarantee how much they would get for this home before going to inspect it first. Of course, if the house required a lot of repairs this would cost plenty of money before they could sell it. The only problem here was that Joyce already sounded very hesitant to list her home for sale; would a lot of repairs make her think twice about selling?

Making Up Her Mind

When Joyce called Carla and Gladys at first, she did not seem so excited about selling her home, which worried the sisters. Joyce told them that even after 72 years of living here, she was ready to move on. We bet it was very difficult for her to make this decision.

Hold It

The way she was speaking worried the sisters; was she really just genuinely ready to move on from this phase of her life, or was there something she wasn’t telling them? Leaving your home of 72 years can’t be easy. If she was hiding something big from them, they may have a big project on their hands.

Maintenance Issues

Before they would agree to sell the house, the sisters decided they needed to stop by 148 Jane Street to inspect the home. They knew that a home that hadn’t been renovated in over 70 years would likely need some work. Everything was dependent of how Joyce kept up with the infrastructure of the home throughout the years.

Complete Surprise

The sisters made an appointment with Joyce to go in and see the home for themselves. Once they finally saw it, they’d be able to tell exactly what work would need to be done. They had no idea what they were about to find in this home. They were completely surprised when they walked into the home!

Final Answer

Before they planned a visit, Gladys and Carla only had ideas of how the house would look based on looking at the exterior and the neighborhood, two things that were certainly not reliable estimations on their own.

A Decision At Last

Joyce made her final decision that she was going to sell the home; now, all the realtors had to do was put it up for sale. Finally, inspection day had arrived. The sisters arrived at the home and Joyce greeted them with open arms. The two agents couldn’t believe what they were looking at once they walked into the home.

Amazing Interiors

They truly had not thought this was what they were going to see, and no amount of warning could have really prepared them for such a thing. They couldn’t believe their eyes at what they were seeing while standing in the front door. Joyce was no hoarder at all, and this home was remarkable.

Essentially Perfect

Actually, this 96-year-old kept up with her home and made sure it was maintained to the best of her ability! To say her house was beautiful would be an understatement. The sisters were surprised and impressed with how well she kept up with the maintenance of the home. The home was spotless, well-furnished, and decorated with little figurines all over the place; it was simply amazing. That wasn’t all, though.

Time Capsule

Carla and Gladys couldn’t believe their eyes; the home was in absolutely perfect shape! They weren’t imagining this to be the case at all. They were so excited because this meant that they could list the house for even more money than they originally estimated, given its perfect condition.

The Designer Herself

Not only was the home in perfect shape, but it truly felt like the home made you step into a time machine. Walking through the home truly felt like you were taking a stroll through the 1940s, in the best way possible. The 40s are when Joyce first moved into this home and had the chance to decorate it how she wanted it. She hand-picked the wallpaper, curtains, flooring, and furniture.

Something Special

As the sisters walked through the house, they noticed that each room was cleaner and more organized than the last. Without a doubt, this was the cleanest home they had ever inspected. This wasn’t just any home they were about to sell; this was an original home from the 1940s, and Joyce went through so much effort to keep the home looking amazing that it was easy for them to see why she was hesitant to sell it. Despite the perfection of the home, there was one thing that caught their eye that may be a big problem. What was it?

Huge Problem

They were a bit nervous about the colors and decorations that were currently in the house, as every room was extremely feminine-looking and may not attract many people to it. Redecorating an entire home can get costly, and if the seller isn’t interested in paying, it can be an issue. Not only men, but many women likely would not enjoy these colors.

Very Unique

There was one room that seemed to be different than the rest of the home, and that was the basement. It had wood paneling on the walls and had a built-in bar; it was perfect for a man to claim as his own man cave. This must have been the room where Joyce’s husband came with his friends to escape all of the pastels and flowers throughout the rest of the house!

Apart From That

Though the home was beautiful, it was clear that the backyard was not given much attention lately. Regardless of the rough-looking backyard, Carla and Gladys knew that they could still get an amazing price for this house. The only thing they still needed to do was get an inspection done by professionals to check for hidden damages before they could list it on the market.

The Inspectors

Even a house this gorgeous can still have problems that you can’t see just by looking at it. Though Carla and Gladys were sure the house would be in perfect shape overall, they were not the ones to determine this; there could be mold or a problem with the foundation, which would cause a huge issue in selling the home. When the home got inspected, everyone was hit with another huge surprise!

Beneath It All

The inspectors arrived at the home and got right to their work, looking in every crack and corner of the house. They checked everything thoroughly, and since there was a lot of space to cover, it took quite some time. They couldn’t believe it, but the home was in absolutely perfect condition. Joyce and her husband took such incredible care of the home for the past 72 years that there was not one single thing that needed to be fixed. Carla and Gladys had never experienced this before!

It Is On

When Carla and Gladys returned to the office, they immediately listed Joyce’s home for sale for $699,000. This was definitely a lot of money, but much to their surprise, something amazing happened before their eyes. Once people started coming to see the home and witnessed for themselves just how beautiful it was, a full-on bidding war started! People who already wanted to live in this neighborhood, and even people who hadn’t even shown interest in purchasing a home until now, were all trying to buy this house!

Blast To The Past

This house was so impressive that it even made it onto the evening news in Toronto! It was amazing all on its own that a woman of Joyce’s age was able to maintain a house so properly. Naturally, the media attention and high demand made the price of the home go up even higher. Joyce chose to keep the house looking like it was straight out of a 1940s magazine; she did this so that she could be sure that she’d have enough funds to keep the home maintained well.

Modern Kitchen

Though almost everything in the home was original from the 40s, Joyce admitted that in the 1960s she chose to modernize the kitchen to have better appliances. The only change Joyce felt that she needed in her home was the ability to cook easier. After seeing how well Joyce took care of the home, it doesn’t come as any sort of surprise that she never broke anything or needed to replace any appliances. The home was truly like looking into the past.

Where She Went

Not surprisingly, Joyce told the Daily Mail that she sees herself as being a sort of interior designer. Despite how gorgeous the house was, it was now time for Joyce to say farewell to her home since she was in her 20s. So where was Joyce going, anyway? The media actually found out that she wanted to sell the home in order to use the money to be able to afford to move into a retirement home. She knew that keeping up with the home would get more difficult, and she wanted to enjoy the rest of her life without the maintenance. When HGTV asked about the decoration choices of the home, she said: “I’ve always tried to be individual, and follow my own styles.”

A History Lesson

Joyce and her husband first moved into this home in 1942. Back then, World War II was going on, and everyone was focused on negative things in life. The couple decided to do something nice and move their lives into this home. Many people are curious whether the new owners of the home redecorated or kept the style of the home how Joyce did it. We hope they kept at least some of her hard work in-tact!

Not The Furniture

One catch for whoever decided to buy the home was that the furniture was not included in the cost of the home itself. Joyce’s daughter decided that she wanted all of the antique furniture, and we’re sure that it’s because she has so many fond memories with this home and the furniture inside.

After Seven Decades

Joyce was just 24 years old when she and her husband moved into the home, and she then lived there for over seven decades! Despite spending most of her life in this home, she never let it look anything less than prim and proper. From the outside, the house looked just like any other home, but Joyce put her time and effort into making this home look how it did. As Joyce got older, she spent more and more time in the master bedroom relaxing; even so, the chairs look like no one has ever sat in them and the bed looks brand new. How is this possible? It was amazing.

Pastel Colors

Joyce told the media that she loved decorating with tone on tone colors, like dark pink under light pink. From looking at the home, it looks like her favorite colors to decorate with were shades of blue, pink, and purple. Joyce decorated the home herself, and she took so much time and energy to make sure everything looked perfect. Even the toilet seat covers matched!

The Intricate Details

The house has three bedrooms and two bathrooms, both of which have completely carpeted floors and completely 1940s-style wallpaper. Not only this, but the wallpaper was metallic, and the furniture had gold finishings; this is how you know it was antique. Another plus was that the fireplaces were still working well, which Torontonians took very seriously with their harsh winters. Each room came with its own color scheme, and somehow it all meshed together perfectly.

The Best Part

Though the entire house is worth bragging about, the basement itself is something truly special. The laundry room was covered with cabinets that allowed for plenty of extra storage. The washing machine and dryer are likely not from the 1940s, but we’ll let that small detail slide under the rug!

Follow In Her Footsteps

Not only did Joyce have the time of her life decorating her home, but she did a remarkable job with it. She kept up with the maintenance of this house to a point that most people can’t manage, which is truly impressive. When John Sims bought his new home in Arizona, the owners didn’t leave a meticulously kept home, but rather something much stranger and quite a bit spooky…