York Region luxury homes feature movie theatres, bowling alleys, more

YorkRegion.com
January 28, 2014
By Chris Traber

Location is the biggest factor for home buyers, but many other things come into consideration.

For the average home, an updated kitchen, spiffy bathroom renovation or new appliances can seal the deal for the owner and agent.

Upgraded amenities can add lustre to homes in York Region where, according to latest MLS indexes, single detached prices average $322,400 in Georgina to $774,000 in Richmond Hill.

The operative word is average.

When it comes to money-is-no-object, super affluent buyers browsing the rarefied realms of luxury real estate, uber-opulent amenities can be as eye popping as house prices.

In King, where upscale houses have recently sold for as much as $40 million, the included extras often cost as much as the average homeowner can afford as a home, Century 21 Heritage Group Ltd. broker Michele Denniston said.

“In the country it’s all about land, acreage,” the King real estate specialist said. “Often there are barns, pool houses, outdoor kitchens and out buildings. Some are like second houses.”

Sales of posh King properties are brisk, she said.

According to a December RE/MAX report, luxury home sales in the GTA, Canada’s largest real estate market, continued to climb in 2013, rising 18 per cent to 1,908 units, setting a new record for activity priced in excess of $1.5 million.

Sumptuous details such as pools, gyms, landscaping and wine cellars are standard for up-market homes, Ms Denniston said.

That means these houses take extravagance to another level.

Ms Denniston has seen buyers order a three-storey elevator, geothermal heating and indoor waterfalls.

Recently, she was in a listed property whose owners enjoyed movies.

“It was truly a home theatre,” she said. “It had 15 rows of seating and was the size of a Cineplex.”

A well-to-do auto enthusiast recently bought a home with a three-car garage appointed similarly to the home’s interior, plus a hydraulic lift so he could store hobby vehicles above his regular rides, Royal LePage York North Realty broker Leigh Sugar said.

Based in Newmarket, she sells multi-million dollar estate homes throughout York Region and is still amazed at what money can buy.

Ms Sugar has witnessed two and three-storey interior water fountains, live trees, bowling alleys, squash courts and palatial recreation rooms bordering on Disneyesque.

The trends for swanky new builds on smaller lots are 10-foot-plus ceiling heights and high-end finishes, she said.

“Builders are going high and dressing interiors to kill,” she said.

Solid eight-foot doors, wide-back bend trim, high baseboards, wainscoting and chair rails complemented by waffle and coffered ceiling finishes with multiple rows of crown moulding are also in vogue.

Extra large picture windows with thick contemporary and traditional sills and trim are also high-demand options, she said.

Nothing is too extreme when the sky’s the limit.

Great Gulf executive vice-president Christopher Wein has designed and marketed lavish homes for more than 20 years.

He recalled one wealth homeowner who installed a show garage.

In addition to a traditional space to park cars, the homeowner commissioned a second area for two vintage Ferraris, a Porsche and a Lamborghini.

A solid glass wall separated the vehicles from the living room.

“He didn’t drive the sports cars,” Mr. Wein said. “They were art pieces.”

Builders of custom homes, condominiums and communities, including King Oaks in King City, Great Gulf has a portfolio of custom amenities.

Mr. Wein has designed several cigar lounges and man caves. One all-male den called for custom urinals in the washroom.

Another family ordered a separate area with dog wash baths, a grooming area and canine Jacuzzi.

Secret passageways are also a fun option. One gentleman built a wine cellar in his basement and with the touch of a special bottle, a spiral staircase opened to his third-floor master bedroom.

People with the money are now opting for dual kitchens, Mr. Wein said. One is the home’s show kitchen and other is a catering kitchen with preparation, cooking and staging areas.

“If they’re having a dinner party, no one can see the caterers or staff or hear dishwashers while they hang out in the main kitchen,” he said.

His and her toilets and $100,000 closets are popular and flat-screen televisions behind bathroom vanity mirrors are trending.

“You can watch the news and yourself shave,” he said. “Very cool.”

Real Estate Homeward sales representatives Hanne and John Welsh recently represented a 9,000-square-foot listing on five acres in Whitchurch-Stouffville.

The $2.8-million, newly built home featured a staggering array of custom comforts.

The multi-level, six-bedroom open concept home is traversed via floating staircases and lit by 500 LED pot lights. There are 2,400 linear feet of crown moulding and the intricate, one-of-a-kind crystal chandeliers took 14 days to install.

The property, with a gym, in-ground salt water pool, hot tub, 10-person cookhouse and workshop, is a high-end bargain, Mr. Welsh said.

With annual property taxes of $7,500, the luxurious manor is a good value compared to similar homes in Toronto on smaller lots, he added.

An Internet search for outrageous amenities revealed a $10-million Las Vegas residence with a full water park with sandy beach island, sunken swim-up bar and lazy river.

The owners of a $7.4-million Greenwich, Connecticut home imported and converted an English phone booth into a poolside outdoor shower.

Recently, Sotheby’s International Realty sold a Beverly Hills home, complete with a giant bird-shaped swimming pool and underwater observation room.