This property sits opposite a gated community in urban Ontario. I found the house’s appearance to be somewhat bewildering. It doesn’t look like a home, given the unusual layout of the inside and the industrial doors outside. Is it possible that this was used for something like an art gallery?

The most fascinating part of the property is at the very back of it, tucked away past the garage. It’s a complete living area that’s 100% untouched. There’s a huge mold infestation which makes it uninhabitable. Is this what led to the family fleeing and not taking their possessions?

The kitchen appliances are left behind and various pieces of art lay on the floor. The living room appears like any living room would – photographs upon the fireplace mantle, two couches, a reading lamp, and a large screen television. There’s a terrible amount of black mold in this room also. I believe the family was of Asian descent.

The living section opens to the garage, where an SUV is stored with outdated plates (I believe 2019?). The garage section is connected to the remainder of the house by a curved hallway (shown below) with windows facing the outside. You then enter another kitchen, which I presume was part of the original house design. That area is then connected to the front of the house by a glass lined hallway with peaked ceiling.

In one of the bedrooms, a child’s laptop and printer remain on her desk. The bed is made up, various toys and clothes fill her closet, two ballerina figurines are on top of her desk. There are assorted magazines in the desk, and a coin bank. This appears all so wrong – an entire family’s belongings left behind without any reason.

The property was bought by power of sale for $3,000,800 in 2020. It was then placed back onto the market which I will assume would be for the land only.

2022 Revisit

The van that had sat in the garage was gone, replaced by a riding lawn mower.

In the kitchen there is now a microwave and a cooking pot that weren’t there before. We also found toilet paper in every single room. Perhaps they knew of my road trip bowel habits?

I learned that the property had been purchased in 2020 for $3 million from a power of sale. This means the former occupants failed to pay the mortgage. I’m inclined to think that perhaps they went back to Asia.

One interesting detail… the family photos from the fireplace mantle have been removed and paintings have been put in their place. Perhaps someone was staging?

This property has not one, not two but three kitchens in it. It’s possible that this was a home designed for multiple tenants or family. Some of the features are two spiral staircases, skylights and four garages (two at each end of the house).

The basement is flooded and not accessible. Several areas of the main floor ceiling have collapsed, suggesting long term water leakage.

The property value is $2.1 million and the house was built in 1986. For now, the property remains empty and awaiting possible demolition.

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