This is a house after my own heart. It's an ivy-adorned red brick Victorian filled with character details from the 1890's, including preserved wood floors and restored radiators. You'll find plenty of high-end features in the spots where they really count — check out that spacious kitchen. And then there's the large and impeccably landscaped backyard, complete with a pool and pool house. A pool in Parkdale is a rare jewel.

Yes, Parkdale, a fact that, depending on your perspective, is either a selling point or the final blow. This house is in the south end of the neighbourhood, where its history as one of Toronto's well-to-do settings is still obvious, even as it's less desirable as it once was. It's close to the lake and closer still to the Lakeside Long-Term Care Centre located directly across the street: guaranteed quiet. Is this a plus?

10-foot ceilings provide an excellent backdrop for period details including stained glass windows, crowned door frames and high wooden baseboards. A sweeping staircase, complete with a light feature on the first finial, links all three levels of the house together. There are more than enough bedrooms to suit any family's needs — 6 — and there's an office in addition to the living spaces on the main floor.

SPECS

• Address: 145 Dunn Ave.
• Price: $1,150,000.00
• Lot Size: 26.33 ft. x 165 ft.
• Bedrooms: 6
• Bathrooms: 3
• Storeys: 3
• Parking Spaces: 2
• Taxes: $6,540.36 (2012)

NOTABLE FEATURES

• In-ground pool and pool house
• Carved fireplace
• His and Hers closets
• Porcelain sinks in the kitchen and bathrooms

GOOD FOR

A west end enthusiast looking for a house full of space, quality and history — 145 Dunn Ave. has all three by the boatful. The house is a beautifully restored example of Parkdale's stately and luxurious past (see more here) — and, really, you're not that far away from the 501 streetcar, drinks on West Queen West and tacos at Grand Electric, should that be your thing. You get a lot of bang for your buck in Parkdale. You get a lot of tacos.

MOVE ON IF

You just can't get past the location — your loss. Also, look elsewhere if what you really want is a modern, turn-key property. Due to the age of this building — and the looks of some of those older light fixtures — a house inspection is a must and some renovations might be required pre-move-in to keep everything up to snuff.

ADDITIONAL IMAGES

Writing by Leslie Bank