Unexpected Treasures Found in 92-Year-Old Woman’s Home

Everyone who’s ever sold or bought a house knows that finding a good realtor is like finding a needle in a haystack. You have to separate the quick-buck kids from the honest, dependable businessmen – or in this case, women. 

Glynn and Kyla Sacchini are two of the best in their field. Siblings by birth but business partners by choice, the two sisters have worked together for over a decade. Selling houses is like second nature to them, with each of them taking on a specific role to get the job done. 

The Dream Team ©makibestphoto/stock.adobe.com

Then, in 2019, they got a call that would change their perspective on the business altogether. 

When you’ve been a realtor for as long as these girls have, you get a good idea of what kind of homes Toronto has to offer. Each week, you’re helping families find their dream residences, so it goes without saying that the Sacchini’s have seen all sorts of abodes. 

That’s why when Kyla took a call from a woman named Alice enquiring about selling her property in 2019, she didn’t think much of it. 

The Call That Changed It Al ©Svitlana/stock.adobe.com

In fact, all she noted was that the woman was very elderly, at a respectable 96 years and counting. This first call went as standard, beginning the relationship between the Sacchini’s and their customer. 

Kyla and Glynn know that the first thing on anyone’s mind when selling a property is “How much is it going to be worth?” 

After all, owning a home is a substantial asset and no one wants to let go of it for less than its worth. The first thing they do when looking into a property starts before they even open the door to take a look. 

Let’s Talk Money ©studiostoks/stock.adobe.com

First, they size up the house prices in the area to get a good idea of what their customer could get for their property…however, there was a hitch. 

When talking to the sisters over the phone, Alice let it slip that she had been living in the home for 72 years. That’s an impressive amount of time for anyone to hold onto a residence, but to a realtor that’s also slightly worrying. 

The longer any one owner has a house, the more likely it is that it will be in a state of disrepair. Owners that live in the property themselves, especially elderly ones, may have let the maintenance of the home slide without realizing over the years. 

A Worrying Revelation  © Lazy_Bear/stock.adobe.com

It’s only natural – but it could knock thousands off the asking price. Given the location of Alice’s home, the sisters were hopeful – but concerned. 

Having been in the industry for quite some time, this wasn’t the Sacchini’s first rodeo. They had been approached to sell properties before, only to find that they were basically derelict. 

This kind of situation can be disastrous for business and difficult to handle. 

A Potential Disaster ©Oliver/stock.adobe.com

Both Kyla and Glynn didn’t want to hurt the feelings of the sweet old lady on the phone, especially as she seemed as if selling was a big thing for her to do in the first place. Instead, they decided to look into the area and get an idea of what the home could be worth.

Despite their worries about the potential state of the property, Glynn and Kyla looked into the local area in West Toronto where Alice lived. 

They were pleased to find that the house was situated on Jane Street, a prime spot with good neighbors. Fancy boutique hotels and up-market boutiques were just a stone’s throw away. 

An Affluent Location @tourwizard/vision360tours

This premium location gave the realtors a sense of hope, but they had yet to see the home in person. What was going to be waiting for them on the other side of the door? They had some theories, and they were almost certain it would be a disaster. 

Now the sibling team had looked at the affluent area they were keen to get inside the building, but they couldn’t stop thinking about what they might find. Alice had told them that she lived alone. Having been in the house for so long by herself, Kyla and Glynn thought they would find a hoarder’s paradise.

It was nothing personal to Alice; they had simply witnessed the same thing many times before. Plus, when you’ve lived as long as their new client had, you accumulate more things and items become harder to let go of. 

Hoarding Hell? ©trekandphoto/stock.adobe.com

Alice also shared another bit of information that made them even more wary…

Alice had been honest with the pair, telling Kyla and Glynn that her home had never been renovated. That’s 70 years living with the same kitchen countertops, the same bathroom, the same windows. 

That’s a long time for any of these instalments to last, so even if the home itself wasn’t a hoarder’s paradise, surely it wouldn’t be fit to sell? 

No Renovations in 70 Years © luismolinero/stock.adobe.com

Kyla and Glynn quickly weighed up their options. Just how bad would this place be after not having any attention for so long? Everything would be falling to pieces, begging to be pulled out and started again…but they had a more pressing problem. 

Despite being the one to reach out to the realtors herself, the sisters could tell that Alice didn’t really want to sell her home. 

They knew that she felt it was time to move into a retirement setting where she could have help on hand if she wanted it, but was that the only reason she was nervous? 

Alice Didn’t Want to Move  ©aletia2011/stock.adobe.com

Perhaps she knew that the property was in such a bad state that putting it on the market would be a long and arduous process. Or, maybe she was embarrassed about the disrepair and didn’t want to invite strangers in. Glynn and Kyla still had to overcome one hurdle. 

Their list of reasons for not taking on the property were endless, but the Sacchini’s went with their gut. 

If they could sell the home, they theorized, it would mean a tidy profit based on their evaluation of other houses in the area. It seemed like a reasonable price to put on the house as their math was usually correct.

A Reluctant Evaluation ©noridzuan87/stock.adobe.com

Kyla and Glynn told Alice that they believed her property, with the limited information they had, could fetch around $980,000. That would take care of any concerns the 96-year-old might have for her financial future, right…? 

After deciding to take on the property, Kyla and Glynn were surprised when Alice seemed reluctant to take the process any further. It seemed like she changed her mind, hesitant to give up 70 years of memories. After their own initial worries, they found themselves soothing Alice. 

After some time and communication, Alice finally agreed. It had taken a while, but the sisters were finally on their way to visit 148 Jane Street. 

The Million-dollar Question @You Should Know?/Youtube

So far, they had only seen a picture of the exterior, which looked quite plain and dated. What would they find inside? 

It isn’t often that seasoned realtors find themselves speechless when they open the door into a property. It’s usually a “been there, done that, sold the house” sort of deal. When Kyla and Glynn finally got into 148, they found themselves shamefully eating humble pie. 

The home was untouched and unrenovated – but it was pristine. 

The Shock of a Lifetime © studiostoks/stock.adobe.com

A quick look into any room was a feast for the senses, taking you straight back to the 1950’s and 1960’s. Every item and every piece of furniture was unmarked and beautiful, straight out of a vintage issue of Good Housekeeping. 

With each step they took around the home, the sisters became more and more awestruck. Each room was tastefully decorated in peak ‘50s and ‘60s fashion, capitalizing on muted pastel hues. The living room was decked out in pale pinks with matching white furniture. 

It was unlike anything the realtors had ever seen before. Instead of a hoarder’s hell it was a sublimely kept piece of living history. They felt embarrassed at their previous doubts and amazed at what they had found. How could it be real? 

Pastel Paradise @BuzzFeed /Pinterest

Aside from being a pleasant surprise for the realtors, Alice hadn’t realized one thing. All of the furniture pieces that she bought new in the ‘50s and ‘60s were still in brilliant condition. This meant that they could also be sold when she moved, potentially bringing in a healthy income. 

Whether she wanted to sell all the items individually or with the house, her careful love of these antiques could make her some serious cash. 

An Added Bonus @Trend Chaser/Pinterest

Retro items are still popular today, so she had unknowingly been sitting on a goldmine for the last few decades. Good things come to those who wait!