It’s never too early to start planning to market a property, even if it’s not coming to MLS for months. That’s especially true when selling properties in northern climes in the middle of winter. Martinus Geleynse, senior vice president sales with Sotheby’s International Realty Canada in Oakville, Ont. started marketing preparations for a 6,200-square-foot home in Sudbury, Ont. in August 2021. It went on MLS in October but didn’t sell, so it was relisted on March 16 of this year.
The residence is listed for $3.599 million, definitely the high end in Sudbury, where there’s not much listed for over $3 million, he says.
The home, which was custom built in the 1990s by its current owners, is set on a property with 125 feet of frontage on Lake Ramsey.
Photography and footage was done last summer/fall while the leaves were green to capture the home and its beautiful grounds at their best.
Martinus Geleynse
The property is being advertised on various digital sites, through Sotheby’s network and a “significant digital campaign,” says Geleynse, who was introduced to the owners by people in Hamilton. The sellers are retiring and planning to move to southern Ontario to be closer to their children and grandchildren. They asked him to sell their Sudbury house.
For the type of house and price range, they wanted someone “from the south” and with access to a global network, says Geleynse, a Hamilton resident.
There is no Sotheby’s office in Sudbury so he spoke to his broker, who gave him the go-ahead to take the listing.
He travelled to Sudbury multiple times, staying several days each visit. He spoke to the locals, stayed at an area hotel and drove around to get to know the area. (He is also working with a local agent so he has “boots on the ground”.)
Geleynse, always willing to roll up his sleeves, helped to get the property ready, patching holes, pressure washing and doing whatever else was necessary to facilitate the sale. Luckily, a company moving truck was going through Sudbury at the same time and some of the sellers’ possessions were moved to Hamilton.
The more than one-acre property is a few minutes walk from the high-tech and impressive Health Sciences North campus (a bonus for the doctors/homeowners) yet feels like it’s in the middle of cottage country. It’s also a five-minute drive from downtown Sudbury.
It offers the best of rural waterfront living (with boat and floatplane access) with the convenience of an urban location, he says. “The value it offers is unique for the discerning buyer.”
Overlooking the lake, near the shoreline, is a hand-built limestone cabana complete with fireplace, a sauna and built-in seating.
Lake Ramsey is a float plane lake, so its new owners, who will likely be from the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) given the price point, can travel by float plane and pull up at the back door, he says.
Potential buyers include pro sports athletes (another local mansion was brought by an NHL star from Sudbury) or an affluent local, most likely employed at the Heath Sciences North complex.
During the pandemic, many people have been migrating to smaller cities around the province. The majority of people are not looking to go this far but Sudbury has seen some growth from the GTHA.
The new owners of this home will be treated to high-end living. Geleynse says the two doctors, as one might suspect, paid great attention to detail and did a meticulous job ensuring the home would be the perfect backdrop for everyday living and grand entertaining. “Creating a liveable family home was key.”
They hand selected materials, from sleek marble to eight-inch oak flooring laid in a herringbone pattern. Geleynse says, “They had a whole team of installers flown in to complete (the floor). It is really incredible.”
The common spaces are impressive but the kitchen and den are intimate.
Thirteen-foot ceilings are dripping with antique chandeliers and large windows offer lake views. The common spaces are impressive but the kitchen and den are intimate. There is a panelled office, a timeless foyer and five spacious bedrooms (three with ensuite bathrooms). The huge primary suite offers sweeping sunrise-facing lake views. Overlooking the lake, near the shoreline, is a hand-built limestone cabana complete with fireplace, a sauna and built-in seating.
“The owners also custom built a bunkie with a fireplace, sauna and sitting area. It was designed after a bunkie they saw on the cover of a book about Provence, France. It is constructed with huge beams from British Columbia and Manitoulin limestone,” Geleynse says.
He says it’s been a place for big family gatherings over the years. It’s well loved but since it was built with high-quality materials, no renovations are required. “The finishes will be as beautiful 100 years from now.”
A video link to view the home is here.
- This article was corrected from an earlier version to say that the property was first listed in October.
Connie Adair is a contributing writer for REM.
