41 Northcote Ave., Toronto
Asking Price: $3.2-million
Taxes: $15,406 (2026)
Lot Size: 19.8 by 123 feet
Agent: Ryan Barnes, Sotheby’s International Realty Canada
The backstory
In the summer of 2020, many families went through upheaval as urban dwellers grappled with the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
For Nick and Priscila Golding, the pandemic created a sudden and urgent need for additional bedrooms.
The couple were already planning for a blended family with Ms. Golding’s 10-year-old son and a new baby on the way.
The large, open kitchen has an island with a breakfast bar.Charles Lynn Photography
Then Mr. Golding’s university-aged children switched from attending lectures to remote learning at home. One moved back to Toronto with a partner.
The Goldings quickly began searching for a house large enough to accommodate adults and kids of various ages, all living together under one roof.
Ms. Golding is an immigrant from Brazil who moved to the energetic Queen West neighbourhood because it reminded her of life in Rio de Janeiro. There, she and her son could walk to schools, parks, supermarkets and shops.
The main floor has a combined living and dining area overlooking the street.Charles Lynn Photography
Mr. Golding is an investment banker accustomed to living in Toronto’s more traditional enclaves, but he was familiar with the work of author Jane Jacobs and her treatises on city living.
“I was interested in her vision of a vibrant, urban neighbourhood,” he says.
When the couple found a contemporary, eco-friendly house on a residential side street near Queen Street West and Ossington Avenue, it wasn’t hard for Ms. Golding to persuade her husband to give up his staid east side haunts for the arts, diversity and walkability of the area.
On the second floor, a large bedroom has a separate sitting area.Charles Lynn Photography
The house today
The couple looked at many properties before they saw 41 Northcote Ave., with four-plus-one bedrooms and five bathrooms in more than 3,000 square feet of living space.
When they learned the building was designed to be sustainable, with 20 solar panels on the roof, efficient heating and cooling, and airtight construction, they were intrigued, but that was not the primary draw.
“Passive houses are so rare that you could never have that as your search criteria,” says Mr. Golding. “There are so few of them.”
They were mostly drawn to the open plan, abundant light and high ceilings of the home, which was about two years old at the time, Mr. Golding says.
“There was a calm, open and airy feeling throughout the house.”
The primary suite has access to a private rooftop deck.Charles Lynn Photography
Once the family moved in, Mr. Golding experienced the quiet interior created by sturdy construction, hefty insulation and windows with triple-pane glass.
“It’s super quiet and calm in the house because the walls are so thick,” he says. “It’s definitely the most comfortable house I’ve ever lived in.”
The home’s large, open kitchen and family room quickly became the centre of the household, he says. There’s an island with a breakfast bar and an area for lounging and watching television.
The main floor also has a combined living and dining area overlooking the street.
On the second floor, a large bedroom has a separate sitting area and a bathroom with an “absurdly large shower.”
A second bedroom on that level also has an ensuite bathroom.
The third floor has two more bedrooms, including the primary suite with access to a private rooftop deck.
The primary bathroom is also vast, says Mr. Golding, with a glassed-in area combining an open shower and soaker tub.
The primary bathroom has a glassed-in area combining an open shower and soaker tub.Charles Lynn Photography
The home’s lower level has a large recreation room. There’s also a bedroom and bathroom on that level and a separate entrance with a small outdoor sitting area.
There’s a backyard patio and a rooftop deck on top of the detached garage.
The rooftop deck is such a popular place to hang out in summer, Mr. Golding says, that the couple made some improvements after they moved in. Today, there are areas for lounging and dining under a pergola.
Mr. Golding says the Little Portugal neighbourhood is an area in transition; young professional couples are moving in, but plenty of traditional character remains.
“You walk down the street and there are families sitting on their porches and waving,” he says.
He and Ms. Golding often stroll to nearby Trinity-Bellwoods Park, local bakeries and a wildly-popular pizzeria.
The backyard patio and rooftop deck on top of the detached garage.Charles Lynn Photography
The best feature
A wall panel shows the residents whether the passive home is using energy or selling it back to the grid. The real-time data is “fairly hypnotic,” Mr. Golding says with a chuckle.
Mr. Golding says his utility bills sometimes show that the home generated more power than it used.
“People don’t believe me when I tell them I had a negative energy bill.”