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1211 Queen Street exterior

Halifax has plenty of high end real estate with a number of properties well over the $1 million mark. Many of these are incredible dream homes, but sometimes it is not the most expensive house that stands out. There is currently a property on the market that to me is the perfect home, and while it’s below the $1 million price tag, it is still a little bit outside of my personal reach (for now!).

At an asking price of $799,000 I think 1211 Queen Street is worth every penny. Listed by Steve Patterson of Red Door Realty, this downtown home is on the corner of Queen and South Streets, within immediate walking distance to every imaginable amenity. From the outside it looks like a nice enough home, but not necessarily demanding of a second look. However based on the photos, the interior is where things get interesting.

The link to the listing details is at the end of the article, so I won’t get into repeating too many details that are already noted, but I’ll touch on my favorites. The entire house features high end modern finishes, combined with exposed brick walls. I am sucker for this contrast – the old with the new looks great together. On a side note this is something that opponents of downtown development need to understand – modern structures and design look great next to historical properties.

Kitchen & dining area, combining high end finishes and original character

Moving on, this property also features floating stairs on every level – an awesome feature that I think adds a very futuristic look, but because the steps are made of maple, still maintains a rustic and elegant appeal.

Floating stairs - may be dangerous if you have small children, but awesome otherwise

The coolest part of this house is definitely the upper level, which is a loft style master suite complete with a fully operational glass garage door (yes, you read that properly) which opens into a large balcony with a 6 person hot tub overlooking the entire harbor. If that doesn’t sell it, then I don’t know what will.

Top floor master bedroom with glass garage door opening to the deck, overlooking Halifax harbour

To top it all off, there is a separate 1 bedroom apartment on the lower level that brings in $800/month which should help with the mortgage payment on the $800K price tag. Speaking of the mortgage, based on the full asking price and today’s fully discounted 5 year fixed rate this property would have a monthly payment of $3,366.24, assuming the minimum down payment of 5% of the price – $39,950. If a larger down payment was available, 20% for example to avoid CMHC insurance premiums, the monthly payment would drop to $2,753.50. However 20% of $799,000 works out to be $159,800 required out of pocket. The taxes on the place are approximately an additional $450/month. Like I said above, I think it’s worth every penny.

Here’s a link to the property details on the Red Door Realty website, check this amazing property out for yourself here.