Canada PoliticsPrime Minister Harper’s residence worth $7.5 million
Kudos to the Ottawa Citizen's Zev Singer for discovering this U.S. real estate blog about a fictitious listing for 24 Sussex — the prime minister's residence.
"Enjoy the natural splendor of Ottawa from this majestic manor built for a prime minister," notes the descriptor.
"You'll have ample space for your family with 34 rooms, including formal dining room, sun room, executive office, and library."
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The value of the residence — according to MovotoBlog — is approximately CDN$7.5 million.
And, while the listing is fake, it appears that the group did their homework.
In looking for comparable properties in order to find its approximate price, I made sure to look for other huge mansions of houses with gardens, a pool, and acres of land. And you know, this wasn’t exactly difficult to do in Ottawa.
After adding up the square feet in eight large homes in the area, many of which had pools and lots of outdoor space, I found an average price per square foot of about $600 USD, or $627 CAD. To put this into perspective for you, this is about the same price per square foot for a luxury home in Albany, New York.
Obviously, their valuation doesn't include any of the historic or sentimental value.
In the past, the real estate bloggers valued the White House at $110 million. They also did a fictitious listing of the fictitious Wayne Manor — the personal residence of Batman. For what it's worth, Wayne Manor in Gotham is priced at just over $32 million.
If you're looking for Canadian comparisons, CanadaInfo notes that the assessed value of the Rideau Hall, the residence of the Governor General, is $47,600,000 while Storonoway — the opposition leader's residence — is worth $4,225,000.
[ Related: Harper family continues to live at 24 Sussex, stalling urgent renovations ]
The Ottawa Citizen article quotes a realtor who says that no one would pay $7.5 million for 24 Sussex because of all the repairs it needs.
It does need some work.
According to a 2011 National Post report, the PM's home requires over $10 million in upgrades. In 2012, the Citizen's Glen McGregor wrote that the National Capital Commission spent more than $69,000 on utility bills for the home because of its poor energy efficiency.
Maybe they can add "handyman special" to the listing?
(Photo courtesy of Movoto Blog)
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