December sales saw a seasonal slowdown

The highest price involved 26 Aberdeen Avenue, which changed hands for $2.9 million, some 69 per cent more than its municipal evaluation of $1,768,100 — the highest markup of the month.

From there, prices dropped to $1,365,000 – that for 434 Elm Avenue, one of four sales over $1 million in December. The other three were all in the range from $593,500 to $685,000, a hint that there might be a growing split between the lower-priced and higher-priced Westmount properties, though the sample is so small it is difficult to draw any conclusions.

The residential sales involved six single-family houses and one duplex, all of which sold over their assigned municipal evaluations, though 15 Surrey Gardens’ sale price was only 2 per cent higher than its tax value. All of the sales were negotiated in the last four months of 2007

Two condominiums sold in December, both apartments at 1 Wood Avenue, bringing to eight the number of condos sold in the last quarter of 2007. The sale of Apartment 1503 at 1 Wood represented the highest price in the quarter at $1.4 million. The lowest price in the quarter was a second-storey unit at 399 Clarke Avenue, which changed hands in October for $285,000. All of the sales in the quarter were apartments; no duplex-type condos sold in October, November or December.

The top-priced sale in December was the former Peugeot building at 4267-71 St. Catherine Street, corner Clarke Avenue, which sold for $6.85 millioon. The building was renovated as a multi-commercial building in 1988.

The only other sale was a 50 per cent share of 41-43 York Street, which included exclusive use of 41 York and the basement, for $500,000, more than double the 50 per cent share of its municipal evaluation.

The Examiner will publish a review of the 2007 real estate transactions in an upcoming issue.

• The preceding article relates to the registration of deeds of sale for Westmount property in December, 2007, provided by city officials.