Property Overview: 542 Jamison Avenue, Winnipeg
Section 1: Key Characteristics & Appeal
This is a modest, century-old home (built 1914) on a standard-sized lot in the Chalmers neighborhood. Its key characteristic is its scale: with only 440 square feet of living space, it is among the smallest homes in the city. There is no basement, garage, or pool. The appeal lies almost entirely in the land itself and the potential it represents. The assessed value is very low, reflecting the home's limited current utility, which translates to lower property taxes.
This property would suit a specific type of buyer: an investor, builder, or extremely hands-on homeowner looking for a land-value opportunity. It is not a move-in-ready family home. Its ideal buyer is someone with the vision and means to either extensively renovate and expand the existing structure or redevelop the lot entirely. The appeal is foundational—it offers a foothold in a neighborhood where newer and larger homes are being built nearby, as evidenced by neighboring properties.
Section 2: Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is this a "tear-down" property?
While the existing structure is very small and old, it is still a standing house. Whether to renovate or rebuild would depend on a buyer's budget, goals, and a professional inspection of the foundation and framing. Its extremely low assessed value suggests the city sees little value in the current building.
2. Why is the living area so small?
At 440 sq ft, this is a classic "wartime" or early 20th-century worker's cottage. Homes of this era were built for basic shelter. For context, it is smaller than many modern two-car garages.
3. What does the "top 99%" ranking for living area mean?
This statistic means that 99% of similar one-storey homes on Jamison Avenue have more living space. It's a data-driven way of highlighting that this home is an outlier in terms of its compact size, not a typo.
4. Can the house be added onto?
Potentially, yes. The lot size (2,545 sq ft) is fairly standard for the street and provides room to expand, subject to local zoning bylaws, setback requirements, and the condition of the existing foundation.
5. The assessed value seems extremely low. Does that reflect the market price?
Not directly. Municipal assessed value for taxation purposes often lags behind market value, especially for unique properties. The low assessment primarily indicates the city assigns little value to the building itself. The market price will be driven by the land's value and development potential in the current market.