Palatial $11.5M Toronto house comes with its own stretch of lakefront

Toronto has no shortage of expensive waterfront homes, but it's not every day that nearly six acres of land and roughly 770 feet of Lake Ontario shoreline hit the market.

But this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity at 220 Greyabbey Trail, a sprawling waterfront estate in Scarborough, just hit the market for $11,500,000.

And while the price tag is obviously enormous, so is pretty much everything else about the property.

An aerial view of the property. 

Sitting on one of the largest lots in the neighbourhood, the estate boasts approximately 660 feet of street frontage and an astonishing 770 feet of unobstructed Lake Ontario frontage — reportedly one of the longest stretches of privately owned waterfront within the City of Toronto.

A mudroom. 

It even comes with its own private beach.

The family room. 

But perhaps what's most interesting about the property is that this isn't some brand-new mega-mansion built to take advantage of the spectacular lot.

A home office and library. 

The home has been part of the same family's story for more than half a century.

A bedroom above the garage. 

According to listing agent Elena Saradidis, the late John Greening purchased the property in the early 1960s, and it has remained in the family ever since.

The front of the cottage. 

The original cottage dates back to 1942, making the property a bit of a rarity in a neighbourhood where many of the homes were built during Guildwood's development in the decades that followed.

A view of the additions made to the original house. 

Over the years, however, the humble cottage grew considerably.

The solarium. 

Saradidis told blogTO that additions began around the early 2000s when Greening's wife, Marlene, wanted to expand the property.

A bedroom. 

Today, the home offers more than 5,500 square feet of living space, with five bedrooms plus a den and four-and-a-half bathrooms.

The foyer. 

And despite its $11.5-million price tag, the house itself is arguably not the main attraction here.

The patio. 

That distinction definitely belongs to the land.

The back of the house. 

Beyond the wrought-iron gates, the property opens onto nearly six acres of park-like grounds filled with mature trees.

The park-like yard of 220 Greyabbey Trail. 

Eleven Blaze Maples line the property's massive street frontage, while the backyard stretches all the way toward the Scarborough Bluffs and Lake Ontario.

The kitchen. 

Inside, the house feels more like a sprawling family retreat than an ultra-modern showpiece.

The dining area overlooking the lake. 

The main floor centres around a large kitchen with a substantial island, premium appliances and a generous dining area.

The view out to the lake from the solarium. 

From there, the space flows into one of the home's standout features: a glass-enclosed solarium with floor-to-ceiling folding doors that can essentially open the room right up to the outdoors.

The living room. 

There's also a formal living room with a gas fireplace, a private office with custom built-ins, a family room and a bright breezeway and foyer.

Another bedroom. 

Upstairs are four bedrooms, three with their own private balconies.

The primary ensuite. 

The primary suite takes full advantage of the home's waterfront setting, with lake views from the spa-like ensuite and access to the rooftop.

The guest suite. 

There's also a three-car garage with a self-contained guest or nanny suite above it, giving the property even more room for extended family or visitors.

The attached three-car garage at the side of the house. 

Still, it's hard to imagine anyone spending too much time indoors when you've got a backyard that ends at Lake Ontario.

A patio. 

The estate's size is particularly remarkable given that it's still within Toronto's boundaries. With almost six acres to roam around and hundreds of feet of private shoreline, it has the kind of scale and seclusion you'd more typically associate with cottage country than Scarborough.

A bathroom. 

And that's likely what any buyer willing to shell out $11.5 million is really paying for: a piece of Toronto waterfront that's exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, to recreate.

The formal dining room. 

For Marlene and the couple's three daughters, Adele, Caroline and Marina, however, the decision to sell is about passing that piece of family history on.

The rooftop off the primary bedroom. 

Saradidis said that while the estate holds decades of fond memories, the daughters now have busy lives and families of their own and hope to find a new owner who can give the property the daily time and attention it deserves.

An aquarium in the middle of the house. 

After nearly 60 years with the same family, 220 Greyabbey Trail is officially looking for its next chapter.

A gazebo next to the main cottage. 

And whoever buys it is getting a whole lot more than just a house.