Sold before it listed: A $20.5M Whistler story

Images courtesy of Unison The Ryan Group Realty

This could be a story about fixing up a room or a suite for guests, but it’s not. It’s about buyers who needed “overflow” space for soon-to-be-arriving visitors and asked agent John Ryan to pull together a $20.5-million off-market deal with a two-week closing date.

Ryan, of Unison The Ryan Group Realty in Whistler, B.C., recently sold 5454 Stonebridge Dr., an over eight-acre property in one of Whistler’s most sought-after neighbourhoods. Stonebridge is more than 500 acres, with properties ranging from 1.3 to 42 acres. Ryan knows it well, having sold more than 90 per cent of all Stonebridge properties over the last decade, and he has sold 5454 Stonebridge Dr. several times.

This time around, Ryan planned to list the property in June for the summer season. He knew the sellers well, having sold them the house three years earlier. They now wanted to downsize.

The sellers kept the home in immaculate condition, so there was no need to prep it for sale.

The right buyer at the right time

Fortuitously, an area purchaser, someone Ryan also knows well, needed a property to accommodate guests. A couple of months earlier, Ryan had mentioned that 5454 Stonebridge was coming to market.

When the buyers arrived in Whistler for an extended stay, they viewed their potential guest home and decided to purchase, provided a two-week closing could be arranged.

Ryan’s team did their due diligence. It was a seamless cash transaction. The “really well-maintained home” passed inspection. “This is one of my favourite sellers,” Ryan says. “If something needed to be done, the work was done.”

As in this case, having a good relationship with both buyer and seller is not uncommon for Ryan. “It happens to us a lot.” He represented the seller; the purchaser, a sophisticated buyer, bought through a lawyer.

A front-row property

The buyers were drawn by the “stunning acreage, the right number of bedrooms and the close proximity to their main house and the connectivity of it being down the street,” Ryan says.

The property is considered “front-row,” with unobstructed views of ski runs, Alta Lake, the valley and Whistler and Blackcomb mountains.

The lot could also accommodate a helipad — a feature that is becoming increasingly in demand in Stonebridge. “It’s an ideal neighbourhood, great for pilots to go along the valley and pop up to a property without flying over, and there is crown land behind,” Ryan says.

The home was crafted by a master builder and enhanced by renovations, expansive windows and natural materials. Indoor/outdoor living is a highlight, with the main lounge opening onto a covered dining terrace. Connected areas are designed for year-round use, and the kitchen suits both everyday living and entertaining.

The three-level home has a bedroom wing with four bedrooms, three bathrooms and a private staff area. Other highlights include geothermal heating, a gym, a sauna, a wine cellar and a media room.

Record-setting sale

At $20.5 million, this is the second-highest residential real estate transaction on record for Whistler and the top sale since 2023, when Ryan sold a $32-million Stonebridge home.

Ryan notes it’s not uncommon for homes to sell off-market in Stonebridge, the largest acreage community in the Whistler Valley. Another sale he was not involved with happened the same week — just down the street — and went for $20 million.

Many expats are coming back from around the world and starting to buy so they can retire or semi-retire in their home country, he adds.

After 5454 Stonebridge Dr. sold, Ryan posted it on MLS to get it into the system and record the sale. “We’re loud and proud when we sell something.”

Building more than a client list

Ryan’s success comes from hard work and years of building relationships with clients from around the world and turning those clients into friends. About five years ago, he got all the owners of large properties together for a party. Many had never met, but afterwards he’d see them walking their dogs or playing pickleball together.

His real estate career began more than 30 years ago in Mississauga. He moved to Whistler in 1988, where he has been consistently the market’s top-selling agent. His team does between $200 million and $300 million in annual gross sales revenue.

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