If you have always dreamed of owning a castle, and have $699,000 to spare, you’re in luck.
Realtor Kathy Guitard is looking for the right buyer for a unique listing in Moncton. The royal residence is about 19,000 square feet.
“The building itself is in very good shape but I don’t know how many more years it will be able to stand the cold because it is very, very hard on it,” says Guitard.
Completed in 1908, the castle was originally a convent. Over the years, it has served many different purposes, and was last used as a seniors home.
The property contains a chapel, dozens of rooms, and lots of original stained glass and woodwork.
The $699,000 asking price includes a new roof and some basic upgrades, but Guitard says there is still a lot of work to be done, and the land in front of the castle is not included in the price.
The council liaison to Moncton’s heritage board says the land issue is one of the many challenges in finding the right buyer.
“If we want to preserve this building, we need to be creative in the way we do it and we need to be flexible,” says Paulette Theriault.
Mike Bourgeois has lived across from the castle for 35 years. He says it would be a shame to tear it down if the sale isn’t successful.
“There is very little of heritage left…if you go to Europe, you have buildings and structures that are 200 to 300 years old and they are still maintained,” says Bourgeois.
Construction contractor Mike Godin says fixing a castle involves thinking outside the box.
“That is a little more challenging. We found some plans that are going to help us but you still never know what is behind the wall,” says Godin.
Guitard, for reasons both monetary and sentimental, hopes a potential buyer will come forward soon.
With files from CTV Atlantic's David Bell
