Virginia on Seapoint Avenue in Blackrock is on such a prominent position on the road that its long-time “for sale” status will have been noted by thousands of passing motorists over the years.
The detached double fronted property is now for sale through Savills with an asking price of €975,000. That is quite a way from its asking price in late 2009 when it went on the market for €1.8 million. It is currently rented to a family and has been off the market for about two years.
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It is a striking looking house on an elevated corner site at Seapoint Avenue and Temple Park Avenue. Built around 1880, the double-fronted house has 204 sq m (2,200 sq ft).
From the outside, the combination of the elevated site – it is accessed via a flight of steps – and the Victorian architectural features make this five-bedroom house look larger from the outside than it feels inside.
Virginia has been extended and renovated in the recent past. Many of its original features were refurbished and an extension at the rear made space for an extended kitchen and two additional bedrooms.
Off the narrow entrance hall there is one livingroom to the right with dual aspect (there are windows at either end) and another, larger room to the left. Both have attractive period fireplaces.
The major change to the original layout is at the back. What was a small kitchen has been extended to create a large, bright extended kitchen/dining/ family space opening out on to the garden. There is a white fitted kitchen with stainless steel appliances.
Upstairs there are five bedrooms, four are doubles, and two with en-suites. There is a small family shower room.
It is easy to imagine that Virginia, a substantial Victorian family house in the seaside suburb, once stood on significantly larger grounds and that it was once not so near to the road.
Off-street parking is to the side on Temple Park Avenue, with space for two cars behind electric gates. The garden which wraps around the side and rear features a large timber deck, positioned over the car ports. The front rockery style garden shows its Victorian seaside heritage with a palm tree and a range of mature hedging.
New owners probably won’t look to extend – the most recent extension improved the layout and made space for the additional living space and bedrooms, and extending would eat into the remaining garden. They will probably do something with the deck which looks to be in poor repair – or even reconsider having it at all – and will decorate throughout.
Some changes are afoot in this neighbourhood. The large car sales showroom site across the road, visible from the front windows of house has been sold and developer, New Generation, plans to build 44 apartments and nine townhouses.
