Hidden behind a tall hedge on Beechwood Avenue Lower in Ranelagh is number 20, a redbrick Victorian villa-style property, one of two similar houses on the road. The pretty pair stand out as being different from their neighbours in the terrace with their matching dormer windows, an indication they are slightly larger than other villa-style houses on the road. The owners bought number 20 in 2005 when the house was informally divided into two.
They brought it back to a family home and extended at the back and up into the attic. The work left them with 1840sq ft /171sq m of space made up of three double bedrooms, three bathrooms, an extended kitchen, a playroom and the original living room to the front with its high ceiling and period proportions.
They did the work in several phases over the years – the first major construction shortly after they moved in when they added the extension across the rear, opening out into the enclosed garden. It’s a cleverly planned space with a fitted kitchen in one corner, a good dining and seating area, and a separate utility room and children’s playroom. The kitchen units have recently been replaced with smart new timber painted units from Blackrock Kitchens. There’s a white marble-topped island unit and a walk-in larder.
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Modern extension
The attic conversion was completed in 2015. There was already stairs going up to a small bedroom and a bathroom but the area was extended to create a large double at the top of the house with an en-suite alongside the family bathroom. It will be interesting to see what number 20 goes for. It's for sale through DNG asking €1.1million.
Prices are difficult to compare on the road as the houses vary in size and type. As some have been in flats or are executor’s sales, they tend to come to the market in differing conditions. According to the property price register, the 12 houses sold on this road since 2011 have generally tended to achieve prices somewhere between €600,000 and €800,000. No sale was registered on the road in 2016. Number 20’s €1.1 million asking price reflects price growth in the D6 market, its larger floor space and the fact buyers won’t have to do a thing before moving in.
The nearest comparison to it at the moment is just a few doors up from number 20 where Sherry FitzGerald is selling number 8, all done up and ready to walk into – with an asking price of €950,000.
Beechwood Avenue Lower is one-way for traffic off Ranelagh Road and it is a narrow enough road lined with redbrick houses. Very few of the residents have off-street parking as the gardens aren’t big enough and the planners nowadays don’t like interfering with the streetscape. So parking for residents is tight although the Luas station just around the corner means there’s a handy alternative to the car.
