Auburn Villas, off the Rathgar Road, Dublin 6, is a cul-de-sac at the end of a leafy lane where city sounds fade and a sense of suburban privacy prevails.

3 Auburn Villas, for sale through Sherry FitzGerald, was built in l847. Double fronted and with a fine sweep of granite steps to the front door, it has been refurbished and modernised over the last four years by the present owners. The result is a house filled with light which has four bedrooms, three reception rooms and many of its original Victorian features.

When last on the market, four years ago, the house sold for £347,000. This time around, agent Sherry FitzGerald is guiding £800,000 (€1.02m) in advance of its May 16th auction.

At garden level, there is French oak flooring. A thoroughly modern kitchen opens on to a patio and 100ft long back garden. The kitchen has a ceramic tiled floor, fitted alder units and an island with a polished granite worktop. Full planning permission exists for a single-story extension across the full width of the rear.

Off the kitchen there is a family room with a brick open fireplace. A glass door leads to the patio and garden. Also in this part of the house is a utility room, cloakroom and to the front, a bedroom.

The drawing and diningrooms are to either side of the wide, high-ceilinged entrance hall, which is full of light from an original fanlight and leaded-glass panels to the side of the front door. The Victorian credentials of the house are captured most in the diningroom, where original floorboards are darkly polished and the marble fireplace has inset tiles and brass surround.

There is a small child's bedroom on the first-floor return. The two main bedrooms, both with en suite shower rooms, dressingrooms and original fireplaces are on the top floor.

The rear garden has herbaceous borders as well as old trees. There is off-street parking at the front.