A pair of family homes near city guide €1.25m each

Dublin 4Two large-sized houses close to the city centre with desirable addresses are likely to create a lot of interest. Bernice Harrison reports

14 Nutley Avenue 1.25m

The houses in the Nutley area - between St Vincent's hospital and Ailesbury Road in Dublin 4 - were built at different times, by various builders so very few are exactly like their neighbour.

What they do have in common is that they are all fine family homes that have appreciated rapidly in value in recent years. New to the market this week, number 14 Nutley Avenue has five bedrooms over 204 sq m (2,200 sq ft) and a guide price of €1.25 million prior to auction through Sherry FitzGerald on September 25th.

The detached house which backs onto St Michael's College playing fields was extended before the previous owners moved in around 15 years ago. Nutley Drive is off the main road and is a quiet suburban road. Number 14 was built in 1957 and it originally had an integrated garage. At some time this was turned into a room and the house is now an attractive looking, double fronted house with a porch entrance. Inside, the large livingroom is to the left and is divided from the smaller diningroom at the back of the house by sliding doors.

As in the hall, the flooring in these rooms is the original solid maple that was popular here in the 1950s. To the right of the hall is the breakfastroom/kitchen which runs from front-to-back and opening from it is the familyroom which would originally have been the garage.

The house was extended with a single storey extension at the back of this room. In it is a double bedroom with an en suite. Also on the ground floor is a utility area and a guest bathroom.

On the turn of the stairs is a large window so the hall and landing are bright.

Upstairs there are four more bedrooms, three doubles and a single.

The main bedroom mirrors the size of the livingroom downstairs so it is a particularly good-sized room with a full-sized en suite. There is also a family bathroom.

The mature and well-planted garden backs onto school playing grounds so the house is not overlooked and to the front there is off-street parking for two cars.

13 Merlyn Drive 1.25m

A five-bedroom detached house on a corner site at 13 Merlyn Drive off Merrion Road in Ballsbridge is expected to make over €1.25 million at a Sherry Fitz-Gerald auction on October 1st.

When the house was constructed in the 1930s the builder went in for all the current trends, including parquet flooring in the three reception rooms as well as terrazzo floors in the kitchen; curved bay windows fronted with tile and a family-friendly layout. Although 1930s purists may be less enthused by the new pvc windows.

The three reception rooms are made up of a small familyroom to the left of the hall and a large formal livingroom to the right with the curved window bay in the corner.

To the right at the back of the house is a diningroom.

There is a basic kitchen and a large guest bathroom under the stairs.

Upstairs the landing is a good square shape and, looking at neighbouring houses, there would appear to be potential to go up into the attic. Off it are five bedrooms, a bathroom and a separate toilet.

The biggest bedroom has the same curved corner window as downstairs.

The larger bedrooms have their original fireplaces.

New owners will do a good deal of modernising to turn what is a very spacious 185 sq m (2,000sqft) house into a comfortable modern family home.

They will have to put in a kitchen, either in the existing room or perhaps extend out the back, update the bathroom and most likely convert one of the smaller bedrooms upstairs into an en suite.

The house's corner site - and its 80 ft by 80 ft square shaped back garden - will undoubtedly prompt interest from buyers looking for a house with site potential.

The front garden has off-street parking as well as a garage and the house would appear to have been the home of a keen gardener as it has been well planted and kept in good condition throughout.