The auction of Bella Vista at 48 and 48A Seapoint Avenue is an interesting new arrival on the Monkstown market. The property has been in the same family for many years and, viewed from the front, has the appearance of a traditional bungalow. Behind the gates, however, the width of the site and the scale of the property quickly become apparent.
Set on approximately 0.2 acres, with 70m (230ft) of road frontage, Bella Vista is laid out as two independent units, with a total floor area of 220sq m (2,368sq ft). The house is single-storey at the front and double-storey at the back, making for a rather unusual configuration and, potentially, a good deal of flexibility for a new owner.
The upper residence has a dual-aspect livingroom, with corner windows that look out across Dublin Bay. There is also a sittingroom, a kitchen with a breakfast area, a utility room and a guest bathroom. Completing this level are a bathroom and four bedrooms, which also face the sea.
On the ground floor, the accommodation includes a livingroom that opens into a sunroom and then out to the garden. There is a kitchen with a dining area, a bathroom and a guest loo, along with three bedrooms. There is further space in the attic, which has been floored and insulated.
The well-planted, mature garden lies to the side of the property and includes a patio and a lawned area. The upper floor has access to a terrace, which is currently covered in artificial grass. There is a gated entrance at each end of the site into the house with space for a number of cars in the front driveway.
The property has been in the same family for several years and was rented out in more recent times. Upgrading will be the least that it needs, particularly given its F energy rating. It seems unlikely that new owners will choose to retain Bella Vista in its current form, however. With a good architect leading the way, there is scope to reimagine the property as a substantial family home, making better use of its generous footprint, sea views and unusually wide site.
There is also scope to add a second property on the site, subject to planning permission, so for a buyer with the appetite and resources to take on a substantial project this may be an interesting proposition.
There is no let-up in demand for property around Monkstown, according to selling agent Ann-Marie McCoy of Lisney Sotheby’s International Realty, who has set an advised minimum value of €1.5 million for Bella Vista when it goes to auction on October 14th at 2.30pm.
McCoy said there was a trend of people looking to invest in a lifestyle rather than simply a property, with wellbeing increasingly at the forefront of their thinking. In practical terms, that means buyers are looking for homes close to bathing spots for swimming, waterfront walks and sports clubs, as well as artisan food shops and markets.
Seapoint Avenue, positioned between the villages of Blackrock and Monkstown, can deliver on all of these fronts. It is also on the Dart line, with the railway running behind the house and Brighton Vale on the other side of the tracks, beyond which lies the sea.