REAL ESTATE- ON THE BLOCK- Guessing in Greenbrier: Why is this sturdy Cape still for sale?

Address: 1615 Yorktown Drive

Neighborhood: Greenbrier/Rutledge 

Asking: $419,900

Assessment: $428,400

Year Built: 1959

Size: 3,300 fin. sq. ft., 845 unfin. 

Land: 0.63 acres

Agent: Donna Goings,Charlotte Ramsey, Inc. , 434-296-7171

Curb Appeal: 7.5 out of 10

It's difficult to figure out why certain houses stay on the market month after month. We all know there's a lot of inventory out there, but buyers can also be turned off by properties that don't move within a reasonable time, perhaps because they suspect that other shoppers have discovered problems. It's fear of the unknown. But buyers may want take this Greenbrier house at face value.

Living and dining rooms open off the foyer. Original pocket doors close off the kitchen when necessary. The 1959 lines have been preserved except for a few additions: a paneled sunroom leading to a deck, a bump-out breakfast bay, and a kitchen update from the ‘80s or ‘90s. Two bedrooms– a master suite and smaller one– and a second bath with standup shower round out the first floor. The baths were added on or redone around the same time as the kitchen. 

From the outside, the place appears to be a Cape bungalow, with the typical interesting angles and dormer windows. But it's deceptively large, and the second floor has more wall space than a traditional Cape.

The larger of the two rooms up here would be an excellent upgraded master, although the walk-in closet is on the small side and needs some built-ins. But the room easily fits a king bed with space for a comfy chair-filled reading nook. The smaller second bedroom has a standard closet. If storage is still a concern, there's another closet in the hall opposite a linen closet. 

The existing master suite on the first level gives a family some options while they consider the second story, which a new owner should do, since with so much room upstairs, it's hard to imagine why anyone would stay on the first floor. 

In stark contrast to the cavernous bedrooms, a miniscule bath with original mustard tile is the sole upstairs WC, and a new sink and toilet are its only updates.  

The house has AC, but the owner has preferred to use a pair of window units to chill the upstairs. Heat is provided by an oil furnace, and the agent says the cost is similar to gas. A two-zone heat pump may be a future upgrade buyers will want to consider. 

A partially finished basement at garden level lets in some light. Down here, a paneled and fireplace-equipped living room and an exercise room offer more space. With the right planning, the unfinished sections could become useful storage. As is, the hangar-esque main room is empty save for a frontloading LG washer and dryer. 

One downer that will not slip past most buyers is nearly no yard: what little there is out back abruptly drops off an ivy-covered slope– not so much fun for running, jumping, skipping, and hopping. It's the front of the house that has the greenery, and a creek cuts across it. 

It's hard to know why buyers haven't snapped up this property (and maybe it's better not to guess). Since the kitchen and two of three baths have seen ‘80s/'90s updates, nothing needs immediate attention. Buyers looking here will be thinking of the long term and will be lulled by the location and size. 

PHOTOS BY SARAH JACOBSON

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