REAL ESTATE- ON THE BLOCK- Near New Redfields wants personality
Address: 1006 Morningside Lane
Neighborhood: Redfields
Asking: $315,000
Assessment: $263,700
Year Built: 1999
Size: 1,948 fin sq. ft., 315 unfin.
Land: 0.023 acres
Agent: Lori Harris, Real Estate III - North 434-817-9200
Curb Appeal: 7 out of 10
Situated on a quiet cul-de-sac in the Redfields neighborhood, a development that's relatively close to the action but feels very suburban, this house has plenty of storage if not color. A first floor master could either be seen as a deal breaker or a bonus, depending on the buyer. A couple of bonus spaces sweeten the deal.
On the main level, what you see is what you get. From the front door, buyers step into the main shared living space, a great room with a cathedral ceiling and a window into the kitchen. Off the kitchen and great room is the dining space, which leads out to a deck.
Buyers won't find an eat-in kitchen here. It's a small one, but it's organized to work smart. Cabinets rise 42 inches high— taller than standard cabinets. Pinky beige counters are asking for a new do. Overall, it's a kitchen with a small but efficient footprint. The window overlooking the great room is sizable, and cooks will like interacting with guests or watching over kids from the sink. Off the kitchen there's a half bath and washer/dryer hidden behind closet doors.
Shoppers will note that this one has the feel of a model. Although things are not new, the house has been impeccably maintained. Carpets show no wear, and hardwoods have that newly finished look. Plain white and light walls plus sparse décor contribute to that near-naked feel, which is actually an important touch. Buyers don't want to get much of the seller's personality. They want to imagine how they would live and what they would do in a space, and this one's a near blank slate.
The one place where the sellers do show their personality is the front door. It's been painted with a glazed design for privacy. To start, buyers will want to inject some color and probably update some surfaces and fixtures to reflect their personal style and a new era.
Here, the master suite is on the main level with two separate bedrooms on the second level. Some buyers with health issues or looking for a place to age may find that a bonus or even a necessity. It's certainly roomy enough for a king with a walk-in closet and bath with double sinks. There's an extra room of the bedroom that could do for a baby room, office, exercise room or loungey space. It does have a door that leads outside and is actually roomy enough to fit a queen-sized bed.
Two bedrooms on the second floor share a hall bath. There's a bonus room above the single car garage. With no closet, it can't be considered a bedroom. The vaulted ceiling gives the space presence and makes a good craft room or second-story family room. If the first floor master is a deal breaker, this bonus room could probably be staged as a master, but buyers would have to figure out clothing storage and share a bath. (Maybe downstairs isn't looking so bad after all.)
Hidden storage is a critical part of the house's design. Two closets on the second floor have interior doors leading to under-the-eaves spaces. That solves the problem of where to keep suitcases and Christmas decorations in a home sans basement. An exterior door leads to the unfinished area below the house. Although rough, it has been dry enough for the sellers to store extra furniture below. Another closet sits under the stairs on the first floor.
This home has a contemporary and casual design for a modern family. As is, it's move-in ready but is crying out for some pizzazz.
PHOTOS BY SARAH JACOBSON
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