Just over a century ago we discovered how sunlight was essential in the prevention of rickets, the condition that causes bone pain and poor growth leading to bone deformities in children. According to a recent report in the New York Times, natural light is also shown to have psychological benefits which include greater productivity and improved mood, in comparison with your typical light bulb.
The owner of 5 Leeson Park admits that when viewing the house back in 2013 she “had no idea that a home with the right aspect could influence your life so much”. “When I was in the process of buying, David Byrne [now managing director] of Lisney emphasised that the house had what he called ‘the perfect aspect’ – a southwest-facing rear garden. He had lots of stats which showed that fewer houses, due to roads and taller buildings, now benefit from this orientation, but I really had no idea at the time what it really meant”.
While the first factor of importance for most buyers is size, aspect is a worthy second. Southwesterly gardens suit us best as they still offer heat and light at the end of the working day, and it is doubly important in Ireland as we are quite a sunlight-deficient country.
Number 5 Leeson Park ticks quite a few boxes besides it location in the leafy suburb of Ranelagh. Its 342sq m (3,681sq ft) of floor space laid out as two storeys over garden level was initially remodelled and refurbished by residential property investment company Capital D Property. Funded by entrepreneur John Morrissey, the company purchased grandes dames and sold them on for considerable profit after investing heavily in their refurbishment.
However in the case of 5 Leeson Park, which the company purchased in 2008, its post-refurbishment coincided with the downturn of the Celtic Tiger, and it finally sold to the current owners in 2013 (for €2.35 million, according to the Property Price Register). Prior to that, it would have been expected to achieve in the region of twice this price.
It was launched to the market through Haines in 2018, when it had been rented for about €6,000 a month as the owners lived abroad. For various reasons they took the property off the market and moved in themselves, giving the garden an overhaul with the installation of a new patio off the kitchen.
It is testament to the investment made by Capital D back in 2008/2009 that the five-bedroom property has been sensitively and carefully refurbished. This work included the restoration of many of its lovely original Victorian features. These are most evident in the two superb interconnecting rooms at hall level where the owners’ collection of oriental art and antiques mirror their travels over the past few decades.
At garden level lies a fifth bedroom, a Poggenpohl kitchen with Miele appliances, a dining room and a family room which has a picture window overlooking the rear garden. A fourth bedroom lies on the hall level return along with a study area, while three remaining bedrooms lie on the top floor. The principal suite runs from front to rear and has a dressing room.
The owners will clearly miss the perfect aspect of their home – along with the lawned 36m (118ft) garden with pedestrian access to the rear. Some neighbours have added vehicular access here, and while subject to planning, there appears to be a well-established precedent for same.
They will also miss what the family calls ‘the loo with the view’. “As it [the toilet] is at such a height, you can see right down the garden, over all the rooflines and treetops in Ranelagh, and sometimes it is so sunny there that you would need sunglasses.”
Lisney Sotheby’s International Realty have now launched 5 Leeson Park, in turnkey condition and BER-exempt, to the market seeking €3.25 million. By way of comparison, recent sales on the road – which is home to a number of embassies and consulates, include number 43 which achieved €3.8 million in 2021, and number 23, which sold for €3.3 million in 2020.
