What’s an SRES?
I love being a resource to all my clients! From first-time home buyers to last-time home sellers. I’ve had the opportunity to work with clients who are in all stages of the home buying and selling process and I was reflecting this morning on how often I have the opportunity to help clients at both end of the spectrum of housing needs.
A few years ago, I took the opportunity to earn my Senior Real Estate Specialist designation. The Seniors Real Estate Specialist designation is awarded by the SRES Council to Realtors who have successfully completed coursework on the real estate needs of home buyers age 50+. SRES® candidates must successfully complete additional coursework to understand such topics as reverse mortgages and the federal Housing for Older Persons Act (HOPA) as well as how Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security impact real estate decisions.
They also are educated to create a customized approach to each situation: older homeowners planning life after retirement, transitioning from retirement with a companion to life alone or contemplating selling the family home.
They are the center of a network of specialists like estate planners, elder-care attorneys and CPAs who can offer invaluable guidance to seniors deciding how best to manage this stage in their life.
2608 Calgary, Lexington, KY 40509
Once upon a time, Hamburg seemed like a place far, far away from Downtown Lexington and the University of Kentucky. Back then, oh about 15 years ago, if you wanted to get to UK or Downtown from Hamburg it involved a long trip South on Man o’War and eventually you’d end up at Richmond Road or Alumni and you could head into town. Hamburg had a lot of restaurants and shopping right from the start but to me, it didn’t have the appeal of the older neighborhoods or the south end of town. My how things have changed.
Today, Hamburg is vibrant and bustling with even better restaurants — many chains but many local owned restaurants too; lots of shopping and entertainment including my favorite Costco and plenty of great green spaces offering opportunities to run, bike or walk. Even better, it seems like almost all roads lead to Hamburg! Access from Liberty and Winchester Roads, the opening of Polo Club Boulevard, and quick access to the interstate has completely changed the accessibility and desirability of a Hamburg home location. Quite simply, it no longer feels “out there” and instead has become a great destination for home buyers in all price ranges looking for an established area with an easy commute back to town. The coming months will bring even more to offer in Hamburg with the construction of the new YMCA which will be a boon to everyone on that side of town.
One of my favorite new Hamburg listings is this charming townhouse at 2608 Calgary. Purchased several years ago as new construction, this light-filled home is the perfect spot for the professional who seeks a low-maintenance lifestyle with lots of community amenities. It also lays out well for roommates as each bedroom has its own bathroom and plenty of extra room for a home office or second living space. The large open kitchen is sure to please with pretty white cabinetry and a large dining area. Lots of upgraded hardwood floors make the unit even more attractive with easy maintenance. For those concerned about safety and security, the attached two-car garage is a rare find in a townhouse setting and the unit also has an Iris security system that can convey to the new buyer.
The Hamburg Farms community offers resort style amenities including a gorgeous pool, a state-of-the-art fitness, and a paved walking trail that connects to the West Wind and Tuscany neighborhoods. You are also only a short distance from the Brighton path and less than 45 minutes to Red River Gorge and Natural Bridge State Park. With no yard to keep up, you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the leisure-time activities of the community, the Hamburg area and all that Central Kentucky has to offer!
Want to know what’s even more appealing? Chances are you’ll find this great property is more affordable to own than it would be to rent a home with the same square footage and amenities. Savvy buyers know that taking advantage of historically low interest rates makes sense in today’s real estate market. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to be your own landlord and enjoy the great lifestyle that Hamburg Farms affords!
436 Dudley Road, Lexington, KY 40502 — right back at you
Lucky lucky home shoppers! 436 Dudley Road, that charming stone home on the corner of Dudley and Cochran is indeed available again! Why? Because sometimes those things happen and through no fault of this lovely home’s, the current buyer has defaulted on the contract and it will be again available.
For the new lucky buyer, the home has already been inspected and the sellers made the few, minor requested repairs.
Sunday Open Houses – August 24, 2014 — 436 Dudley Road & 1501 Townley
This weekend the Home Builders Association of Lexington is doing their annual Tour of Remodeled Homes. Our new kitchen was invited to be among the participants however since we were busy dropping off our daughter at college it seemed like a terrible idea. If you are thinking about remodeling though and participating in the tour, consider stopping by these two great open houses I’m hosting tomorrow.
From 1 to 3 p.m. I’ll be at 436 Dudley Road. 436 Dudley has been beautifully redone from top to bottom preserving its vintage charm and character with a modern kitchen including a gorgeous gas range and new baths. The entire second floor had the addition of hardwood floors and an incredible master closet you’d be hard-pressed to find in any other Chevy Chase home.
From 3:30 to 5:30, I’ll be across town at 1501 Townley Road; another older home in one of Lexington’s favorite established neighborhoods. Also completely remodeled, this great home has a huge amount of space all on one level and perfectly suited for comfortable living. In addition, this terrific home features many universal design principals that are hard to find in any home much less one in a great neighborhood like this one that is so close to downtown!
So, enjoy the Remodeler’s Tour and come visit me at these great open houses!
1501 Townley Drive — Meadowthorpe
Several years ago I had the great fortune to work with a marvelous young buyer-client who was looking for a home that would provide complete accessibility for a wheelchair. Helping her to find the perfect home was an interesting challenge and I learned about universal design principals in the process. For example, while wanting a single floor, ranch home seems like an obvious start, there are other factors that play a big role in making a home truly livable for someone who might have mobility challenges. Wider doors, room to turn around, no steps at entryways, large showers with no steps, accessible kitchen space are all great features that make life much easier but are not necessarily features that are easy to find. And, finding those features in a home that’s clean, attractive and move-in ready? Even more challenging.
We found a home that was a great start and my client and her fiance made it an even better home! They renovated the masterbath, remodeled the kitchen, updated lighting, installed new hardwood floors, and turned a great, one-level home into something even better — a home that anyone would love whether they want universal design features or not. This fabulous ranch is comfortable, neutral, low maintenance and has a great lay-out for entertaining! In addition, the established Meadowthorpe neighborhood is one that residents adore with quiet, tree-lined streets and convenient location inside New Circle Road. Life has called the owners in a different direction now and I’m excited to be able to offer this fantastic property to a new owner!
436 Dudley Road
I’ve listed and sold a lot of homes in my ten years of being a Realtor. My children, particularly my son who is now 16, barely remembers a time when I didn’t work in real estate and he wasn’t dragged along to check on a listing or open a house for something. Will’s become a house expert in his own right. I have to commend him for having really good home sensibilities. He’s learned to judge a property’s condition, assess the livability of a lay-out, and he’s an excellent judge of curb appeal and location. According to Will, there’s no better place to live than Chevy Chase where you can walk to the grocery, Wheeler’s Pharmacy, Suggins, school, Ecton Park — everywhere a boy or adult could need to go. And, nothing is better than a stone house unlike any of its neighbors with a real front porch and a excellent back yard of entertaining.
436 Dudley Road ranks high on his list of “best homes” or more accurately “can we buy this home and live here?” list. I’m tempted to say yest to this one myself. 436 Dudley has the best of quintessential Chevy Chase charm. It’s been beautifully renovated and maintained by its current owners. A few details I find particularly attractive is the enormous pantry off the kitchen that houses a second refrigerator and an abundant amount of storage, the beautifully renovated kitchen with gas range (a must for anyone who loves to cook) and the open feel of the first-floor living areas. The first floor bedrooms and bath are private and comfortably-sized with lots of nice closet space and beautiful floors. Upstairs, the sellers have renovated the and updated to make an impressive and functional suite that can be utilized in a variety of ways. The bath has been completely remodeled and a huge closet has been added and organized off of the master bedroom. There’s an additional bedroom that works beautifully as an office or could be nursery and a bonus room that could serve as 2nd floor family room, exercise room, or office.
So much to offer in such a great location!
2849 Mt. McKinley, Lexington, KY
Image Posted on Updated on
Don’t miss this great new listing in Carriage Estates. Even if you’re from Lexington, you’ll probably say “Carriage Estates? Where’s that?”
Just off Man O’War and up off Pimlico Parkway, is a lush and lovely little neighborhood of Carriage Estates. Many of the neighborhood homes back to a golf course and almost all of them have mature trees, emerald green lawns, and large yards with plenty of room to play and relax. Most of the homes were built just before builders stopped making hardwood floors a standard feature in living rooms. There are quite a few split-foyer homes in Carriage Estates like this one but there’s a real comfort, livability and storage space in split foyers that give you a lot more space than you’ll find in a lot of today’s new construction homes built on a slab.
This home is one of those fantastic finds for the money! When my seller purchased it, she was immediately attracted to how open the space was, the quality of the workmanship, the wonderful improvements that had been made (updated HVAC, windows, roof, kitchen, baths) and the large yard. She also loved the beautiful hardwood floors and the luxury of a second living space on the lower level. One of the nice qualities of a split foyer is that your lower level (technically a basement) is mostly above grade and walks-out to the backyard, so you never feel like your down in a hole (i.e. small children aren’t afraid to play in split foyer basement without their parents!).
And another wonderful feature? You can’t beat the value for the dollars. Tremendous square footage, terrific yard, desirable updates. You’d be hard-pressed to find an equivalent property anywhere else in Fayette County with the accessibility to shopping, dining, downtown and UK. Come see why this is one of my favorite homes!
508 E. Main Street, No. 409 at The Wellington Arms
If you’ve lived in Lexington for any length of time, you know the Wellington Arms – the cool Tudor apartment building on the corner of Woodland and Main. Built in 1930, it’s on the National Register of Historic Places and is a true Lexington landmark. The building lobby is beautifully appointed and the apartments were renovated and condo-ed about 8 years ago with several units being combined into one. The interior of the units capture much of the vintage appeal of the building –original oak floors, beautiful woodwork, glass-paneled doors and charming bathrooms with octagonal tile floors and clean, vintage subway tile walls. The kitchens are modernized with new cabinetry and stainless steel appliances. The condos look like they ought to be saved on a Pinterest board for upscale urban living.
No. 409, is a 2 bedroom, 2 bath unit with approximately 1215 square foot. There’s so much to love here from the fact that it’s the top floor unit, on the green side of the building (so it’s nice and quiet) and there’s a tremendous amount of storage from a large dressing room in the master bedroom to a massive walk-in closet in the 2nd bedroom. There’s an additional un-windowed office/storage closet that features a charming, original glass front cabinet and has a small desk/vanity area. You won’t find anything like that in the new condos elsewhere downtown. And, if the industrial feel of many urban lofts leave you cold, the warmth and beauty of the original millwork and natural light will delight you.
My seller, who wouldn’t be moving if she were going to continue to live in Lexington, tells me that life at the Wellington Arms is just as fabulous as you would imagine it to be. The building has a charming community/TV room where you can host parties larger than you want in your condo, a fitness room for residents that even has classes, and a delightful enclosed courtyard provides a welcome green space. What’s more, you are within walking distance to dozens of local restaurants, coffee shops, boutiques and entertainment venues. Imagine, if spring ever comes, walking to the Kentucky Theater to see a movie and stopping for a coffee on the walk home or to enjoy the beauty of Thoroughbred Park. Or, how about a quick jaunt to the Saturday Farmer’s Market or hopping on the free Colt Trolley and taking a spin on it leaving your car safe and sound in the resident’s covered and secure parking annex. It makes me sad that I can’t fit my family of four and three dogs into the Wellington Arms just thinking about how much fun it would be to live there!
Here’s a few pictures of this lovely place at the Wellington Arms.
1827 St. Ives Circle — Castlegate
The home you’ve been waiting for! Gorgeous neo-classical home with first-floor master located in the St. Ives section of beautiful Castlegate. Elegance and comfort combine to make this light-filled home a rare find. Gleaming hardwood floors, updated kitchen with granite counters and large breakfast room opens to a cozy family room with charming fireplace & custom built-in shelves. Neutral decor throughout with new carpet upstairs and large finished area of basement with additional bedroom or office. Plenty of unfinished space remains providing abundant storage. In the rear, of the home enjoy coffee on the brick-walled patio with arbor. Immaculate condition and truly move-in ready! Conveniently located within walking distance of shopping and dining, Castlegate frees up your time to enjoy life with the luxury of year-round yard maintenance. This lovely home will not disappoint!
2037 Dellwood Drive, Lexington, KY 40503
I confess that I’ve been anticipating listing this home for a while now. Yes, I sort of covet certain homes to list because they are fabulous in a special way. This is one of those homes because the sellers are people with incredibly good taste, the home is in a great area and it’s a fantastic home inside and out — curb appeal, really nice updates and a flexible floor plan that would be livable for all kinds of people. I should also mention that it has gorgeous hardwood floors and the kind of backyard that I think of as the perfect size. Oh yeah, you can also walk to Trader Joe’s from here which makes me think that it would be easy to get takeaway Chinese from Panda, too.
I’m a big fan of the cute mid-century Cape Cod with a finished second floor. This home, so like the adorable ones you’ll find along Hart, Cochran and Mount Vernon over in Chevy Chase, is much like those cuties but beats them out for having a much nicer price tag. Dellwood is quiet street, with little to no traffic, that is lined with mature trees but is easily accessible to great schools, shopping, UK’s campus and downtown.
Check out more pictures under my Featured Listings tab. You’ll see why I love this house so much!
Gwen Mathews, Realtor, SRES, ABR 