Prepare yourself for a sad abode that’s been left unattended and unloved. Located on the East-side of the island, 22 Ashton Street was once a happy place, but has been neglected for too long and needs a serious makeover to restore semblance to this back-to-front and topsy-turvy home. Bring your ideas, elbow grease and work-clothes to take advantage of this 2-bedroom home on a 549m2 allotment, adjoining natural forest in a hidden glen off Eastbourne Terrace, at the ‘front’ of the island. From the street, you may already have second thoughts. Resist the temptation to drive-off and forge your way to the entry, via the run-down deck with missing railings and resident weeds. Stop, to appreciate the wrap-around deck stretching to the rear and overlooking the fenced, above-ground pool. Open the door and step inside. A laundry on the left and bathroom to the right with separate loo, take you by surprise. You’re entering the door that you’d normally be exiting, to the clothesline! But take note, there is a full bath with shower over and vanity, complemented by a separate composting toilet. Continue through to the large eat-in kitchen and ‘open-plan’ living with exposed beams. A partly-demolished wall reveals the potential here and sliders lead to the front-deck, offering an alternate entry. While the kitchen is functional as-is, why would you deny it a new look when you rip the walls and floors out? The two bedrooms off the living are on the smaller side, but have ceiling fans, heating, built-ins and offer plenty of natural light. Replace the windows with sliding-doors to provide convenient access to the deck, making the rooms feel larger and breathing new life into them. This Besser-block and Hardiplank home is easy to modify and the floor-plan can be reconfigured for a more intuitive flow. Making the entry from the living area is a good start and a simple solution to the laundry and toilet in your face. Outside, the carport once boasted a floating entertaining space and the remnants of a ramp to it, can be seen from the estranged front-deck. Why not reinstate it, to take advantage of the bushland outlook from all sides of the house and catch those easterly breezes? Beyond the carport, there’s secure fencing to the rear-yard and a fabulous under-house area waiting to be rediscovered. Two multi-purpose rooms with concrete floors and lined walls, provide an opportunity for a home-business or separate granny-flat. The pool area, abandoned behind closed gates and overgrown gardens, glows with a slime-green slick that needs attention. However, it could be revitalised with some shock treatment and routine maintenance. While the timber-deck hugging the back of the house makes a great entertaining space, it needs integrating with the yard to create a more accessible zone. Adding a pergola, BBQ area and landscaping would bring cohesion to the outdoors and a sensibility that’s lacking. There’s dry-storage under the deck (where the pool-pump is also situated) and scope for a workshop or perhaps, a wet-bar area? Now, this is starting to make sense! A lonely shed, sits forgotten in the backyard below towering palms and gums. A clothesline (rather new) frames the space and promises the fresh scent of jasmine-perfumed sheets floating free on a Summer’s day. Solar panels are a welcome addition for reducing energy bills and a few water-tanks to capture runoff, wouldn’t go astray to keep the gardens looking lush and the pool filled. The bush outlook makes you feel miles from anywhere. However, the ferry, recreational amenities and shops are only minutes away. The location alone makes this a great opportunity, but the added benefit of the capital improvement and sense of satisfaction when the work’s done, go beyond anything else on offer, today. If you’re after something that stretches your imagination, yet injects immediate uplift from an affordable makeover, this property could be just the one to take you into 2024. Imagine, the lifetime of family events and memories created here? To make a connection with this home, call Chris McGregor on 0420 555 997. It all starts with an idea.