RELAXING NEAR THE SEA

For anyone who wants peace and quiet, a low-maintenance town house and grounds, a brilliant location and great neighbours, Unit 2, 12 Beach St, Fitzroy is ready and waiting.

Lynne bought this two bedroom town house to be near her mother who owned the front unit. Sadly, both have passed away now and Unit 2 is for sale.

Lynne's daughter Lee-Ann says her mother loved the house and the neighbourhood. "She had such lovely neighbours and the location was everything she wanted. She could walk to the beach or the shops - everything is so handy."

The Summit Stone town house was built in the 1970s, and Lynne thoroughly enjoyed bringing her home into the 21st Century. She started with the kitchen, about 10 years ago, says Lee-Ann.

"Mum loved yellow and it shows," laughs Lee-Ann. Indeed it does. The kitchen and dining room are both painted in a gloriously sunny shade of yellow. With the living areas all facing north, the sun streams through the windows and glass doors, enhancing the warmth and cheeriness.

The kitchen has an L-shaped bench and is practical with everything in easy reach (even a small glimpse of the nearby Tasman Sea says Lee-Ann). As well as the pantry, there is a ceramic top stove, a dishwasher and plenty of storage space. A glass-fronted cabinet above the bench is ideal for storing crockery - and a chance to show off your best pieces. Another built-in cabinet sits on the corner of the dining room and the kitchen, providing a pleasing angle. The cabinets and drawers are blue and, with the yellow walls, the kitchen décor makes a refreshing statement about light and colour.

New carpet has been laid throughout the house and the neutral shade is aesthetically pleasing.

The lounge is a spacious room, much bigger than one would expect in a town house. Its rectangular shape makes it especially easy to place furniture. As in the dining room, sliding doors open on to the paved area of the north facing aspect of the town house.

Another surprise is the bathroom. It is enormous and extremely practical and attractive with a wet-floor shower, toilet, modern vanity unit and basin. "Mum was particularly pleased with the bathroom," says Lee-Ann. "She didn't want a bath and she did want plenty of room."

The main bedroom is also surprising. It is big enough to accommodate a king-size bed and has been painted in a neutral shade, allowing Lynne to put in curtains to provide contrast. "She was such a selfless person, always putting everyone and everything before herself. The bedroom was the last thing she did and when it was finished last year she was delighted with it."

The second bedroom, while smaller, is still a double size and like the main bedroom is an extremely pleasant room.

The laundry is a generous size and the back door leads out to the paved area at the rear of the house. A cat flap enabled Lynne's small dog to get outside and because the yard is completely fenced and gated, the dog was quite safe.

Lee-Ann says that her mother spent many happy hours sitting in the sun on the patio beside the town house. She was particularly pleased with the raised planter boxes that are placed alongside the fence with more boxes at the rear. It's gardening the easy way.

This beautifully cared-for home would be ideal for either a professional or retired couple, a single person or would make an ideal holiday home, somewhere to be in close proximity to the beach, the walkway and the Fitzroy Village.

Negotiating Range $349,000 - $379,000

Call the selling agents Jan or Roz now to view