308 Sheldon Avenue

This small home is the perfect size for the right buyer: empty nester, single, couple, small family. It is charming, solid, and well-maintained but lacks updates. What it offers instead is an unusually high qualify of life. LOCATION Hummer Park (adjacent), train station (2 blocks), Downtown Downers (3/4 mile). NATURE There's a wide assortment of wildlife, including some not typically found in a suburban setting. For bird watchers, there are the usual Mourning Doves and extensive variety of finches, but also song birds along with Black-capped Chickadees, White-Breasted Nuthatches, Cardinals, Blue Jays, etc. There's also other wildlife - butterflies, rabbits, chipmunks, grey squirrels, red squirrels, and black squirrels along with an occasional Mallard, possum, and fox/coyote. Yes, Mallards have been known to waddle into the yard to feed on corn tossed at the base of a bird feeder. They didn't fly in, like other birds. They waddled in from the park with babies in tow, as if it were no big deal to simply stroll on over to say hi and grab a bite to eat. GREEN SPACE The wide assortment of wildlife in this otherwise suburban setting arises from the unique situation of large lots next to extensive green space (Hummer Park) with a creek running through it (Saint Joseph's Creek). The creek is a key wildlife habitat, because it's a water resource and is bordered with large trees and dense vegetation providing food, protection, and shelter. The lot backs up to this green space. PUBLIC PARK Adjacent Hummer Park serves joggers, children, people walking their dogs or playing fetch, and moms with baby carriages on their way to the playground. It has a brick pavilion with built-in BBQ grills and picnic tables. It also has indoor toilets and a large playground. In the summer, it hosts special events for kids. From this house, kids get to the park safely without needing adult supervision, because it's right out their backdoor. There are no streets to cross. The lot is separated from the park's active areas by the creek. The creek bisects the park. The portion north of the creek is the bulk of the park and its active area. The portion south of the creek is adjacent to the lot. This portion is rarely if ever used by the public and is perfect for spillover use from the lot. It offers the lot quiet and privacy from the park's active areas. TRAIN STATION Only 2 blocks away, but, thanks to unique topography, noise is not heard at the house. DOWNTOWN Quaint shops, restaurants, library, and historic Tivoli Theater are only 3/4 of a mile away, an easy walk, with sidewalks all the way. HOME DETAILS Ranch. All brick. Quiet street. Extra deep, private yard. Stunning, mature landscaping. Paver-brick patio, walkways, and flower gardens. Hardwood floors under carpeting. Attached garage with extra tall door. Enclosed sun porch. Doublewide, concrete driveway. Full basement, partially finished with laundry room, full bath, and bedroom/office/family room. BUILDER EXPANSION Unlimited potential. UNIQUE LOT This lot -- with its large size, privacy, wildlife, adjacent green space, public amenities and community events -- was the late homeowner's dream. To find it, he kept tabs on the housing market for several years. Lots like this are rare. When it hit the market, he snapped it up and lived here happily for 40 years. He was an avid gardener, and the lot blooms all season long, with a lovely succession of flowering plants and trees. Red buds, magnolias, tulips, daffodils, roses, peonies, hydrangeas, hibiscus, goldenrod, phlox, ornamental cabbage plants, lilies, ivy. CONCLUSION If you love privacy, this is your lot. If you love public green space, this is your lot. If you love parks, this is your lot. If you love birds, this is your lot. If you love wildlife, this is your lot. If you love all that blooms, this is your lot. For the right buyer, this home is a special opportunity.