Sleeper of the Week: 3115 Cornell Looks Like It Really Went to Dartmouth!

This is generally not a great market to find Sleeper properties, though we are ALWAYS on the outlook for them. Last week, at the Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty Partyline Real Estate shindig, I heard of another Sleeper ‘hood: Auburn. You can bet your bippee we will be all over there.

But you don’t usually find bargain properties in University Park, until you stop at 3115 Cornell. The property is in Highland Park, so Armstrong Elementary, McCullough Middle and Highland Park High School. But the property looks like it could be on Fraternity Row at Dartmouth.

Sorry,  Cornell.

It’s just so crisp and white and pretty, and then those black shutters and doors are perfect accents. (I’m actually going to pretend they are actually dark Dartmouth green.) This is a house that would melt your heart in the fall, and then be a Norman Rockwall picture-perfect setting for the holidays. Honestly, I’m surprised it’s still on the the market: IT’S THE LOWEST PRICE PER SQUARE FOOT ON CORNELL RIGHT NOW AT $363.92 psf! This puts you into Highland Park for under $1.5!

The home has 4108 square feet on a 50 by 150 foot typical Park Cities lot. There are four bedrooms, three full baths and one half bath. The master is upstairs, and you know how I feel about that: parents should sleep on the same level as their children until the children grow up, especially if they want them to go to an Ivy League school. The home was built in 1980 with light, bright spaces. You enter a bright, lovely foyer and immediately spy rich hardwoods and the grand stairway. And as Gomer Pyle used to say, surprise surprise surprise: you expected dark traditional Duncan Phyfe and red oriental rugs, maybe even red walls in the dining room? This home is a delightful tribute to color and freshness. It is also quite contemporary for a middle-aged house.

Surprise!

The formal living room also has two sparkling French doors with arched transoms that lead to a tiled sun room. OMG, I am seeing a white flocked Christmas tree out here with twinkling lights, while we keep the Douglas Fir green in the living room!

The sun room opens to the sparking back-yard pool and spa.

The dining room is across the hall, and leads to the kitchen and breakfast room. Ain’t no 1980’s Alexis Carrington kitchen in here: updated sporting sleek appliances plus rare granite. I love the built-in Mom’s desk with storage and the pretty transoms above the cabinets. The floor is brick rather than wood, and there is also pretty white brick around the built-in ovens, all quite refreshing. The den off the kitchen is the only room that still looks like a poster-child for 1985: picture-frame paneled lower walls in walnut. Those could be resurfaced with something very fun to keep up with the fun in the rest of the house.

Upstairs we find the huge master with a pretty spa bath, fireplace, a large walk-in closet, and a balcony. Three more bedrooms, two with a Jack n’ Jill bathroom, and one en suite. The powder, of course, is downstairs.

There is an attached two-car garage, and the .17 acre lot is nicely treed and lanscaped. Located west of Airline, the home is a couple houses off Sewanee. I’m talking great location, plus a price that has been reduced from $1,690,000 to $1,495,000.

So yes, Virginia, I’m telling you there is really a Santa Clause. You can get into Highland Park for under $1.5 and still have enough money to buy some presents for under the tree. Listed with Margo Bentsen at Briggs-Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty, and our CandysDirt Sleeper of the Week.