There’s No Place Like Elizabeth Boulevard For The Holidays

December 17, 2021 | Eric Prokesh | | Fort Worth Friday

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Want to come to my home for the holidays? Well, not exactly, but 1418 Elizabeth Blvd. is two short blocks down the street from me.

I searched for a Christmas theme and, in the end, sticking close to home sounded like a good idea. And the four-bedroom, three-and-one-half-bath house built 105 years ago nearly makes Currier & Ives vintage.

And in the “Wow that was fast” category: With just one week and one open house, the 3,800-square-foot Prairie-style home in Ryan Place was under contract.

Spoiler alert: the house’s listing figure is more than $100,000 over Zillow’s usually overly sanguine Zestimate. The price? $999,999. Yep. $1 million. I’m not quite certain how I feel about that.

This will be the second somewhat under-the-radar neighborhood I’ve lived in that’s seen values escalate and I’m still a good way from a property tax freeze. Are the homeowners onto something and selling at the top? I suppose these are high-class worries, but ones shared by many in this crazy real estate market.

Making The Most of an Investment

The current owners have certainly worked for their windfall.

Many will decry the reworked open plan, but parents will have an easy time keeping an eye on the wee ones.

The living room stretches across the front of the house, and the period hardwoods are in impeccable condition. An opening on the left side of the fireplace leads to the staircase. To the right is access to the dining room and kitchen.

Clearly, the main beneficiary of the floor plan reconfiguration is the now roomy kitchen with a large bar/island.

The ambience is a mash-up of rustic and modern elements. A brick backsplash and a barn door are combined with sleek quartz on the island. The countertops are black soapstone. Industrial pendants and sconces hang over the island and work areas.

A fine staircase with a landing leads to the second floor. The largest bedroom is part of a suite with an adjoining bath. There is also a cozy fireplace. Both upstairs baths have been updated.

The largest bath is a full-on room with a large shower stall with glass subway tile walls and premiere hardware. The vanity has twin sinks and there is a vintage slipper tub in a corner under windows on two sides.

The owners have installed a modern geometrical grid of concrete squares and gray gravel for outdoor living. The large yard still has plenty of room for a pool. The two-car garage is at back and has an apartment with one bed, one bath, and kitchenette.