1940s Ainslie time warp hits the market

A special home that has been in the same family since 1946 has hit Canberra's property market with a $1.35m price guide.

The home at 4 Hoddle Gardens in Ainslie is listed with Greg Amos and Jonathan Irwin of Irwin Property and sits on a large 743sqm block.

The original owners moved to the Ainslie home as government tenants before buying the property off the government in the 1970s.

Once the property became a private residence, the family added an extension in the 1970s and further updates to the rear of the property in 1983.

And yet despite the additional changes, almost everything inside the house is historic – from the light fittings to the retro wallpaper, timber picture rails and old power switches.

The Hoddle Gardens property has three-bedrooms, one-bathroom and is positioned in a tightly held enclave in Ainslie.

“There is this amazing community parkland out the front of the property where the neighbours used to play footy and cricket together,” said Mr Amos.

“That’s what makes this place so special – the neighbourhood would meet up and all get to know each other.”

The property presents a unique opportunity for a young family who are looking to buy into one of Ainslie’s most desirable and close-knit streets.

Mr Amos said the Ainslie time warp is incredibly rare and one of the most original homes he has come across.

“There’s a real montage of history in this home,” he said.

The main living room and meals area have retro wallpaper from the 1970s and original timber doors with decorated glass panels. The kitchen was updated in the 1980s and certainly gives off an 80s vibe with the wood laminate throughout. Off the kitchen is a laundry room and toilet.

All three bedrooms have carpet, high ceilings and an added touch of colour. There is also a covered outdoor entertainment area, front porch and separate garage out the back.

For the sellers, No. 4 Hoddle Gardens has been their one and only family home.

“The son has lived there all his life,” said Mr Amos.

Mr Amos said even the historical pictures on the online listing are special.

“If you look closely at one of the photos you can see a 1937 Vauxhall,” he said.

Luckily for the sellers, 4 Hoddle Gardens hit the market a week before the snap lockdown was announced by the ACT Government.

“In that week we had two open homes with terrific interest,” said Mr Amos.

“A lot of people were telling me that they used to live in Ainslie back in the 70s and 80s and want to come back home.”

According to Zango data, Ainslie has a current median property price of $1.28 million. This is an increase from last year when the median property price was $1.1 million.

The property is about a five minute walk to the popular Ainslie shops and foothills of Mount Ainslie. The Canberra Centre is also about 2.5km away.

To find out more about the historical Ainslie home, contact Greg Amos on 0432 365 184 or Jonathan Irwin on 0421 040 082.