One of the seven display homes built by Pettit & Sevitt's in the 1970s in Weston has hit the market.
Pettit & Sevitt were a NSW-based project home company that was built around the idea of creating well-designed, well-constructed homes that could be affordable for the average family. The homes were modern for the day and are often open-plan with flat roofs and built with organic materials.
Their houses were sought after at the time because they were recognised as being quality, Canberra architect Eric Martin said, and are still popular because they have maintained their quality over the past half century.
"They were usually houses which required less maintenance and had some element of passive energy design," Mr Martin said.
Architects of the period were keen to "do the right thing", Mr Martin said, by building homes which would be energy efficient and stand the test of time.
"Orientation was considered part of the arrangement, and therefore performance from the sun and passive energy were certainly of some added benefit in respect to the houses.
"A lot of them were face brickwork, no maintenance, minimum painting and therefore of wider benefit in respect to long-term maintenance and liveability and costs."
Mr Martin has been involved in renovating two Pettit & Sevitt houses. Both the owners, he said, were keen to maintain the original quality and design of the homes.
"They acknowledged the significance of it and they were keen to make sure they did the right thing," he said.
The exact number of Pettit & Sevitt homes left in the territory is unclear. Heritage protection of private residences is rare in the ACT, and concerns have been raised about the preservation of Canberra's mid-century architecture.
Lauren Laing, the selling agent for the display house at 1 Gray Place, said despite the interest in mid-century modern homes, it could be difficult to transact on buildings that needed work, as older houses often do.
"If the buyer is out there wanting something quirky and is open to adding value to it as well, this is definitely the type of home," she said.
"It's in a gorgeous location, the size of the house is there, the block is really good too."
The home has retained the classic Pettit & Sevitt open-plan layout, but the kitchen and bathroom have been updated. With five bedrooms and space for two cars, floor-to-ceiling windows and an outdoor pool, Ms Laing said there had been plenty of interest in the house - but nobody was ready to commit to the purchase.
The house unsuccessfully went to auction on June 4, and has now been on the market for about seven weeks.
She encouraged sellers to be realistic about the way unfinished upgrades could affect the price of a house, but said investing in Weston should be a no-brainer.
"It is quite important for any seller really to understand it does put a big pressure on the price. Doing those upgrades of the insulation and the double glazing - you're going to make your money back."
"In Weston, you can never overcapitalise. Chuck $100,000 into it and you'll be able to sell it for more," she said.
