Realtor Darlene Davis never thought she’d give up her dream home.

She and her husband James designed Scotia Shores specifically to fit their lifestyle.

A decade later, their needs had changed.

The three-bedroom, three-and-a-half bathroom home at 15 Gatehead Lane, Smith’s, is on the market for $1,585,000.

The architect was Harold Conyers; Frank Lewis the contractor.

There’s an “eat-in, chef-inspired kitchen”, a formal living room and a den that also could be used as a dining room or office space. There’s also a pool on the property, which sits in a corner lot at the end of the road.

“We built this house specifically for our lifestyle nine years ago,” Mrs Davis said. “It was a fun journey and was to be our retirement home but life changes. We found something that [better suited our current needs] and we fell in love with it.

“I’m really excited for another family to enjoy it as well. It’s unusual in that its on a corner lot and it edges onto Idle Acres, a super quiet neighbourhood. So there’s a huge appeal for families with young children.

Harrington Hundreds, Flatts and Collector’s Hill are all minutes away so there’s tons of amenities nearby.”

The dilemma the Rego Sotheby’s International Realty realtor faced was one she’d often had to talk clients through.

“I thought it would be horrific having people come into our house to look around,” she said. “But I soon found it helped that I could tell them all the intimate bits of the house. I could explain why we chose to design something in a particular way, I could answer any questions immediately, where I might otherwise have [had the potential buyer wait] until I got the answer from the vendor.

“It was a bit difficult for us. I’m emotionally attached to the house and I’m the agent and the vendor. My husband and I had to have a serious conversation about what to list it for. We had to take the emotion out of it — which is what I always tell clients.

“Every once in a while it’s nice to be put in the shoes of the vendor. There is a lot of work that goes into always being prepared. I had some agents from Rego’s come through and give me their opinion. Something as simple as taking a leaf out of the kitchen table because it is overpowering, can be helpful. Staging is really important with a house so people can see the ‘trees among the forest’. As agents. we sometimes may forget the demands put on the vendor [can be difficult] but it’s about ensuring the house is shown at its best.”

Contact Mrs Davis on 292-3921­ or ddavis@regosir.com. View Scotia Shores on www.regosothebysrealty.com