THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, October 29, 1994 TAG: 9410270360
SECTION: REAL ESTATE WEEKLY PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JANET DUNPHY, SPECIAL TO REAL ESTATE WEEKLY
LENGTH: Long : 110 lines
Kent Kilday has moved home and he's not at all disappointed in the changes since he left. Kilday and his wife Debbie moved their young family to his boyhood home in Wellington Woods in July.
The house, located on Duke of Suffolk Drive, was still owned by Kilday's parents when he was ready to relocate here from Texas, although it had been rented for many years.
``I had good memories of this place,'' says Kent Kilday, recalling the treks he made with friends through the woods behind his house years ago. ``When I was little, Mom packed us lunches and we went back to the deep, dark forest.''
Situated off Great Neck Road just north of Virginia Beach Boulevard, Wellington Woods was developed more than 20 years ago.
Wellington Woods North, an adjacent neighborhood consisting of 28 homes between three streets, is also considered by the Virginia Beach real estate assessor to be part of the larger subdivision.
The homes in Wellington Woods are a mix of ranch and two-story dwellings. The yards are well kept and the streets are lined with old trees.
A brick entrance with lamps and a manicured garden median offer visitors a neat and inviting look.
The Kildays are updating their four-bedroom, two-bath home. So far, they have replaced many of the doors, remodeled the kitchen, put in a new yard and made many other ``generic changes,'' says Debbie Kilday.
Like many Wellington Woods residents with school-age children, the Kildays were attracted to the neighborhood by the good schools: Trantwood Elementary, Lynnhaven and Great Nick middle schools and Cox High.
Bill Steil has lived on Earl of Essex Arch for 15 years. He describes Wellington Woods as a ``pleasant, quiet, middle-class neighborhood'' while he shows off huge, juicy pears that fall from a tree in his front yard.
Bonnie Proutt has lived on Duke of Suffolk Drive for 23 years. She was a neighbor of Kent Kilday's parents and she is now the kindergarten teacher of one of the Kilday children.
`It's a very, very popular area,'' says Proutt. ``The houses are affordable. They have nice lots. I happen to live on a corner, which I really like. I like my yard.''
The average selling price for Wellington Woods is $115,000, according to the city assessors' office.
Currently, there is only one house for sale, which some residents say attests to the popularity of the neighborhood. About 10 dwellings were sold during the first six months of 1994, according to city records.
Proutt is active in the neighborhood civic association, which she says has been successful in keeping commercial ventures at an arm's length from Wellington Woods.
``We've fought all along Great Neck to keep it non-commercial,'' she says. ``We're trying to keep it single-family dwellings, which of course keeps the property values up.''
Steil recalls that the civic association successfully installed the sound barrier fence along busy Great Neck Road.
Wellington Woods is convenient to shopping centers and eateries along Great Neck Road and just south on Virginia beach Boulevard.
The Great Neck Area Library is nearby as is Virginia Beach General Hospital.
A bike route runs north along Great Neck to Shore Drive. Several parks are also located nearby.
``Everything you need is at your fingertips, within a five-mile radius,'' says Catherine Turpin, who has lived in Wellington Woods for 18 years and also raised a family here.
``The location and the school system are basically the reasons we moved here.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photos [photographer unidentified]
Debbie Kilday watches over sons Blake and Drew, who zips down the
slide, in their back yard. Her husband grew up in this house.
Kindergarten teacher Bonnie Proutt has lived in Wellington Woods for
23 years.
Black & White photos
Kent Kilday adjusts his VCR while sons Blake and Drew prepare to
watch a movie. Kent brought his family back to his old stomping
ground after living in Texas for a while.
``Everything you need is at your fingertips, within a five-mile
radius,'' says one resident who has lived in Wellington Woods for 18
years.
ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Public schools: Trantwood Elementary, Lynnhaven and Great Neck
middle schools and Cox High School.
Recreation: Great Neck Community Recreation Center.
Shopping Areas: Lynnhaven Mall, Great Neck Village, Great Neck
Shoppes, London Bridge Shopping Center and Chambord Commons.
FOR SALE
At 841 Lord Leighton Court, a 2,200-square-foot, four-bedroom,
two-bath home is listed by the owner for an undisclosed sum.
SOLD
At 841 N. Plantation Drive, a 1,897-square-foot ranch with four
bedrooms, two baths and a pool sold for $133,500 in June.
At 700 Earl of Chesfield Court, a 2,127-square-foot, two-story
with four bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths sold for $138,000 in June.
At 913 N. Plantation Drive, a 2,124-square-foot, two-story with
four bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths sold for $123,000 in May.
At 917 N. Plantation Drive, a 1,861-square-food ranch with three
bedrooms and two baths sold for $100,000 in April.
At 2212 Earl of Essex Drive, a 2,301-square-food, two-story with
four bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths sold for $137,000 in April.
by CNB