Living next door to the Obamas

He may have moved on for now but being able to borrow a cup of sugar from the US president has a definite cachet, writes Valerie Shanley

No 5040 South Greenwood Avenue in the affluent Kenwood Mansion district of Chicago, is beside the house where the Obama family lived before their move to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington

The house where the Obama family lived

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It's one year on from the historic election of President Barack Hussein Obama, and the euphoria has somewhat dimmed. The latest blow came last week, bang on the 4 November anniversary, with the election of Republican governors in Virginia and New Jersey. Many questions are being asked of an increasingly beleaguered US leader, from his radical healthcare programme to the war in Afghanistan. And now the house next door to him is up for sale. It's not the Pennsylvannia Avenue address that's in the news, but the property directly beside the Obama family home in Illinois. No 5040 South Greenwood Avenue, in the Kenwood Mansion district of Chicago is currently on the market. It sits right beside the president's residence at number 5046.

The Obamas bought their home at No 5046 back in 2005 for an estimated $1.65m. The then newly elected Illinois senator moved in with his wife Michelle and their young daughters. During the Iowa primary of 2007, there was a glimmer of president–in-the- making when the confident senator filmed a special Christmas television commercial of the "from our family to yours" kind in front of the living room fireplace of their home.

Number 5040 has a history all of its own, says Nicholas Hughes, CEO of Coldwell Banker, who is sales agent for the property in Ireland. "It was built in 1906 by an AR Clark, who was the original owner of President Obama's home next door. During World War II, the house was used by officers who needed to stay in the Hyde Park Area, and it eventually became the boarding house for a small military school, located next door on the north side of the property. The current owners bought the house from the colonel, who ran the military school."

The turn-of-the-century architectural style is of a red brick structure contrasted with green painted window frames, porch railings and fascia board. This is a very large house with approximately 6,000sq ft of floor space. It is in need of renovation, says Hughes, but many key period details remain un-disturbed. The preserved woodwork throughout includes timber ceiling beams and floors. Heating is courtesy of the original cast-iron radiators, while brick fireplaces with wooden mantels are a feature in many reception rooms. There is also decorative plaster detail. The ornate stained glass windows diffusing the sunlight through the hall and reception rooms are one of the most attractive of these original features.

The grounds comprise 12,000 sq ft of front lawn and rear garden. The location is in a consistently popular and up-market of Kenwood, Hyde Park, adds Hughes. Business, shopping and leisure amenities are all within easy reach. The neighbourhood lies between the lakefront, Washington Park and the University of Chicago. It is also close to many of the proposed 2016 Olympic venues and approx 10 minutes' south of the downtown Chicago central business district. As for security, the next owner can likely rest assured of being safe as houses – given that illustrious neighbouring property next door.

Price: $1.5m-$2m (€1.01m-€1.35m)

Further details: Coldwell Banker Ireland 087 9978912