A much-loved Brisbane cottage in the inner-city suburb of West End which has been sought after by developers for decades is finally going up for sale.

Janet Richards has resided at 42 Mollison Road West End for 60 years with her husband Norm.

But after his recent passing, as well as increased development in the area, Ms Richards has decided to put the home on the market.

Since the 1970s, the Richards family has been approached by developers wanting to buy the land, but the couple continually refused to sell the three-bedroom home that was built in 1927.

It is now completely surrounded by apartment blocks and a shopping centre.

Ms Richards said Mollison Street was once lined with houses.

"Alongside of us there used to be four houses, but they were bought, and we had all houses down the other side," she told 612 ABC Brisbane's Spencer Howson.

"There was five Asian doctors who then wanted to put in a massive development and they wanted half of the backyard and wanted a tunnel beneath the ground from one side to the other, but we said 'no, definitely not'."

Property group Heritage Pacific bought the land on both sides of the house 15 years ago.

"They told us they didn't want our property and that they could do what they wanted to do without having to get rid of us," Ms Richards said.

Tall walls tower over either side of the Mollison Street home in Brisbane's West End. ( 612 ABC Brisbane: Spencer Howson )

The couple remained in the house while construction went on around them despite developers offering them a home away from home.

"They did offer to put us up in a hotel for 12 months so we didn't cope the dust and the noise, but my husband would not leave and said he wanted to see it all," Ms Richards said.

"I think he [Norm] was more frightened that something might happen or that they would take some of his land without him knowing about it.

"He really was interested and we would sit at the window ... I never missed a screw, a nut, or a piece of steel being put down."

Holding strong against developers

Ms Richards said she was happy they held out each time a developer came knocking.

But despite the rumours, the couple were never offered money for their property.

"Rumours would go around saying we had been offered $1 million — that was back 40 years ago — but we were never offered money," Ms Richards said.

Janet Richards stands in the backyard of her home where she has resided for 60 years. ( 612 ABC Brisbane: Spencer Howson )

Ms Richards said she would pick up the house and move it if she could.

"If I could get a piece of land the size that I want that I could put the house in the middle of, I would be happy," she said.

"I've had good memories and bad memories — I'll miss the area and all the activity going on but there's too much development going on and it's changed the face of West End to what I knew it.

"I just don't want to be here."

Brisbane Real estate agent Chris Kazonis will auction the house for Ms Richards next month.

"I still don't believe she's selling or moving," he said.

"She's been part of the furniture in the area of West End for 60 years — I didn't believe she would be moving.

"It's ideally suited for any cafe, shop, restaurant, offices or it [the home] can be taken away and there can be three-storey built here, or with council approval they could go four or five storeys."