だとは？

[Fuubuu]

While reading I came across this sentence:
変な家だとは思ってたけどウチとあんなに違うだもんな。

How does adding は to だと affect it? How would the sentence be different if it had been だと思ってた instead?
Thank you!

 

[nekojita]

I think it's just emphasis (or contrast with ウチとあんなに違う)

I did think they were odd, but...