Starter home: Vicarstown, Co Cork €145,000

For a buyer who dreams of owning a cottage on an acre but wants to stay within commuting distance of Cork city, this property with views of the Shournagh Valley at Matehy near Vicarstown might do nicely.

Size: 75 sq m (811 sq ft) 

Bathrooms: 1 

Bedrooms: 4 

BER: D1

Approximately 15 km from the city, it’s a semi-detached cottage which has been upgraded but, according to Fleming Auctioneers it still requires a little TLC.

Fitted with oil central heating, a new roof, a stove, and some double glazed windows, it has a D1 energy rating.

Accommodation includes a living room, a kitchen with pine units, four bedrooms, and a bathroom.

It is open to offers of in excess of €145,000.

VERDICT: An acre and views make it a rural idyll