Sales to catch the eye

WITH Ford Week getting the wind in its sails and with millionaires bobbing about ten a penny in and around Cork harbour, house vendors locally hope to switch sails to sales.

Hitting the property market this week is a fleet of harbour homes priced from under 500,000 to 2 million.

Even these property prices pale when compared to the value of some of the boats at the world class sailing event Ford Week: many sleek racing craft are in the 1 to 2 million league, and among those who have taken past in recent years is Co Cork resident Roy Disney's Pyewacker, worth 5 or 6 million. This year's Cork fleet of 550 boats and some 5,000 visitors has a total value of around 100 million.

Top of the land-anchored places perhaps pitched at this market is Maryland House in Weavers Point, looking across Cork harbour to Roches Point, a mile from Crosshaven.

Once a family-run hotel, it has had several improving private owners who have converted and even extended it for luxurious residential use.

It is on well over an acre of private grounds with two electronically controlled access gates, and has eight bedrooms, seven bathrooms, fine large reception rooms, spacious private office and games room, indoor heated swimming pool with sauna, hot tub and gym, with the leisure facilities linked to the main house via a sturdy and light-flooded 26' square conservatory.

It has about 7,500 sq ft of very high quality living space (including attached a one-bed bungalow and annexe) and is on the market with Peter O'Flynn of Colliers Jackson Stops with a 2 million price guide.

At the lower end of the price spectrum and at the water's edge at the Point, Crosshaven, is Northern Lights, a three bed bungalow on a quarter acre with a 430,000 price guide through Dennehy Auctioneers in Carrigaline (see page 10), while at the 1 million price level is Golden Point, at picturesque East Ferry and across the inlet from a yacht marina at Marlogue.

Golden Point (see also page ten) is a recently built marine villa style three-bed home with water frontage, done inside and out to an exceptional, contemporary standard. Estate agent Michael H Daniels reckons that it will be bought as a second, third or fourth home by an international buyer or even local merchant prince looking for a Cork base that is easy to keep.