Cottage for the price of a site

A RENOVATED cottage on an acre can be bought for little more than the price of a site in the East Cork area.

Described as “a warm site,” the acre with long tree-lined mature boundaries is actually in a hot property spot, a couple of miles from where biopharma giant Amgen is set to build a sprawling plant to employ over 1,000 high earning individuals.

East Cork is gearing up for the boom, with many hundreds of construction jobs set to boost rental demand in the short to medium term. With the feel-good factor, and the promise of the re-opened rail line to Midleton too, new homes sales along the route are flying along and prices are ratcheting up already.

But, you will hardly get a site to build on for love or money, says Lawrence Sweeney of Property Partners Burke Wall, and that’s why he feels that those anxious to build will favour this Ballyrichard, Waterrock cottage, built c 1912.

“It has just come to the market and will stir up huge interest, especially among site seekers,” he says of the property which is guided at €350,000. An acre site, if such could be had, would be worth €300,000 or so, he reckons.

It is near the Waterrock Golf Course, about a mile or so from Midleton and less than three miles from Carrigtowhill, and has been renovated by it vendor, but not yet extended.

The existing dwelling has high ceilings as a feature, and one bedroom, plus kitchen/dining room with newly fitted units, bathroom, a 14’ by 10’ sitting room with open brick fireplace, which has a back boiler and the rads can be easily plumbed in for a dual heating system such as oil.