Three bed semi in superb suburban location

IF you are prepared to roll up your sleeves just a bit, the house Coolmaine - named after a West Cork beach - might be right up your suburban Cork alley.

The semi-detached bungalow called Coolmaine is on the city end of the Boreenmanna Road, a couple of hundred yards from the south city link road and a short walk to the city centre.

Best location marker is the Glenanaar bar, which is across the road, but you’ll have to scout to find this three-bedroomed hideaway - high walls and stout steel gates give it lots of privacy.

It is in overall sound condition, but needs modernising work, which is why Jeremy Murphy of ERA Downey McCarthy Murphy guides it at €340,000 and has it under offer already at this sort of sum.

It is an older style semi, with scope to extend upwards, to the back or, best of all, to the side where there’s an old detached garage at present, which is unlikely to survive in present usage.

Most of the wood floors are old oak, says Mr Murphy, so a sanding and varnishing act will work wonders immediately at little cost - just elbow grease.

There’s an entrance and main hall, kitchen which is on the compact side at only 9’ by 8’ and is set for replacement, a 23’ by 16’ living and dining room with oak floor, fireplace and sliding doors to the front (south facing, you see) and three bedrooms, all with original old floors, plus a main bathroom.

Sure, Coolmaine needs central heating, a kitchen and replacement windows at some stage, or immediately, but it has location, prospects/potential, charm and privacy all in its favour, with Douglas and Blackrock suburbs nearby.