Perfect liquid assets

MILLION pound price tags are not unusual in the Killaloe/Ballina area — in fact, this part of Clare and Limerick could be called the “axis of affluence”, to adapt Mr Bush’s phrase.

John Phelen of local firm Harry Brann is selling a go-large bungalow here with high views of the lake for €1 million.

This property has a site of 1.2 acres and all the modern accoutrements, including a wraparound deck with Canadian hot tub, a games room, leisure area/gym and a plethora of big rooms to roam around in.

Now that Limerick is booming and the suburbs are throbbing the cognoscenti have taken to the lakeside, complements of the new N7 which can whiz the average commuter to O'Connell St in less than 30 minutes.

And it's not just Limerick that people commute to, workers in Ennis, Shannon and Nenagh are also choosing the delights of Dergside and the exigencies of a commute as an alternative to the suburbs of the mid-west.

A bit like Kinsale in Co Cork, Killaloe/Ballina has a self-contained sophistication which makes it a bucolic oasis for locals and blow-ins alike.

Boating, fishing, water skiing, as well as the usual pastimes of eating and drinking, are all part of the draw and, of course, those views.

This house at Loughtea is midway between Ballina and Portroe on the coast road.

It is the second of Cherryfox Development's houses in the area their first at Ballybrohan featured on these pages in early winter.

This time round, this bungalow notches up a larger square footage and a heftier price tag but then it does come with a 4,000 sq ft footprint.

Good fittings are also part of the package. For instance, there's a cherrywood and granite kitchen with a huge, bow-shaped island unit and porcelain flooring.

The formal sitting room has a 12-arm Waterford chandelier as a focal point and this, along with all the other fixtures and fittings, are included in the sale: this room alone measures 28' x 20'.

The dining room is smaller at 15' x 14' and has access through double doors to the forward-facing deck area. The games room, on the other hand, with its porcelain floor and bar area, has access to the rear deck with its barbecue and then on to the hot tub, which comes with its own cabana.

A small bathroom is positioned off the room for convenience.

As might be expected, the master bedroom is big and comes with recessed lighting, a dressing room as well as built-in wardrobes and a fully equipped bathroom.

Bedroom three and five are also en suite and the two smaller rooms share a main bathroom.

Four of the bedrooms are at ground floor level, but upstairs there's what is described as an open-plan leisure area of 26' x 20' and this is joined by bedroom five.

Zoned and pressurised heating is installed, fires are run on bottled gas for convenience and digital TV is wired to all rooms. A comprehensive alarm system is also installed.

As a modern property, this house has it all, and most importantly because of its elevated site, it has 180 degree views of the lake that's what gives houses here the premiums they achieve.