Architect-designed timber frame

THERE are two schools of thought when it comes to the buying of houses — those that like old, and those that like new.

Old means character and usually a good location, but higher maintenance bills.

New can mean migrating to the boondocks, spending your life in the car, but paying a lot less in heat and maintenance. And a lot less in mortgage repayments compared to older and more expensive period properties.

So, if you’re in the second camp and are looking for that trading-up opportunity, then an architect-designed, timber-framed house in Carrigaline for €480,000 might be the job.

After all it’s not bad for 2,300 square feet of perfectly good house when you consider older dwellings in the city are selling for well over a million. Here, you can just move in and, perhaps, do a little decorating, but as house sales go, No 24 Rose Hill, Carrigaline, is in very good condition and has buckets of space.

It’s only been on the market a short while with Susan Dunlea of Global Properties and there are no offers on the house so far, but number 14 down the road sold recently for a reputed €490,000 through Downey McCarthy Murphy.

Timber-framed and with a high boundary wall, cobble-lock drive and curved patio, the finish here is good and continues inside. Timber floors run through the ground floor rooms which include a living room/sunroom of 26’ by 15’, a fitted kitchen with island unit, a separate dining room, family room and utility as well as an office study are all on the ground floor.

Upstairs, there’s a master bedroom with dressing room and bathroom and three more bedrooms with a mosaic-tiled bathroom: a guest bathroom is also included on the ground floor.

Part of a small development in expanding Carrigaline, soon to get lots more shopping outlets, including a Dunnes Stores, number 24 Rose Hill is worth a look over for those moving up in the property market.