Larger than the average semi

YOU could be forgiven for seeing double at 89, Woodvale Road — the Ballintemple, Cork, semi has grown and grown.

A family home to a grown-up brood, it is lining up to do duty all over again in new ownership, hitting the market with a €475,000 price guide.

In the suburban heartland of Beaumont/Ballintemple, it was extended at ground level about 20 years ago, and then this extension was built on, and for good measure the attic was converted as well.

Now, it has six bedrooms, or five bedrooms at first floor level plus attic study, studio or office.

The vendors bought it new in 1967 (builders were O'Connors,) and with some prescience went for a house on a large corner site which was able to grow with them.

Selling agent Ann O'Mahony of Sherry FitzGerald calculates that it has well over 2,000 sq ft of living space, which makes it one of the larger suburban semis of its type in this hinterland.

The gardens have all the signs of loving care and tender planting, with pond, pieris, camellias, viburnum and heathers, and a sturdy virginia creeper will give the house a fine summer designer beard.

There are two entrance drives, one on either side of the corner, and there's even a double garage as well.

New owners will be spoiled for choice in terms of reception rooms or even what to call them there are four or five rooms to make use of, plus a bright kitchen, and as the site is so wrap-around, it seems every room has a garden view.

No 89 has the signs of always being well cared for, and a new owner can decide to give it a minimal decorative makeover to make their own mark on it, or a re-ordering (or knocking together) of some rooms may also be on the cards.

The first floor has a shower room (easy enough to integrate to the adjoining bedroom as an en suite) and main bathroom, and again a new owner might seek to extend the plumbing options, especially on the ground floor, where there's plenty of space to play around with.