Suburban property comes with a valuable asset — a real garage

YOU read it here first: garages are back.

In the Cork suburb of Douglas, 44, the Drive, has a covetable asset on the side. A real garage.

Stop garage conversions now: don't convert that space, you'll actually need it for imposed lifestyle changes. Such as recycling.

The chore that is sorting, storing and arranging recycling and its delivery is taking its toll, especially when local authorities make the now-obligatory task a monumental challenge. They reduce the number of bring centres, they don't empty and clear them often enough, and in a stroke of genius they restrict municipal facilities with opening hours that militate against anyone with a regular job, or are without a car.

So, where do you put the trash when you return home again with a full boot? Why, in the garage, stored again until a pre-dawn strike on a newly emptied recycle skip or bin.

Garages are handy too for kids' toys, adults' toys, motorbikes (to beat the traffic,) quads, boats, and dogs, real utility spaces not futility spaces. Heck, some of them even hold a car.

So, up for sale at 44 Broaddale is a highly desirable, and now quite rare garage, and for a mere €325,000 or so estate agent Tim Sullivan will even throw in a particularly fine, three bedroom semi-detached home.

The house has archway-linked reception rooms, with solid beech floors, the sitting room has a superb fireplace, and the kitchen/breakfast room has recently fitted, very good quality antique pine units, says Mr Sullivan, who adds "people viewing it are delighted to find a semi with a garage. If I suggest it has conversion potential, they all say they now want the garage: they're right bang back in fashion."

There's an extension area behind the garage, and overhead are three bedrooms, main bathroom which is well tiled, and the back garden at no 44 is sunny, with a good aspect, patio and lawn.

Oh, and did anyone mention there's a garage?