Home filled with surprises

THERE are hidden surprises aplenty at 5, Fernwood, on the main Douglas Road in Cork city, and they are pretty much all to the rear of the terraced home.

With a €300,000-price guide, the older style home within an easy walk of the city centre and near St Finbarr's Hospital has been fully modernised, but done so in keeping with its period. Thus, it has a cast iron fireplace in its 20' by 12' sitting room, but there's also gas central heating throughout as well.

Apart from the high standard of decor, treat no 1 is the aspect, facing south to the back, which means that the very long lawn stretching away from the house gets sun all day long.

Not only that, but there's rear access as well to the house's surprisingly long, drawn-out gardens, with private parking reached via a long avenue or lane running. This lane runs from the old FCA hall to the back of Nemo Rangers playing pitches and clubhouse which, like the old HB site on the south Douglas Road, are due for large-scale residential development, which means the views out the back will change in the next five years (but compare the likely new home prices with what's on offer here for the money.)

Selling agent is Jim Coughlan of James Coughlan & Associates, who describes it as a gem, and who stresses its location as well as decor.

Rooms include living room, a kitchen dining/room across the back of the house with cream painted plate rack and units, wood worktops and Belfast sink, plus old varnished floors boards, and main bathroom and three overhead bedrooms.

There are French doors to a decked patio area, and like the rest of the glazing the doors are in PVC and double glazed. The main bedroom has two windows to the front of the house.