Prime traditional farmhouse

THERE are second-home buys and then there are sales like this one, at Spain Baltimore.

In the seventies, old farmhouses like this would have sold for a couple of thousand pounds to the only immigrants of the period - hippies.

Now, in a complete turn about, traditional farmhouses have been ratcheted up to the top of the West Cork market.

And it’s small wonder as in most cases you get privacy and with sea views.

And with the farmhouse at Spain, Baltimore, they stretch all the way to the Stag Rocks and beyond.

In fact, it’s almost the perfect package for the market. Five minutes from chi-chi Baltimore, one of the sailing capitals of the south coast and 10 minutes from Skibbereen, this three-bedroomed property comes in perfect, original condition.

It’s also set in the middle of its 22 acres of land and has sweeping views out to sea.

“It’s peaceful and appealing with a sense of tradition. High timber ceilings and an untouched interior make it a real, traditional house and it’s set at the end of a long driveway, which means its extremely private” says selling agent, John Hodnett of SWS Property Services.

He’s given a guide price of €500,000 for the house and land, and already has an offer of €550,000 on that, he says.

The land has a mix of rough grazing. With nine to 10 good fields, he says and would be suitable for hobby farmers. And, depending on the views of the ultimate buyer, it could revert to a state of nature.