Retreat from demands of city life to quiet grandeur of The Hermitage

THIS red-bricked house benefits from being in a mature estate and from having a substantial, well-maintained garden.

Number 5, The Hermitage, is located in a quiet cul-de-sac in one of the more upscale developments in Corbally, in Limerick, which is why the selling agents, Hampton Auctioneers, are selling the house for €550,000.

“An added strength is that properties like this are very rare to the market”, says the auctioneer, Daren Parrish. The house is on a half-acre site two-and-a-half miles from Limerick city.

Built in the 1980s, number 5 has an abundance of space, Mr Parrish says, and will appeal to buyers who are ‘trading up’.

What sets this house apart in a time when space is at a premium is the large size of the rooms: the lounge is 30’ long and the dining room measures 19’.

Two wings abut the main building: one is the office/au pair quarters; the other a large conservatory overlooking the gardens.

Even by standards of recently built properties, this house is aspirational, but must have been especially so when built in the economically depressed 1980s.

“Two and a half miles from Limerick city centre and with good schools, like St Muchin’s and Scoil Ide, close by, this house is perfect for a family,” says Mr Parrish.

On the market for the last three weeks, the five-bedroomed property has an offer under the guide price, but the agent is confident of receiving stronger bids in the short term.