Affordable penthouse apartments on offer

PENTHOUSES for €270,000 anyone? Four apartments, just released at An Caisleán in Ballincollig, Co Cork, not only come in at an affordable level, but two have balconies larger than the apartments themselves.

The three blocks of 54 units by Frinailla Ltd at Ballincollig were sold off the plans at this time last year and there are now just four units on offer as re-sales, but prior to contract. This means they won't accrue heavier levels of stamp duty and will appeal to owner-occupiers and investors.

One of the penthouses is a two-bedroom unit of 830 square feet, but it also has a whopping, wraparound balcony/terrace of 1,100 square feet bigger than most back gardens. And it's south-west facing and is just one of three centred around a central roof garden at the top of the apartment block. The price for this unit is €295,000 through Pat Clancy of Global Properties. And he says the finish will be great, with gas heating as standard: the units are expected to be liveable by February.