Home from the sea

WHEN you live in Cobh, you may take its views and vistas for granted, but for those thinking of a move down to the Cork harbour town, water views are paramount.

That's according to Liz Hannon of English Auctioneers in the fast-growing and historic hillside town.

She has a house, Dilkusha at Fort Villas overlooking Spike Island, Haulbowline and miles beyond, that fits the views-requirement to a 'T'.

It comes earning its cliched property description 'panoramic' but it fits the panorama test too: "You'd want four or five photographs together to show the extent of the view," enthuses Ms Hannon of this residence set above the road, rail line, and new ship-shaped garda station.

The house isn't half bad either, but as in the case of any place in family hands for decades, it is going to need some investment and spending, on decor and an upgraded kitchen for starters.

Heavy spending has already been done, though, such as a new roof, oil heating, and replacement fascia and soffits.

While the soffits are in PVC, the windows are original and purchasers of such period properties now put originality high on their priority "Putting in the wrong replacements doesn't work any more," she asserts, dovetailing her market assessment with legislation governing listed buildings.

"The originals here are probably pitch pine, and the shutters are all in place, so when you close the shutters you have the effect of double glazing insulation. There's also concerns about using PVC replacement windows in old buildings that stop the rooms breathing as they are meant to do," she says, adding that Dilkusha is one of the warmest old houses she has been into.

The Victorian home is one of four at Fort Villas, just above the entrance road into Cobh, and the retaining wall has been recently reinforced and rebuilt, with a seeming full quarry face of stone. "The houses at Fort View aren't going anywhere in a hurry," according to Liz Hannan, who hopes the only place Dilkusha is going to is to new owners.

It has a guide price of E450,000, open to offers, and is the only one of the four here at Fort Villas with its own separate entrance.

It is an ideal place to base a family in, she holds, as it has four main bedrooms plus a small fifth bedroom.

The main 21' by 13' drawing room has a south-facing bay window and a gable wall window to the east, there's a second reception room with arch, kitchen to the rear, inner hall, utility with guest WC and shower, a main bathroom on the first floor return with cast iron bath (roll top and claw footed) plus a separate wc, and four first floor bedrooms, three with south-facing views. Gardens are tiered or terraced, with lots of maturity.

"Whoever buys here will be staying for years, it is that sort of house," predicts the selling agent.