Contemporary creature comforts on Military Road

DONE up during last year for ultimate re-sale, no 13 Military Road is none the worse for this: in fact, it has been re-done with a professional approach to appeal to a wide cross section of buyers looking for contemporary comforts in an older house. And, in a settled, older area too.

The terraced house is on Military Road, a continuation of Military Hill, so it’s up close and personal to Collins Barracks in Cork, which puts it pretty much on top of the city and its hugging hills. You can get to it via Wellington Road/St Luke’s Cross, with its village like range of services, or up and around via St Patrick’s Hill, Audley Place and the Old Youghal Road and when you’ve made the climb, you’re at home in comfort.

It has been redone from top to bottom, so there’s a new roof and insulation, damp-proofing and re-wiring, it has gas central heating, German-made tilt and turn windows in timber to match the sash-look, a walled in neat front garden for screening, and a private back garden, facing west for afternoon and evening sun.

A four-bed, two-storey house, it carries an asking price of €495,000 with Valerie Parkes of Savill Hamilton Osborne King, which reflects the fact all the work has been done, you just need to buy and pay the associated costs like stamp duty and fees.

The estate agent-fabled ‘character and charm’ is seen in things like the original wide board pine floors, seen in the main reception room (with cast iron fireplace) and the entrance hall, though there’s an absence of cornice work or ceiling ornamentation, there’s a dining room with rear garden views, a newly-fitted kitchen with tiled floor, recessed lighting and access to the back garden.

Upstairs, No 13 has four bedrooms, three about doubles in size and another with fireplace which could also be used as a study, along with two shower rooms.

The elevated St Luke’s area is convenient to the city centre, with good schools, local shops and services, and the army’s Camp Field, an under-appreciated amenity which also yields attractive ‘green’ pedestrian routes back to Wellington Road.