Pick up Redbarn seaside homes

THIS time last year you could only buy the holiday homes at Mariner’s Bay in Redbarn, East Cork, as an investment, complete with tax break for rentals and guaranteed income.

Now, private buyer keen on a beachside family holiday home can pick up the second tranche of the 52 houses, all of them fully-furnished, almost down to the buckets and spades.

The further good news is that they are fairly affordable, priced at €305,000 via agents Cohalan Downing in Cork city, who say extras have been thrown in the pot, such as a three-year membership of the adjoining Quality Hotel’s Club Vitae leisure centre which has a 20 metre pool and other facilities, all overlooking the miles of sandy beach.

The 52 houses are 1,240 sq ft each, with three first floor bedrooms (one en suite) and a fourth bedroom, also en suite, downstairs, with an open plan living/kitchen/dining room. Half have now been bought by investors, but demand was noted last March when launched for private use given Redbarn’s traditional draw for family holidays.

Now that option is presented, with the back-up that if new owners want to rent them for the weeks when they won’t be using them the hotel will arrange that too, so there’s a touch of the best of both worlds.

Youghal/Redbarn is a 30 minute drive to Cork city, there are seven 18-hole golf courses within a half hour’s drive, and Youghal is two miles from the Mariner’s Cove development by road.