Ashburton on the double, both in ship shape condition

WHAT price an extra two bedrooms? About €55,000, going on two different house offerings above Cork city’s St Luke’s Cross at Gardiner’s Hill.

Diminutive, but nicely different, is the one-bed slender townhouse at 10 Ashburton Row, rather optimistically described as “elegantly proportioned” by its selling agents Savills who seek offers around €250,000.

In fact, there’s about 500 sq ft of space in all, with its one 13’ by 8’ bedroom up at a mezzanine level, overlooking the main interlinked 13’ by 18’ living/kitchen/dining room, with units in oak, and with a Belfast sink. The front living room has an open fireplace, which should pretty much heat the entire home (though there’s also gas central heating), and off the back is a rear hall and shower room. Outside, there’s a shed, yard and raised garden with decking. Within an easy downhill walk to the city centre in a sort of boho-chic setting, it has privacy and quirky charm, says Savills.

Meanwhile, very much ship-shape thanks to its owner’s sea-faring background is the larger, c 1,100 sq ft three-bed offering nearby at 15 Ashburton Hill.

Auctioneer Timothy Sullivan seeks €305,000 for No 15, which dates back to 1832 but is fully upgraded and has been extended out the back. It has two reception rooms, a ground floor bathroom and three first floor bedrooms, along with another bathroom.

There’s valuable off-street parking, and a tiered back garden with small barna shed and a bigger, 15’ by 10’ and more solidly built hobby shed, with power supply.

Ship shape, indeed.