Abbotswood, blessed with quality genes

THERE’s a vaguely American-look to the big homes at Abbotswood, off Cork’s Rochestown Road, and coming on the end of their first decade, the place is improving even further with age.

That’s down to the choice of building materials (mostly mellow brick, with some slender painted window reveals) and the fact that most of the owners have invested heavily in landscaping means Abbottswood is bedding down nicely.

A new market arrival here is 3, Abbotswood Downs, a particularly well-sited four-bed detached home, on a sloping plot above Monastery Road with perfect-pitch placing – its sheltered rear garden has a south-west aspect, and so sun-bathes when skies are blue. And, that back garden, while stepped, is nearly 110’ across, due to an irregular shape, and overall is about a quarter-acre in size, its owners reckon.

They’ve been here since 2004, and picked it up when an earlier buyer pulled out at a late stage: they had the choice of two and plumped for this thanks to its aspect.

They are selling up because they’ve the chance now to build from scratch, on a site nearby, and hope they’ll gain on construction savings, to compensate on what this house might have fetched on the market just a couple of years ago.

Some of these four-bed re-sales reportedly nudged the €1 million mark a few years ago (the larger five beds went well above that) and now, No 3 carries a fresh-to-market AMV of €695,000 with agent Timothy Sullivan.

He was the original selling agent for Abbotswood, back in the early 2000s, and he knows he has a product that will show well here in this instance.

These two-storey houses were built in traditional block method by Fleming Construction, and have the hallmark of quality. Ceiling heights here in No 3 are extra high, at both ground and first floor levels, and this house has about 1,900 sq ft of space, with scope for attic conversion (there’s room for the extra stairs in lieu of the existing hot-press).

Ground floor layout is pleasant and practical, with a large 17’ by 14’ front living room with twin windows, behind via double doors is a dining room with patio access, and off behind the hall to the right is a kitchen/breakfast room (units in cherry wood) with curving sun-room section for easy dining.

Thanks to the expansive and expensive landscaping, the back garden is definitely ‘the outdoor room,’ with lots of out-of-sight space for sheds, play area, stores etc.

There’s quality cobble locking front and back – the budget wasn’t spared outside, and will pay off in pleasing house hunters as the summer winds down.

Overhead here, there are four bedrooms with varnished floorboards, one en suite and a main bathroom.

It’s a pretty fine trading-up option for a family, with a very large well-kept sloping green play area at the top of Abbotwood’s cul de sac crown.