Starter home: Pick of the crop at Orchard Court

Three-bed Midleton townhouse open to offers of €168,000, Tommy Barker reports.

SORT of the apple of its selling agent’s eye is 5 Orchard Court, off the Rocky Road in Midleton, east Cork.

Auctioneer Peter Skuse was in charge of sales of these townhouses when built eight years ago, and now he’s got a re-sale on his hands, saying he’s open to offers around the €168,000 mark for a 1,050 sq ft home.

There’s only 22 houses in the scheme built in the grounds of a former orchard, overlooking a green area — while behind a very mature, spreading tree reminds occupants that their bit of soil has old and venerable roots.

“What was an old tract of land with a large house is now one of Midleton’s best kept secrets, in that not too often do properties come up here for sale,” said Mr Skuse, adding No 5’s condition is original with “nothing added but time”.

The house has one of its three bedrooms en suite, with ground floor guest loo, main bathroom, and a living room 17’ by 12’, linking to a kitchen/dining room.

VERDICT: One of a small crop of well-regarded and affordable Midleton homes.