Moving on: Bargain-hunters may want to follow Househunters’ lead

This Clonakilty home featured on TV during the bubble, writes Tommy Barker.

THIS house featured back in 2007, at market peak, on the RTÉ series Househunters, when its owners Ali and Martin Davies (who were relocating from Britain for a lifestyle change) were undecided on whether to buy in a town, or gamble on an untried country lifestyle.

Now, four years on, they still hanker to try out more rural country living — hence the proposed sale of this four-bed semi-d in Clonakilty’s Fernhill Woods.

They were guided by programme presenters Ian Lawlor and Liz O’Kane and say it made a perfect landing pad for their Irish lifestyle change after a year renting in Kinsale. They also considered New Zealand for their move.

When the couple bought No 19 back in 2007, it cost the guts of €400,000 to buy and finish out the new-build house to their good level of finish, with things like polished French pine and oak floors, above average tiling, etc.

Having left the world of corporate business in Manchester, and with new jobs in Ireland, Martin, now a physiotherapist, and business coach Ali, along with their -six-year-old son Matthew, are going to rent a house out in the country near Clon, and start looking to buy once they’re really comfortable with living further out.

They’ve just reduced the asking price on No 19 now to €250,000 via joint agents Martin Kelleher Property, and Hodnett Forde Property Services. The auctioneers say there’s great quality here, less than a mile from the town up the Fernhill Road, and even nearer is Dunnes Stores and the ring road.

VERDICT: A team from telly’s Househunters helped pick out No 19 Fernhill Woods, now bargain-hunters might want to follow suit.