TRADING UP
€250,000/€750,000 (pictured)
Sq m: 139 (1,500 sq ft)
Bedrooms: 3
BER rating: Exempt
Best feature: History
FANCY a slice of the real Killarney, a gothic-style cottage within the National Park? Dating to 1839 is Reen Cottage, pretty as an old postcard — and as crumpled as one too. It was originally owned by the McShain family of the old Killarney Estate, who bequethed much of the land of the now 25,000 acre public park. Now close to derelict, Reen Cottage is a bit of a project, on 2.3 acres of woodland, and is one of several linked lots being offered by local agent Tom Spillane. He also has an adjoining wooded plot of almost eight acres, with planing for nine new houses. He’s looking for €750,000 for the whole kit and caboodle, totalling over 10 acres with house and nine sites (it had sold back in 2004/05 for over €3 million to a consortium).
If you can prise Reen Cottage and its decent site on the Ross Road out on its own, you might get it for around €250,000. Mr Spillane reckons you’ll get permission for a sympathetic upgrade to the existing dwelling, given that money needs to be spend to save it, but it is a protected structure, so all works must be approved.
It’s near Lough Laune, as well as Killarney Race Course, Ross Golf Club and Ross Castle, about a ten minute walk from the town.
VERDICT: Reen Cottage is rooted in Killarney’s glories.
€279,000
Sq m: 186 (2,000 sq ft)
Bedrooms: 4
BER rating: Pending
Broadband: Yes
A SUPERB quality renovation and cottage extension, complete with barn-like curved green galvanised barn roof wing to the back, mark this Shreelane, Leap, west Cork house out as something rather special. And, it is.
Briefly on the market three years ago for its eco-aware builder-owner Adam Ferguson, it is now back up for sale, like a breath of fresh air in a week of gales, and is priced at €279,000 via agent Henry O’Leary, based in nearby Clonakilty, who says “the quality is indisputable, the design amazing and the glorious sense of openness, light and space are truly breath-taking.”
The re-design sees two ground floor bedrooms, one a real master suite in the high-ceilinged barn-shaped rear extension, and two more overhead, one also en suite.
There’s also a large living/dining room, and off it an adjoining long galley kitchen — very long, showing 48’ by 6’ on the plans as a sort of lean-to, linked to the open living space by two broad-shouldered arches which give the impression of wider space.
The quality job is on an acre, with stream at a boundary, and the house is stone-faced, in a modern take on the traditional and with lots of floor to ceiling windows and French doors.
VERDICT: A lovely mix of large, bright rooms and quirky design details.
€425,000
Sq m: 168 (1,800 sq ft)
Bedrooms: 3
BER rating: Pending
Broadband: Yes
A REFURBISHED, converted period-era coachhouse in Cork city’s old north city suburb of Montenotte is up for sale, aiming to attract offers close to its market-launch price of €425,000.
Rarity, and some internal distinguishing features, mark The Coachouse out as worth a look, says estate agent Jarlath Boyd of Timothy Sullivan Associates.
One of those internal differences is the section of the main 16’ by 14’ living room which is double height, open to an upper floor landing.
Then, other rooms include an 11’ by 11’ dining room, country-style kitchen, back hall/utility with guest WC, and overhead are three bedrooms, one with en suite shower room, plus main bathroom.
Comfort levels are good, especially given its age of probably a century and a half of existence, windows are double-glazed, in teak frames, and heating is gas-fired.
Behind, there’s a rear yard, and car parking is on-street in front. Location is at the eastern end of the Lower Montenotte Road, with two access points by Lovers Walk, or via Corkscrew Hill.
VERDICT: Well-converted and well-kept, for those looking for convenience and character, The Coachhouse might be worth taking a trot up to.
€250,000
Sq m: 111 (1,200 sq ft)
Bedrooms: 3
BER rating: Pending
Broadband: Yes
BUSINESS is 1,000% better than the last few years — such is the positive verdict from west Cork’s Ballydehob/Schull, according to local agent Martin Swanton.
His assertion hits like a surprise gust from Hurricane Katya, but he backs it up with details of over a dozen sales gone/going through in the past few months, to a mix of buyers, from Britain, relocators from Dublin, and locals able to afford to buy/move after price drops.
To continue his running streak of sales, he’s reduced the asking price on a Schull area bungalow at Lissacaha to €250,000, from €375,000.
Its big selling point is its setting, on two-thirds of an acre, a couple of miles up and over from Schull, which gives it views over Dunmanus Bay and the Sheep’s Head peninsula.
The bungalow is quite standard right now, having been used as a family home, and has three bedrooms with one en suite, open plan kitchen/living/dining room, plus utility and main bathroom. And, as a building bonus, there’s a quite large garage/workshop, divided in two, with separate access.
VERDICT: The setting is the current star, but with two-thirds of an acre, there’s scope to add amenity, extend, and grow in time, so what’s holidays today could be retirement tomorrow.
€125,000
Sq m: 68 (750 sq ft)
Bedrooms: 3
BER rating: Irrelevant, right now
Broadband: In time!
DID you see the sparks fly on Wednesday last’s Room to Improve RTÉ TV house renovation project? Well, now you can follow the good steps and the hunter star Orion to your own dream home, just a few doors up from this week’s TV new series opening piece.
Architect Dermot Bannon called to Cork’s Hartland’s Road to oversee a 90-year-old three-bed cottage’s renewal and upgrade. It had cost its buyers €240,000 a year or so ago, and was close to knocking material, but they spent €140,000 on saving and enhancing it, and worth the work.
Now, a few doors away, auctioneers Cahalane Skuse have the do-upper/salvageable site and maybe next year’s telly project in the winsome, country-style cottage called Orion.
Near the Lough, UCC etc, it has three beds, living room, kitchen/dining room, plus bathroom - and needs just about everything done.
It’s on a shared access drive and “will require a zest for refurbishment, however the reward will merit the effort,” says Peter Skuse, hoping for offers around €125,000, and he says the TV exposure’s already bringing calls.
VERDICT: Yes, indeed, there’s “room to improve”, with a fully finished role model just a few doors away for inspiration.
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