Five-bed starter has 2,000 sq ft of space

Period house needs upgrade, says Tommy Barker

MOST starter homes don’t offer buyers five bedrooms, three levels and 2,000 sq ft of space, but that’s what’s on offer at Lisadell, a period-era, terraced city home on Cork’s Gardiner’s Hill.

It is only weighing in at this sort of price level, though, because it needs work, and a fair deal of it, but the essentials are all there.

It has been re-roofed, for example, in recent decades and that’s about it, with a couple of Veluxes up front for the top two, interlinked, attic rooms.

From that ‘new’ roof down, Lisadell needs central heating, improved bathrooms (there are two right now), dry-lining, re-wiring, flooring and decoration — you name it.

But, on the upside, the address is good and convenient, an easy downhill walk to the city centre via St Luke’s Cross, and there’s a front garden, rear yard with pedestrian access (an old lane runs behind the staggered houses here on Alpine Terrace) and on-street residents’ parking via permit.

Inside, it is all dated, but there’s a bit of auld decency to the ornamentation, such as corniced ceilings, and an attractive fireplace with bowed brass canopy, and sliding double doors connecting/dividing the two main ground-level reception rooms.

There’s a rear two-storey annex, with basic kitchen, and guest WC, with access to a secure, walled rear yard with outside store.

VERDICT: a manageable clean sheet to get stuck into.

Location: Gardiner’s Hill, Cork

Price: €230,000

Size: 205 sq m (2,200 sq ft)

Bedrooms: 5

BER rating: Not yet tested

Broadband: Available