Trading Up
Sq m: 156 (1,670 sq ft)
Bedrooms: 4
BER rating: Pending
Broadband: Yes
BACK in the day when first finished, houses like 73 Maple Lawn were the largest homes being built in Cork’s fledgling suburb, the satellite town of Ballincollig.
Punching in at a highly respectable 1,670 sq ft, this home within the Muskerry Estate is still plenty big enough for a family looking for space.
At its €200,000 price guide, via agents Sherry FitzGerald, it is a bit of a box ticker — but it will need upgrading and modernising, starting with a more modern kitchen.
No 73 faces a good green space and has off-street parking, front garden and its side passage is given over to a long run of covered utility space, the depth of the house but only about 4’ wide.
Internally, its main living room to the left of the hall is 25’ deep and 12’ wide, and off to the right is another reception room, while the 16’ by 12’ kitchen to the rear continues the theme of useful rooms with good proportions, and there’s also a ground floor WC.
Overhead are a single and three double bedrooms, plus family bathroom, making it a good fit for most families.
VERDICT: Nice location, good back garden, great space inside for the money, but you’d be wise to spend on insulation, and it could do with a more modern decor too.
Sq m: 170 (1,819 sq ft)
Bedrooms: 4
BER rating: C1
Broadband: Yes
THERE’S a large kitchen extension to the back of this detached four bed at Greenfields, Killumney, which gives the house great flexibility for growing families.
A new Cork market entrant with Norma Healy of Sherry FitzGerald, No 55 Fernwalk is an ideal trading-up property — it has a good site, a quiet and safe location and is located in a nicely mature estate. Also, it has a quality level of finish, a fact which is reflected in the asking price.
In terms of purchases, this a headache-free, move-in proposition, she says, and the property offers plenty of space.
No 55 has a lounge, study, family room, the extended kitchen/ diner with utility, four bedrooms and three bathrooms, including an en suite master.
Best of all the house has a southerly aspect with good gardens and faces onto a large green.
VERDICT: Greenfields was designed for immediate access to the Ballincollig bypass route making this large, modern estate ideal for commuters. Ideal for families, good schools are nearby and the new town centre at Ballincollig makes for great, almost self-sufficient local amenities.
Sq m: 230 (2,500 sq ft)
Bedrooms: 5
BER rating: Pending
Broadband: Yes
SOME of Killarney’s best lake views should put this Tullig, Tiernaboul, Killarney home firmly on the radar of those trading up, as well as relocaters.
Priced at €450,000 by Tanya O’Shea of Coyne and Culloty, she says Tullig is a house and particularly a spectacular setting that people are impressed with when they visit, but the problem for would-be buyers has been access to finance.
This is a five-bed, with four bedrooms on one (lower) level, and with fantastic raised views of the lake from its sloping three-quarter acre site, less than two miles from the town. The grounds are richly planted, especially with conifers and evergreens for year-round colour.
The current owners are here years, have kept it well and built it in a sort of kinked shape for interest. Well finished inside, it can be split into almost two houses thanks to a kitchenette in one lower level: there’s value for money here, the agent enthuses.
It was designed, says Ms O’Shea, with the idea of maximising the lake views, and has a heavily-glazed open plan lounge/kitchen/dining room with great lake views, maximised with an enclosed balcony/sun room. The master bedroom is at the upper level, and the other four are downstairs, a clear case of sensibly working with the site and the setting.
VERDICT: Well worth a look.
Sq m: 170 (1,800 sq ft)
Bedrooms: 3
BER rating: Pending
Broadband: Yes
THIS house sale is a good indication of current trends — its owners have upped sticks to Australia and having settled in, have decided to sell their family home at Rosscarbery, Co Cork.
According to Pat Maguire, of Pat Maguire Properties, he’s letting a substantial number of properties for young families who’ve made the move to the antipodes and some have made the decision to stay.
Which is why this fine, modern three-bed is up for grabs and the agent is very open to offers on the property.
A three-bed with a substantial amount of living space, it comes with cathedral ceilings in the kitchen and living room which both open out to an elevated patio with views over the lagoon.
Located off the Mill Road, it’s very safe and secure for children, he says and the location is one of the best in Rosscarbery, as it has south-west facing views over the village and that feature lagoon. Planning permission is also strictly patrolled which means it’s locals-only to build, with houses of this quality, in this location, rare to get.
VERDICT: This is not a run-of-the-mill three-bed, but a good modern house with great character and convenience.
It comes with lots of luxury extras, has underfloor heating and great use of space.
And the quality of life comes free.
Sq m: 195 (2,100 sq ft)
Bedrooms: 5
BER rating: Pending
Broadband: Yes
A GOOD example of the freedoms to be had in a detached country dormer can be seen at this Burnfort, Mallow home known as Toureen.
Listed with agents FML Properties in Cork, at €279,000 it encompasses a 2,100 sq ft five-bed home with one en suite, has some large living spaces to balance the good sleeping space, plus a detached double garage with overhead storage (needing some finishing), all on an acre site and within a 20 minute spin by car of the city.
Paul O’Connor of FML says Toureen has been well-decorated and maintained, and features include a lofty entry hall with overhead Velux, a 33’ by 17 kitchen/dining room with oak units, a lounge and living room each with fireplaces, and utility, plus guest WC. There’s a ground floor playroom, or bed 5, and overhead one of the four other bedrooms is en suite.
The main family bathroom has a Jacuzzi bath, and the property has zoned heating, and electric access gates to its acre site, with rural views to the rear.
VERDICT: A good deal of good house for the price being sought.
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