House reborn under canny investor

A house in a great location has been gutted and transformed by an out-of town buyer and is now ready for the market, writes Tommy Barker

Is there money to be made buying a cheap shell, and transforming it into something in pristine condition?

The answer, in an uncertain market is ‘possibly’, but only if you buy it right and do it up right. But, in the case of No 15 Rockboro Road, the answer is ’certainly’. This mid-terraced home, off Cork City’s Old Blackrock Road is an absolute walk-in job, done by a woman who has done up properties in other cities, and who just spotted the scope here in this secure package, with front and back yards.

No 15 was for sale as a sad, raw, but earnest do-er upper for almost four long years when she plumped for it in late 2012, paying €95,0000.

Now, after an informed, assured transformation, and good deal of cash lavished on, it’s back on the market as a completely different package, guiding at €190,000 via Jarleth Boyd of Timothy Sullivan and Associates. It’s first few viewings brought opening offers of €150,000.

It was an internal gut job, taken back to bare outside walls and brought forward again, now all dry-lined, crisply decorated, re-floored, plastered, with new electrics and gas central heating, all new plumbing, a smart bathroom with rainfall shower over the bath, new stairs — the works.

It’s also got a galley kitchen off a living room which has a retained cast-iron fireplace plus more efficient wood-burning stove, and there’s a second, ground floor reception room as well, plus two decent attic bedrooms, making for almost 1,100sq ft in all.

LOCATION: Cork city

PRICE: €190,000

SIZE: 100 (1,080 sq ft)

BEDROOMS: 2

BER RATING: B3

VERDICT: Great city pad location, good call.