Sale away, sale away, sale away

House for sale, or house for sail?

Either or both spellings apply equally to No 5, Dolphins Terrace, a Crosshaven Co Cork period semi-d, facing the water and dinghy park of the Royal Cork Yacht Club.

The older-style home is in fact pretty much a total do-er up, says agents Barry Auctioneers, who have just reduced the asking price from 160,000 to 140,000 — a move which reflects the amount of work needed to get it all ship-shape once more.

It has a south facing back garden, close to the new multi-million euro coastguard building for Crosshaven and harbour.

In a cluster of eight similar vintage homes, No 5 faces north over the Owenabue estuary, now a constant backdrop of boat masts and clacking halyards, while all summer long the dinghy park teems with young sailors, and twice a year Cork Week hoves into view with its tented village activity.

It has four first- floor bedrooms, and two ground level reception rooms, with kitchen and bathroom, There’s about 1,200 sq ft in all, with rear annex, front and back gardens; a number of the neighbours have put on extensions and sun rooms. The interior is basic, but has retained a lot of original features.

LOCATION: Crosshaven, Cork

PRICE: €140,000

SIZE: 112 sq m (1,206 sq ft)

BEDROOMS: 4

BER RATING: G

BATHROOMS: 1

VERDICT: Sense of porpoise needed.