House of the week

THERE’S going to be serious viewing interest in the Edwardian semi-d called Lynton, going by the early signs — phonecalls from the moment a sale board went up, as well as the impact of a very similar house sale a few doors away earlier this year.

This 1905 period semi-d is on Cork City’s Cross Douglas Road, and carries a €450,000 asking price, more or less because that’s what the neighbour got, according to the National Price Register.

Back in November we profiled a red-brick similar vintage house called Glenville in this slot: it came under very heavy viewings, and sold rapidly for its down-sizing owner. It had had a guide of €395,000, but according to the register made €451,000, such was the wind in its sails. Building renovation/rear extension work has already taken place on Glenville.

So, that’s the price starting point now for Lynton, also three-storeyed and four-bedroomed, reckons its selling agent Joe Gavin of James G Coughlan Associates, who says it will have the same wide appeal to those who looked/viewed and bidded on the red-brick up the way.

The current owner — and her three large rescue dogs, given new and happier leases and leashes on life via rescue group DAWG — is here 20 years, and bought from Mr Gavin back then, and she says long-established locals reckon these few houses were the very first to be built on the Cross Douglas Road, near Elegance Florists and a handy walk to the city centre.

A good few other homes here have had extensive, and/or expensive upgrades and extensions in the past decade, as it’s the sort of spot where family rearing is made easy thanks to proximity to schools and even colleges. Homes don’t get to turn over very often.

Now, for all of its charm, Lynton too needs work on purchase, but the basics are all good: it feels sound and straight, and most original features are intact and in situ, such as fireplaces, cornice work, windows, tiles, etc.

It has already been extended out to the back, with a bay-windowed add on the dining room, so it’s a very decent 25’ by 12’ size, with wood burning stove and fine old dresser (not included in the sale.)

The front 16’ by 13’ reception room also has a bay window, good original fireplace, old wood floor, and behind in an annexe is a kitchen and guest WC with pantry and side/back garden access.

Overhead are four bedrooms and main bathrooms, some done in exuberant colours and just some off-beat colours and with cast iron fireplace details picked out in enamel paints, and some floors have gaily patterned paint effects, like a giant chessboard. One teenager-ish attic bedroom is simply referred to by Mr Gavin as ’circus-ring like.’

Lynton has a mature front garden with gravelled parking section, and side access to a long and very private rear garden, also without lawn, but extensively graveled and loosely landscaped, with shrubs, fruit trees (apple and pear, mostly).

This garden, with secret areas, is fully fenced in for dog and child security, and stretches back as much as 150’ to the former Nemo Rangers playing fields, now for sale for redevelopment via Savills for e2.5/3m and where Fleming Construction had planned 102 new houses. However, it’s so far away, it’s almost immaterial to the likes of Lynton what get built there, or when. This place has a 100-year head start, and is good to go again.

VERDICT: Great location, great long west-facing back garden, needing doing up now, but ideal for children or pets.