Trading up: Crosshaven, Cork €220,000

Sq m: 110 (1,200 sq ft)

The glories of the ocean, the pinch-point of the mouth of Cork harbour at Roche’s Point, and the fascination of daily passing shipping, fishing and pleasure craft come gratis, with an apartment up for sale in Weavers Point.

New to market at this Crosshaven setting at Graball Bay, over the hill from the harbour and boating village, this 1,200 sq ft two-bed, two en-suite apartment is in the converted former Helm Hotel, an Edwardian hotel built for healthy sea air and views; it was converted to about a dozen luxury apartments around the Millennium. Crosshaven’s other period era hotel, the Grand, also had prior conversion to apartments.

Now, locally-based agent Michael Twomey is selling one of the Helm’s three-storey apartments, with a guide price of €220,000 and says of this safe anchor point, with spectacular water panorama, “it’s the opportunity to realise your maritime dream, within a 20 minute drive of the city.”

Both the master bedroom and the living room directly beneath it are large, almost 20’ by 20’, and the kitchen is set behind the living room, but still gets views to sea through a glass partition. The apartment has its own secure garage.

VERDICT: More a trading down than a trading up property.