Starter homes: Glanmire, Cork €235,000

Size: 95 (1,025 sq ft)

A careful stables conversion, No 2, the Stables, on Glanmire’s Church Hill Road, is side-by-side with its similar counterpart — and, on the bright side, all of the hard conversion work is well done at both.

The old stables of the local Glen Marvyn House were converted 20 years ago, for human habitation, and No 1 was for put for sale in 2007, priced at €380,000.

Now, No 2’s just out of the blocks, priced at €235,000, with local agent, Joe Organ.

A quality job, integrating old stone, brick and timbers, it’s a good option for those who don’t want a standard townhouse or semi-d, and will suit a couple or single. It comes with paved and graveled outdoor areas, front and back, with parking for a couple of cars, and the vendors say they’re reluctant to leave, but need more space and bedrooms for a growing family, with triplets as recent arrivals.

It’s an easy-on-the-eye mix of country cottage and a city pad or apartment, set inside high, stone walls in an area with old lodges, rectory, etc, and it has a pedestrian access to the hill (with garden shed) and a south-facing courtyard behind with steps up past gravel beds to the car-parking; the settled area’s popular, and easily-reached from Glanmire and from the city and suburbs, too.

Large, apex windows are an architectural feature upstairs, the house is bright, with open-plan, 27’ by 16’ living area, with dual aspect and ceiling beams, with a wood-burning stove and assured decor. Overhead are three beds and a main bathroom, and the kitchen extension has a slate floor among the mix of natural and sympathetic building materials, which include pitch pine.

No 2, The Stables has oil central heating, and pvc glazing for creature comforts.

VERDICT: Hot to trot.