Trading up: Glanmire, Co Cork €210,000

Sq m: 97 (1,050 sq ft)

There’s pots of old-world character with No 2, The Stables, a mews-type home conversion on Church Hill Road, in Cork’s Glanmire.

Converted, extended and upgraded to a good level, it features attractive natural materials like stone, brick and timber, feels airy inside as rooms have been opened up and has low-maintenance grounds, patio and off-road parking. Estate agent Ann O’Mahony of Sherry FitzGerald guides at €220,000 (it had been with another agent after Christmas, with a higher price tag), and that’s for a three-bed with soul, extended out to the back for a warm kitchen wing overlooking a south-facing stepped back garden.

Essentially a three-bed semi, but one with horsey history, internal charm and a patina of age mixed with contemporary human comforts, No 2 The Stables is ideal for a trader-down, and has pretty low-keep grounds. It weighs in at just over 1,000 sq ft, and might also suit a couple, while for smaller family buyers, Glanmire’s got a great range of schools and services, with Cork city a short commute away.

A large, apex dormer window makes for a very bright main bedroom, and the downstairs open-plan layout also contributes to overall brightness.

VERDICT: A comfortable and stable environment.