Starter homes: Midleton, Cork, €95,000 — €195,000

Size: Sq m 71 — 148

Attractive two and four-bed homes in Midelton’s Maple Woods

First 13 of new launch range from €95,000 to €195,000, Tommy Barker reports

A new energy and push is coming now behind the Maple Woods scheme of new homes in East Cork’s Midleton.

The first 13 of 39 units to be sold come to market this month with agent Trish Stokes of Lisney, with two-bed mid-terraced townhouses priced at €95,000. Then, you can sort of double up to four-beds, of twice the size, for twice the price — think €185,000 for an end-terrace of c 148 sq metres or 1,600 sq ft, and €195,000 will get a slightly smaller four-bed semi-d for traditionalists.

All are well within the grasp of first-time buyers, notes Ms Stokes of the scheme originally developed by Forestbrook, due to have a wide range of house types and sites and up to 239 units in all, and now being released by Nama/receivers.

Set at Ballinacurra, the site has a mix of cul de sac house settings with large open green spaces, with 135 units now complete, and over 90 of these are already occupied, so Lisneys will bring the balance of the 135 to the market on a phased basis, with a range of house types and site to be offered. The remaining section of the site may be sold or developed later on, depending on sales in this section and the overall market pick-up, with parts of Cork following in Dublin’s train, with building getting back on track to build to meet re-emerging demand for houses.

With the recently much-enlarged Jameson distillery a major employer, Midleton is well-served by shops, schools, cafes, services, and has a commuter rail link back to Cork City as well.

VERDICT: Maple Woods is poised for a second wind of sales, with a good mix to suit FTB’s pockets.