Trading up: Carrigaline, Cork €495,000

Sq m: 233 (2,500 sq ft)

There wasn’t really a small house built at Wheatfield, a scheme of serviced sites in Cork’s Carrigaline which gave dozens of families the chance to build their own dream one-off homes, without the headache of site-hunting and tracking down services.

Now, new to market here is No 38, with estate agent Michael Downey of ERA Downey McCarthy, who guides the four/five bed at just €5,000 shy of €500k. For this, buyers get a very well-finished home of 2,500 sq ft in a setting that’s great for children — lots of others to play with in and around the greens and gardens.