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.

No 38 was built eight years ago, on what Mr Downey says is a fine site, walled-in, and with an attached garage reached off the utility by the kitchen.

Inside, a front sitting room links to a rear dining area by the kitchen (with solid cherry units), with sun room beyond, which has a tall apex glass end, picking up on the house’s front facade with its tall pitches, and gothic-shaped upstairs windows.

Across the wide hall is a second 17’ by 12’ sitting room, used as a play room, but also good as a family space, study or bedroom five.

Overhead are four beds, with master en suite.

VERDICT: A good ’un.