Starter homes: Unfinished business with new Millstreet homes

Millstreet, Cork, €69,500-145,000

DON’T know where Rathcoole is? Don’t worry, the man who bought 11 houses here from Nama didn’t either.

Now, this weekend, he’ll be on site selling the last four of them, with seven sales already under his belt. Last spring, the buyer, Bernard Hennessy, was driving his son to a soccer match in this North Cork village between Millstreet and Banteer when he spied a sign saying ‘Eleven houses for sale.’

At half-time, he nipped over, trotted around them with some fancy footwork, and formulated a game plan.

He saw off the challenge of an overseas bidder to snap up his ‘First Eleven’ unfinished homes, via receiver Kavanagh Fennell: “My goal was to sell these houses at less than one third of their 2007 prices while guaranteeing the estate will be taken in charge by Cork County Council,” he says.

Now, Radharc Na Coille (between GAA and soccer pitches) is being sorted out, with Open Days today and tomorrow 12-6pm to line out the last selection, at first and second fix stage —ie,with some finishing left for buyers to do.

They’re all four-beds; one-semi’s at second fix stage, priced at €69,500. Another more completed one is €79,500, and a detached at first fix level is €99,000. No 10 a detached, closest to the village, is €145,000.

Kate Kearney of DNG Condon says they “allow the purchasers a blank canvas to work with.

VERDICT: Good result