Douglas dormer is a delight

THE shortage of mature, family homes in the Douglas area of Cork has underpinned the €630,000 price hopes of Kylemore, a distinctive-looking detached dormer house dating to the 1950s.

It last came to market back in 2007, and had changed hands again around the late 1990s; the location — on the corner of the Ashdale estate on the city side of Douglas, near ring road access points — in the interim has just become more, and more popular.

Selling agent, Trish Stokes of Lisney, says as the market has recovered so strongly, older city suburbs like Blackrock, Bishopstown and Douglas, within a walk of the city centre have clearly come under strong demand.

There’s recently been a raft of strong sales along the main and back Douglas roads, and in estates in between. Examples? a dated four-bed, 1,500 sq ft semi-d at nearby Tramore Lawn went to market in May, guiding €325,000, and has turned up already on the price register at €406,000, while even closer to Kylemore, a larger and more modern detached Tim Lawton-built home at 4 Rosepark, Ashdale, sold in 2014 for €660,000 on a one-third acre site. Savills have had several recent €600-700k sales around Douglas this year, with two large multi-million euro listings as well being viewed and bid on, while Lisney’s Trish Stokes got about €800,000 this year for a tad-dejected, detached early 1900s dormer on an acre by St Finbarr’s hospital, and it’s now in line for major upgrade.

Also on the main Douglas Road, the detached, cool and contemporary home Mosman has come under early offers around €750,000 with Lisney, who guided at €795,000 when it featured extensively here in September. So, lots of demand, and cash, out there as Kylemore make its €630k pitch.

On a site of over 0.2 of an acre, it’s had a few previous extensions and so has over 2,200 sq ft, with four first floor bedrooms (one en suite), the main bathroom has a Jacuzzi bath, and downstairs is a sitting room, home office, sun room and a large 24’ by 18’ kitchen/dining/family room, with high ceilings and timber beams.

VERDICT: Good as it stands, but needs more updating.

South Douglas Road, Cork €630,000

Sq m 210 (2,260 sq ft)

Bedrooms: 4

Bathrooms: 3

BER Rating: E