Starter home: The Lough, Cork City €195,000

1 Leafdale looks country cottage-ish, but is a city suburban pad with some charm, in a Lough-side setting near UCC, says Tommy Barker.

Sq m 57 (625 sq ft)

Bedrooms: 2

Bathrooms: 1

BER: N/A

The attractively named 1 Leafdale is an easy Cork city home to swan in to - it’s a minute’s walk or waddle from the swan, goose, duck or water-hen-favoured wildfowl reserve called The Lough.

Set just across the road from the Hawthorn Bar at the start of St Joseph’s Park, this compact cottage is described as a semi-detached bungalow by its selling agent Jeremy Murphy.

For many, however, the appeal will be in its cottage-like charm, so close to the 10-acre amenity space.

Leafdale is guided at €195,000 by Mr Murphy, reflecting its popular location as much as anything else, as it isn’t overly large at just about 625 sq ft, and has only two bedrooms.

A quirk is the similar sort of concrete porch which features at its front and back doors: the exterior pics here may look the same, but they are actually the house’s two different facades and gardens, with larger (and latticed) windows to the front.

In front is a small graveled and shrubbed garden and path, down a few le of steps from road level; behind is a yard with shed and utility room, easily tidied up into a feature spot for BBQs. Inside is a long central hall, living room with fireplace, kitchen, bathroom and two bedrooms, each with fireplace, and all of the rooms are on the same level.

Jeremy Murphy says No 1 Leafdale will appeal to investors, given UCC’s proximity, and to first-time buyers and down-sizers.

VERDICT: A tidy buy, but need some tidying up.