Trading up: Ovens, Cork €230,000

A long, useful back garden, rising up in tiers behind No 4, The Willows, in Cork’s Classes Lake, is a bonus for a family looking for an affordable home, in a popular, modern development, around Cork’s Ballincollig and Ovens suburbs.

This modern, three-bed semi-d is listed with auctioneer Frank Walsh, of busy Ballincollig agents, O’Mahony Walsh. He says it’s been extremely well-kept, has lots of extras, with easily maintained exterior, has off-street parking, and has an alarm.

Priced at €230,000, No 4 has two interconnected reception rooms, with glazed oak doors that allow light and access, as well as a fitted kitchen with tiled floor, and attractive, deep-green, glazed, ceramic tile splashback.

Overhead are three timber-floored bedrooms: one is en-suite, and there’s a separate, three-piece family bathroom.

Set within O’Callaghan Properties’ well-established and sizeable Classes Lake development, it’s near the rugby club and other sports facilities, employers like EMC and the Ballincollig town centre, while it’s also on the right side of the town for easy access to the 134-acre Ballincollig regional park, where a brand-new high-end, €340,000 playground is set to open within coming weeks.

VERDICT: Cheaper than a playground,, with large stepped gardens of its own.