VIDEO: This home near UCC Cork is one to view, but be prepared for competitive bidding
CALLED after a French village near Lourdes in France, the family home Bartres comes to market in a blessed Cork suburban location.
It’s just off College Road, on St Clare’s Avenue, near the Poor Clares Colettine Monastery, home to a centuries-old contemplative order of nuns, which came to Cork in 1914.
Despite the enclosed nature of that order, this select city setting is quite intrinsically associated in local minds with the Poor Clares, as well as with the Bon Secours private hospital and with the sprawling UCC campus also.
Any of those local institutions (bar, presumably, the Poor Clares) could supply a well-heeled buyer for Bartres.
Like the adjacent St Francis Avenue, St Clares Avenue has managed to hold much of a private residential feel despite the growth of UCC and its student accommodation needs, and the detached, set-back c 1960s build Bartres is an example of imperturbable acceptance of the balances that come with such a convenient setting, a mile or so from the city centre via College Road.
It was the proximity to UCC that drew its current owner’s family to the location 30 years ago, spotted and bought by her father during her own UCC years, and she says it was constructed originally by a builder for his own family’s use.
In next generation ownership, it’s been a constantly improving and updated family home.
Huge advantage was taken of proximity to primary, secondary and third-level schools — all close to the doorstep — but now it’s time to move on.
In simply immaculate order, Bartres comes to market this week with estate agent John Barry of Frank V Murphy & Associates, who guides at €495,000.
Mr Barry is going to have a cross-section of impressed viewers, from younger families to older couples trading down, and it’s a sale that really could grow its own legs in bidding.
Not immediately impressive in terms of its gabled front facade, this property really picks up the pace on proximity, impressing with details like brushed steel lighting and door furniture, its trimmed landscaping, paved drive and parking, mature screening, and, then, its interior quality.
Internally this four/five-bed home has just over 2,000 sq ft, but planning’s in place for a contemporary extension by architect Derek O’Leary, which would give more first floor space and some larger bedrooms.
That option may interest younger families keen to move in and make the most of the location for decades ahead.
For other/older buyers, it’s a move-in proposition, especially with the news that it has been underpinned and had drains replaced, all certified by one of the city’s most stringent engineers.
A tall, two-storey build, west-facing Bartres has as trump cards its great, deep reception rooms, and excellent en suite master bedroom, with over-sized bath and separate shower, and three other bedrooms, all with built-ins.
Each of the two principal reception are deep, at over 20’, and have curtains and pelmets of stand-out quality, done by Ken Jackson.
The main drawing room has an east-west double aspect, and black cast iron fireplace in the side wall. Next to it is a living room, with access to a raised deck and rear garden.
This room also has access to an even deeper kitchen/diner, 30’ deep, with Neff appliances, gas hob and gas-fired stove, and dining table overlooking the greened-in back garden.
The excellent ground level floor plan also fits in a utility, cloak room and guest WC.
Comfort levels are high, with gas central heating and double glazing, and for a house of this overall quality the F BER seems an anomaly.
The grounds include a feature magnolia above side-by-side swathes of buxus sempervirens (low, clipped box shrubs,) and behind are some fine maples, miscanthus and a staggered lawn with strong swing, and garden shed.
Some may find the maturity of the perimeter planting closing in on the site’s boundaries and want to open it up: others will prize the privacy it grants.
Location is right next to College Road, and within a walk are the Lee Fields, Mardyke and playing fields, a number of schools, UCC and CIT at a bit more of a stretch, while the CUH is also to hand, and the city centre’s an amble away.
Bartres’ cobble-lock front drive can take a few cars, so no need for on-street parking and overall site size is about one-sixth of an acre.
Maturity and extra investment brings this very well-set home to new levels of appeal. One to view, but be prepared for competitive bidding, to have a prayer.
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