Starter home: Gardiners Hill Avenue, Cork €165,000

Trish Dromey says location, price and tasty renovations will make this an attractive option for first-time buyers and city employees.

Atouch of 19th century charm, 21st century comfort and an affordable asking price of €165,000, make 13 Gardiners Hill Avenue a good starter option.

The Victorian end of terrace house has been extensively upgraded in recent years. “ It has new bathrooms, a kitchen extension and is now in superb condition. All a new owner has to do is to add some personal touches,’’ says Jackie Cohalan of Cohalan Downing auctioneers.

The three-bed property offers 700 sq ft of living space. At the front there’s a small living room with timber flooring and to the rear there’s a tiled dining room and a seven-foot square kitchen with timber style units and black and white chequered tiling. The kitchen also has sliding patio doors opening out on to a back patio. During renovations, space was also found for a downstairs WC.

A timber staircase leads to the upper floor which has a shower room and three small bedrooms with sloped ceilings and polished floorboards. With double-glazed windows and gas central heating the house has a D2 energy rating.

A creative approach has been taken to dispelling the grey gloom which can sometimes be found in back yards. All the walls have been painted purple and the owners have put in a paved patio with a pagoda and gravelled the remainder of the area. Auctioneers say on-street parking is available, andMs Cohalan expects good interest, noting the attractions include the charm and condition as well as the fact that it’s within walking distance of the city centre.

VERDICT: A ready-to-go pad for a city employee.

Gardiners Hill Avenue, Cork

€165,000

Size: 65 sq m (700 sq ft)

Bedrooms: 3

Bathrooms: 2

BER: D2

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