Starter Home: No 2 Marie Placea nice alternative to city apartment

Wind in the sales at Windmill Road pad. Trish Dromey reports.

As a two-bed property within a seven-minute walk from Patrick Street, No 2 Marie Place, Windmill Road, could be viewed as an attractive alternative to a city centre apartment.

“It’s a 547 sq ft house with its own front door and a yard at the rear and is cute as a button,’’ says auctioneer Brendan Bowe who is seeking offers of €129,000.

He says that in the last two years the owners have replastered walls, repainted, put in new kitchen units and vinyl flooring and that the house is now well presented.

Downstairs there’s a lounge, a dining room, a kitchen and a shower room. Upstairs there’s a bedroom at the front and one at the back, both with original cast iron fireplaces.

Part of a terrace of ten redbrick cottages built at the end of the 19th century, the property has been painted brown on the outside. Mr Bowe believes that a new owner could look into the option of using soda blasting to restore the original façade.

He says that although the house has double-glazed windows, it doesn’t have central heating so this may also need to be looked at by the purchasers.

“ The interest level has been very good. Around 30 people have already registered to attend the open viewings of the property. We expect it to sell within two to six weeks.’’

Much of the interest is coming from first-time buyers but the property is also well-located for rentals. A similar cottage at No 5 Marie Place sold for €118,500 in January this year and another house on the terrace is currently available for rent of €1,000 a month

VERDICT: Cosy and convenient

Windmill Road, Cork City

€129,000

Size: 50 sq m (547 sq ft)

Bedrooms: 2

Bathrooms: 1

BER: Pending

Best Feature: Quirky