Starter home: Lower John St, Cork €130,000

9 The Mill is full of character, close to Cork Opera House and the city centre in general, and offers a parking space too, says Trish Dromey.

Size: 54.6 sq m (588 sq ft)

Bedrooms: 2

Bathrooms: 1

BER: D1

Best Feature: Old roots

The exterior stonework on 9 The Mill on Lower John Street is full of character while the interior of the two-bed apartment is modern and well-maintained.

Selling agents Sherry FitzGerald say the location, a short stroll from Christy Ring Bridge and Cork Opera House, is a strong selling point.

“The designated parking space, which you don’t always get with apartments near the city, is also a bonus,” says auctioneer Gillian McDonnell, who is seeking offers of €130,000.

Offering close to 600 sq ft of living space, the second-floor apartment has double glazing, electric heating, and a D1 energy rating.

There is an open-plan kitchen/living room which at one end has a kitchenette with Shaker-style units and appliances and at the other, a tiled living/dining room with underfloor heating.

There’s also a bathroom with a three-piece suite and two timber-floored bedrooms with tiled flooring and electric radiators.

The apartment has one designated space in the secure parking area which is situated at ground level.

Ms McDonnell says this property has been rented out but is now attracting good interest from first-time buyers as well as investors. “It’s close to everything, including theatres, and would be ideal for someone working in town,” she says.

There haven’t been a huge number of sales at The Mill in recent years although No 2, a two-bed apartment on the first floor, sold for €71,000 in February last year.

VERDICT: Very central