Trading up: Ballintemple, Cork €240,000

The cheeriest thing about No 6, Birchgrove, is its dark-pink/red colour. 

Size: 90 sq m (972sq ft) 

Bathrooms: 2 

Bedrooms: 3 

BER Rating: D2

Even though it’s only a decade or so old, it needs TLC, an owner-occupier’s touch, garden screening, and an update.

But the area is in the sights of City Hall for an upgrade: they’re talking about a ‘tech corridor’ running out from the city quays, along Monahan’s Road, where there’s already movement on a few office blocks, such as Phoenix House.

Across the way, the new Páric Uí Chaoimh is about to start its own phoenix-like renaissance, as the former Showgrounds site and Atlantic Pond vicinity await rebirth as civic amenity attractions.

So, brighter days ahead for this Birchgrove niche cluster of semis, done by the people who did the posher Lindville scheme, on the Blackrock Road, at Ballintemple.

Estate agent, Florence Gabriel, of Sherry FitzGerald, is selling No 6, which is just a tad under 1,000 sq ft. It’s a three-bed semi on a corner site.

It’s forlorn-looking right now, but that’s easily remedied.

Ms Gabriel pitches it at €240,000, so it’s within the grasp of first-time buyers, and investors, too, might be interested, seeing as it is so close to Ballintemple, and the city centre’s a walk away.

VERDICT: Location is good, but the house awaits improvements.