Trading Up: South Douglas Road, Cork €580,000

It’s a complete surprise: so says Sherry Fitz estate agent Ann O’Mahony of Ferndale, off the South Douglas Road in suburban Cork.

The detached, late 1970s home was built on a double sized site, towards the end of the cul de sac estate called Trabeg Lawn, which faces Tramore Lawn across the ‘back’ Douglas Road.

Not only is the size a welcome surprise, on one third of an acre and all groomed, but the scale of accommodation is also: it looks two-storey to the front, but is full three storeys to the back.

In all, there’s over 2,300sq ft here to play around with and four bedrooms, as well as living rooms on the two lower floors.

Even though it’s plenty big enough for most families as it stands, it’s eminently extendable, on one or more levels and one can imagine a good architect having a field day, perhaps with a cantilevered garden room, balconies or a glass wrap-around: the scope to really shake it up exists on many levels.

It’s towards the far end of very quiet Trabeg Lawn, and Douglas Village Shopping Centre is a five-minute walk.

Also to hand are primary and secondary schools, Nemo Rangers’ GAA club playing pitches, and gym. Ring road access is 250m away.

Ferndale also has an attached garage, and multi-level gardens. It’s very different.

VERDICT: What a site.