Starter home: Bandon, West Cork €195,000

Tommy Barker discovers a classic do-er upper in a smashing location.

Size: 120 sq m (1,290 sq ft)

Bedrooms: 3

Bathrooms: 1

BER: F

It’s a smashing location here in town: It’s private but yet literally only minutes to town centre. There should be a lot of interest in this,” predicts Bandon, West Cork estate agent Damien Murray of this dated but very decent home called Sunmount.

This ray of sun, currently obscured by a lack of recent investment, is a classic do-er upper, a bungalow on Rice’s Road on the western side of Bandon town, with a particularly bright future.

Rices Road is close to the lofty-set RC church and is between the road out of Bandon town, the traditional route, yet within a ring thrown around the town by the bypass road.

It’s a popular, and little-trafficked sort of residential byroad and Mr Murray notes “some of the real gems are to be found down small leafy roads, and the beauty about this road is that it is only minutes to the town centre.

"House hunters intent in buying close to town will be delighted with Sunmount.”

Right now, this 1950s-built single storey three/four bed bungalow needs a good deal of of upgrading and modernisation, “but it’s hard to deny the sense of grandeur from the high ceilings and well-proportioned room sizes which give a great sense of light and space throughout” says the agent of this homeon a very pleasant site with a small detached garage/workshop alongside.

The maturity of the gardens lends privacy, and the sale of Sunmount gives “a rare opportunity to purchase an exclusive property of true character and style; it is an ideal buy for any growing family or those looking for a base close to town,” say Paddy Murray Auctioneers.

VERDICT: A humdinger