Trading Up: Lough Hyne, Skibbereen, €195,000

Small, perfectly formed and even more perfectly sited, is Lakeview — a pint-sized property with a recent price drop, on an acre, by reed-fringed Loughalla lake and tidal Lough Hyne in deep and delightful West Cork.

And, not only does it have views to the first lake and proximity (two miles) to the second, the famed marine reserve of Lough Hyne, it also has beaches nearby, at Tragumna and Tralispean, plus a public pier for those into boats.

Set at a townland called Dromadoon and now guided at just under €200k by Skibbereen estate agent Charles McCarthy who’s now hoping for an early 2017 sale for its private UK-based owner, he says it’s an affordable option for a holiday home hunter, who doesn’t want a lot of rooms inside, and who’ll value the acre and setting.

Internally, the layout couldn’t be simpler: there are two wood-floored bedrooms to the side of the central hall, one’s en suite with a shower and another shower room divides the tidy-sized bedroom, and across the hall is an open-plan, 27’ by 13’ living/kitchen/dining room.

There’s an open fireplace in a stone surround, and at the other end’s a good bank of painted kitchen units in an L-layout.

The triple aspect room has large windows for view-bathing and basking in the light, plus garden access.

Outside, the acre’s as well kept as Lakeview is inside, and there’s also a 600 sq ft detached garage, and boiler house for the oil central heating.

VERDICT: Neat as the proverbial pin.