Ladysbridge family home is contemporary to the core

Ladysbridge, Co Cork
• €375,000
• Size: 181 sq m (1,948 sq ft)
• Bedrooms: 4
• Bathrooms: 3
• BER: A3

It's easier to visualise a home as your own when it’s picture-perfect, so anyone viewing No 37 Dealg Bán in Ladysbridge, albeit virtually, will have little difficulty imagining themselves in situ.

The light, bright look of the hallway continues right through the downstairs open plan living area where an orange glass splashback in the kitchen puts paid to any notion that the current owners were playing it safe when doing up their home.

The bold approach is probably down to the woman of the house, whose career in the beauty industry involves lots of colour choice on any given day.

If the orange splashback is too daring for the potential buyer, the owner has helpfully offered a formal estimate for replacing it, which comes in at just over €1,000, with a 10-year guarantee.

No 37 is contemporary and immaculate to the core. In fact it has the feel of a showhouse, which is some achievement given it’s home to three children, ranging in age from two to teens.

It’s been a fantastic family home, says the man of the house, but as both he and his wife have businesses in Carrigaline, it’s just that little bit too far removed.

“We just need to be closer to work. Travelling from Ladysbridge to Carrigaline, we are spending too much time on the road. Moving towards town (Glanmire) will give us that extra bit of time in the evening with the kids,” the owner says.

No 37 is in an estate of about 70 houses of which approximately 15 are detached, including this property. It’s a relatively new estate, and the current occupants moved in in late 2014.

“We had a little girl in November that year and moved in just before Christmas. We had no sofa to sit on but we had a roof over our heads and a Christmas tree,” the owner recalls.

That little girl is now 5, and has a younger sibling aged two and an older sibling aged 13.

The owner says there weren’t many kids in the area when they first arrived, but that’s all changed now.

“We would have been one of the first families with kids to move in. There were very few at the start, but the numbers have exploded over the last few years. It’s a lovely estate to live in and the neighbours are great,” he adds.

A major plus for families in the estate is the fact that the school bus stops off at the entrance, from where the kids are transported to Kilcredan National School.

“That was a huge bonus for us,” the owner states.

All in all, he believes the package on offer “is a huge opportunity” to acquire a quality home.

Selling agent James Colbert of Colbert & Co agrees, and says the house has “an exceptional finish”.

“Not only that, but there’s a lovely warm family feel to it too. There’s great space upstairs and downstairs, with three living spaces and it could certainly handle a good size family, which is what people want nowadays,” he says.

He describes the property as “extremely energy-efficient with fitted solar panels”.

Upstairs, he says, “has four great size bedrooms with lush carpet flooring in all”.

The master bedroom is en suite and there’s a fitted Stira on the landing with access to a fully-floored attic for extra storage. A long vertical gable window adds to the feeling of light inside.

Outside, two cars can fit comfortably in the driveway. A shed to the rear provides handy bike storage.

The aspect of the garden makes it a suntrap in the evenings, perfect for sitting out and watching sundown, or doing likewise from the conservatory if the weather is inclement.

James Colbert points out that whoever buys No 37 will benefit from a fine corner site that overlooks a green and comes with a ready-made patio.

Ladysbridge is a 10-minute drive from Midleton town and has a host of amenities close by, including the award-winning Castlemartyr Resort, Golf and Spa.

The village itself has a church, shop, petrol station and bar. Garryvoe beach is just five minutes by car.

VERDICT: No need for a makeover in this fine family home.