Bantry bay buy at €395k offers best of both worlds

In gleaming condition, this property is in a picturesque setting without being remote

The sunroom offers fabulous views and provides access to the garden

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Goat's Path, Bantry, West Cork
€395,000
Size	220 sq m (2,400 sq ft) inc garage
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	2
BER	C2

WITH its long views out over Bantry Bay to the hills of surrounding and facing Beara Peninsula and mountain ranges, this detached home leaves visitors in no doubt as to where they are – in glorious West Cork, close enough to smell the sea and with walks galore on the doorstep.

Gurteen Bantry home is on the town end of the Goat's Path and Sheep's Head peninsula, and is for sale with Bantry agent Denis Harrington with a €395,000 asking price

An out-of-season sales listing with local estate agent Denis Harrington, this 2,400 sq ft four-bedroomed home, with attached garage under its wings and in gleaming internal condition, is for sale with a reachable €395,000 AMV.

It’s set at Gurteen, Bantry, across the N71 from the Westlodge Hotel on the outskirts of the historic port and harbour town, with the townland of Gurteen within the parish of Durrus. It has the Goat’s Path starting off right by it, which runs along the northern shores of the Sheep’s Head peninsula, with Durrus, Ahakista and Kilcrohane among the better-known beauty spots to the south.

Thanks to an elevated positioning and mature landscaping, the property enjoys spectacular scenery

This house’s setting is within a walk too of Bantry, or a bus route, and makes for easy West Cork living for families perhaps in the hunt to relocate to a scenic, coastal area, without taking on the challenge of an old farmhouse or extensive holding.

Yet, this fine condition property comes with two acres of fertile land, notes auctioneer Denis Harrington, so there’s a garden to enjoy and scope to grow lots of produce too. There's already a greenhouse, veg/fruit sections and a shelter belt of planting to the back.

Mr Harrington is selling for a woman who’s returning to the UK to be with family and grandchildren, and he describes this as “a delightful residence”. 

It has the stamp of good quality, best seen in places like the bright sun-room viewing point to the front, with its high, pitched ceilings and roof lights, and polished tiled flor.

The bathroom has glazed tiles, a Jacuzzi bath and wet-room style shower

It’s seen,  too, in the kitchen with granite tops on units and the kitchen island, and in the bathroom, again with glazed tiles and with Jacuzzi bath, and wet-room style shower.

It’s got four bedrooms, all carpeted and with built-ins or slide robes, while the master bedroom is en-suite with a shower.

Likely to be a few decades old by now, it has comforts backed up by things like double glazing and oil central heating, and indicative of the owner’s concern is a list available of upgrades undertaken during her time here, and also a boiler service record, indicating annual services — a scold to many more wayward homeowners who only think of their boilers when they let them down on a cold evening or when there is impending snow.

Apart from the understated quality of the home, agent Denis Harrington says it’s got an appealing combination of being private and in a picturesque setting —thanks to an elevated positioning and mature landscaping, it enjoys spectacular scenery —without being remote, with several neighbouring bungalows in the near vicinity on the Goat’s Path.

Sun room at the Gurteen Bantry home for sale with local agent Denis Harrington

Internally, it’s got a large living room (19’ by 13’) linked to the sunroom, which is 17’ deep and 10’ wise, with roof beams and garden access via double doors. The dining room, with large floor tiles, is off the white gloss kitchen via a broad arch and also has external access via PVC double doors. Other rooms include an office and a utility, plus an attached garage with conversion potential.

Mr Harrington repeats the message of 2020, saying there's a very good level of interest in West Cork and coastal properties offering lifestyle and 'work from home' advantages. An Adrigole listing he had, which featured here several weeks ago, on seven acres is sold already to an early viewer and, despite Covid-19 travel restrictions during the year,  he also reports good interest from US-based buyers.

VERDICT: With broadband, Bantry proximity and good internal comforts plus gardens, this Gurteen offer could make for an easy transition from urban or suburban life to West Cork living.