The rush is on for a first-time buy in Cobh

Martello Rushbrooke. Fifteen homes in the scheme are being released on September 5 next.

A HOUSING development extremely popular with first-time buyers (FTBs) is to add another 21 houses to the scheme following the re-zoning of land originally set aside for educational use.

When Cork County Councillors voted early in the summer to materially contravene the development plan to facilitate more home-building at Martello Rushbrooke, near Cobh, it cleared the way for Caraden Homes, run by the Waterfall-based Blower family, to develop the final portion of the site it already owned.

The sales kick-off for the final phase — which is expected to be completed by Spring 2021 — is Saturday, September 5, when the first 15 homes in this build will be released via agents Paul Hannon and Paul O’Shea of Sherry FitzGerald.

With all 56 homes in the original development sold — 80% to FTBs — Mr Hannon says he expects this trend to continue.

“It’s a great price point for first-time buyers. Homes of this quality at this price are very difficult to come by in Cork,” he says. Plus FTBs can avail of the help-to-buy rebate of 10%, up to a max of €30,000 — due to expire at the end of 2020.

A lot of the interest in the scheme to-date has been local, he says, with buyers from Cobh, but also Cork city, with excellent proximity to commuter rail stations in Cobh (2km) and Rushbrooke (1.5km).

Interested buyers can view a three-bed showhouse on Saturday, September 5 by private appointment with Sherry FitzGerald New Homes (021 4270099).

Pricing is from €265,000 for a 3- bed to €345,000 for a 4-bed semi, and €380,000 for a 4-bed semi.

• Rushbrooke, Cobh.
• €265,000-€380,000 
• Bedrooms: 3
• Bathrooms: 4
• BER: A3