Starter Homes: Shipshape Courtmacsherry home for €250,000

Homes for first-time buyers to consider in Barnabrow, Glenbrook, Courtmacsherry and Cobh

Courtmacsherry, Co Cork
€250,000
Size	92 sq m ( 990 sq ft)
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	2
BER	D1

NOT only does No 11 Harbour Court appear to be the most affordable property currently available in the seaside village of Courtmacsherry – it seems , at present, to be the only one.

An online search early this week showed that, apart from a few sites, this three-bed mid-terrace house with a guide of €250,000 was the only one listed.

While Harbour Court was originally built as a holiday home development, Ernest Forde of Hodnett Forde says most of the properties in the terrace are now lived in permanently so he expects to sell to an owner-occupier.

“It could be a starter home or be bought by a retiree who wants to live near the coast,’’ he observes.

Part of a slate and stone clad terrace built in 1999, it has 990 sq ft of living space and has been well maintained. Located in a square close to the harbour, it doesn’t overlook the water but has sea views from the upstairs windows.

At ground floor there’s a front living room with an archway connecting to a kitchen with modern units at the rear.

At this level there is also a utility room and a guest WC while upstairs the property has a bathroom and three bedrooms including one en suite.

Fitted with electric storage heating it has a D1 BER so would benefit from an upgrade.

VERDICT: With summer on the way the demand for affordable coastal properties in West Cork is surely heading in an upwards direction.

Barnabrow, Co Cork
€250,000
Size	158 sq m ( 1,700 sq ft)
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	3
BER	C3

ANA’S Cottage – a detached, pretty-looking 1,700 sq ft property at Barnabrow in East Cork – seems quite a sizable offering for its €250,000 guide.

Part of a cluster of nine holiday cottages built close to Barnabrow Country House in the early 2000s, it could be an option for a first-time buyer in search of an affordable property. “For this a new owner would have to apply to change the planning permission,’’ says Lawrence Sweeney of Savills explaining that he previously sold two cottages in the development – Holly’s and Sally’s – to purchasers who changed the planning and became owner-occupiers.

Designed to look quaint and rustic with white walls and red windows and doors, the traditional-style cottage has a half door at the front and a joisted ceiling and rendered walls on the inside.

The ground floor has a spacious, timber-floored kitchen/dining/living area with a fireplace and dark-grey kitchen units with a Belfast sink. The cottage also has two en suite bedrooms at this level while the top floor is given over to one large double bedroom with an en suite bathroom at one end.

It has a C3 BER and is fitted with electric heating and single-glazed windows which an owner occupier will probably want to upgrade. And while it could be bought by someone who wants to live there permanently, it is attracting attention from investors and holiday home hunters. “We’ve had a few enquiries from overseas buyers as well as from Irish ones,’’ says Mr Sweeney. It is 2km from Cloyne, 7km from Ballycotton and a 15-minute drive from Midleton.

VERDICT: Affordable, pretty, it’s spacious for an old-style cottage.

Glenbrook, Co Cork
€175,000
Size	61 sq m (657 sq ft)
Bedrooms	1
Bathrooms	1
BER	D1

This one-bed townhouse at 34 Granary Wharf, Glenbrook, in Passage West would do very nicely for a first-time buyer. Its affordable €175,000 guide price, including contents, could also make a young couple happy.

Fionn Dwyer of Jeremy Murphy auctioneers says the cosy property is also getting good viewings from downsizers.

Accommodation includes a living/dining space and small kitchen downstairs, with a bedroom and bathroom upstairs. It is within minutes’ walk from the waterfront promenade and is 8km from Douglas.

VERDICT: As affordable a townhouse as a buyer could hope to find.

Cobh, Co Cork
€285,000
Size	84 sq m (900 sq ft)
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	1
BER	D2

The key selling points for 1 Edmond Rice Crescent include its proximity to Cobh town centre and the fact that it is one of few houses on the road with a garage.

The end-of-terrace property is for sale with auctioneer Johanna Murphy, who says it is freshly painted, and has a new bathroom and new carpets.

Accommodation includes a sitting room, kitchen, utility room, three bedrooms, and a bathroom.

VERDICT: Located within a 10-minute walk of shops, it could suit a first-time buyer