City to County: What half a million gets you on Kerry's Caragh Lake or Dublin's South Circular Road

Neat city pad or rural idylls, we cast an eye over homes in Dublin, Kerry, Cork and Waterford

5 Ebeneezer Terrace in Dublin on the market for €550,000

Ebenezer Tce, Dublin 8
€550,000
Size	79 sq m (850 sq ft)
Bedrooms	2
Bathrooms	1
BER	E2

VIEWERS of 10 Ebenezer Terrace, near South Circular Road in Dublin 8 should find the interior of the renovated Victorian end of terrace house easy to admire, and the rather Dickensian sounding address quite hard to forget.

New to the market with a guide of €550,000, the two- bed redbrick property was redecorated from top to toe by current owners in 2015.

“It’s wonderfully refurbished with bright, cleverly designed interiors but retains many of the original features intact including high ceilings, dado rails, picture rails and ceiling coving,’’ says Kate Mullery of Mullery O’Gara auctioneers.

Some rearranging of the layout was carried out to create a high ceilinged, white walled, modern open plan living dining space connected by an archway to a kitchen with hand painted blue units.

The 850 sq ft of living space includes a front bedroom with original features including a high ceiling, fireplace, ornate ceiling features and a shuttered sash window. In an extended single storey area at the rear there is also a bathroom and a small bedroom.

Conveniently located within a 20-minute walk of Grafton St and Stephen’s Green, the property is close to local schools and cafes, and Heuston Station, the Phoenix Park and the M50 are very accessible.

Ms Mullery says the location has been experiencing regeneration in recent years and is very popular with young buyers.

VERDICT: In tip top decorative order but the E2 BER will need to addressed.

Caragh Lake, Co Kerry
€480,000
Size	146 sq m ( 1575 sq ft)
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	3
BER	E1

FROM the bathtub in the master bedroom of this stone clad bungalow overlooking Caragh Lake, you can, on a clear day, see out as far as the Blaskets off the Dingle Peninsula.

More immediately, it has scenic views of the lake and of Seefin Mountain on the other side of it.

Selling agents Property Partners Gallivan expect the views to prove a key selling point for a property which they say is already attracting interest from buyers in the UK and the US.

“This is a rare opportunity to buy a property in a private cul de sac of three houses nestled in woodlands with uninterrupted west facing views of the lake,’’ says auctioneer Tadgh Gallivan, quoting a guide of €480,000.

Built in the 1970s, the three-bed bungalow is currently owned by an overseas couple who use it as a holiday home.

Offering 1,575 sq ft of well-maintained living space, it’s on a site of three-quarters of an acre and is surrounded by woodland gardens.

Rooms overlooking the lake at the front include a large living/dining room with patio doors, a small sunroom and an en suite master bedroom which has a freestanding bath by the window with scenic views.

To the rear of the bungalow, there’s a kitchen with pine units as well as a bathroom and two bedrooms, one en suite.

Located at Glannagilliagh, it’s a ten-minute drive from Killorglin and Glenbeigh and is also within easy reach of three golf courses and Rossbeigh Beach.

VERDICT: Looks idyllic for holidays.

Drimoleague, West Cork
€495,000
Size	170 sq m (1,800 sq ft)
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	2
BER	B3

SINCE settling down to enjoy a rustic West Cork lifestyle five years ago, the owners of this four-bed detached house at Derryclogh Lower near Drimoleague have extended the range of creature comforts considerably.

They upgraded the 1,800 sq ft early 2000s built house, adding a stylish contemporary kitchen and redecorating extensively.

When they bought the property and its 4.5-acre site, it already had a detached garage for their vehicles as well as a four unit stable block and a sand arena for their horse. To this they added a dog run and kennel, a shelter for their two alpacas, one for their flock of pygmy goats and an aviary.

In the grounds – which have two ponds, a stream and several areas of paddock — they built a timber chalet as a home office and a timber structure that auctioneer Pat Maguire describes as “a man cave.’’ The owners came to West Cork from the continent and Mr Maguire believes it highly possible that the house, which is guiding at €495,000, could sell once again to continental buyers attracted by the prospect of living “the good life” in West Cork.

It’s spacious and contemporary and offers the ultimate in rural living as well as good broadband for a buyer who wants to work from home, says Mr Maguire. Thus far, interest has come from continental buyers, UK ones, returning emigrants and some Dublin people who want to experience the West Cork lifestyle.

VERDICT: The only thing left for a new owner to do is to add a polytunnel.

Tramore, Co Waterford
€395,000
Size	149 sq m ( 1,600 sq ft)
Bedrooms	4/5
Bathrooms	2
BER	C1

DUE to its proximity to the coast, Auburn, a much-modernised bungalow at Cullencastle near Tramore, is attracting the attention of some very diverse types of buyers.

“It’s being looked at by trading up buyers who want to upgrade from a three-bed semi and by trading down buyers who want a bungalow.

“We are also getting enquiries from Dublin buyers looking to move to the coast and from people who want to work from home,’’ reveals Clodagh McDonald of Lawrence & McDonald.

On the market with a guide of €395,000, it’s a 1970s bungalow which was given a modern makeover by current owners in 2015.

At one end, they have created a bright contemporary open plan living area. Here, there is a kitchen which has a vaulted ceiling with Velux windows and modern cream units with a centre island and, adjoining it, is a sitting room with a large window and a stove.

Alongside the kitchen, the owners put in a utility room, a shower room and a timber floored room which can be used as a study or a fifth bedroom.

Other accommodation in the 1,600 sq ft property includes a bathroom and four bedrooms.

Set against a forested backdrop, Auburn is on a site of a third of an acre – most of which is made up of a sloping lawn at the front.

Situated on the outskirts of Tramore, around 3.5 km from the beach Auburn is around 10km from Waterford.

VERDICT: A modern bungalow which could suit a variety of buyers Tramore, Co Waterford €395,000 Size: 149 sq m (1,600 sq ft) Bedrooms: 4/5 Bathrooms: 2 BER: C1