Going for the treble - three homes on 30 acres for €1.25m in Rathcormac

Two pretty cottages and one two-storey home are part of an attractive rural package

Main 2-storey home  Rathcormac

Rathcormac, Co Cork
€1.25m
Size	134 sq m, 119 sq m,  41.5 sq m
Bedrooms	2-4
Bathrooms	1-2
BER	E2, F, G

THERE’S an unusual market arrival just outside Rathcormac, a village currently in the throes of positive change, where a collaboration between the local community council and UCC’s planning school is focused on delivering sustainable ways for the village to meet its growing populations’ needs.

The village has a very active community council and a series of concrete plans which include delivering a network of walking paths across the wider area (ongoing) and development of a 10-acre community park (also ongoing, on a phased basis). House building is also ongoing, with developers delivering on a phased basis too. 

Against this backdrop of progress in Rathcormac comes a 30 acre residential holding with three homes in Curraghteemore. 

With greenbelt zoning, putting more houses on it is not an option. The three that are there now consist of an original two storey farmhouse and two converted outbuildings. The conversion jobs are expertly done, particularly the bigger of the two former outbuildings, which is now a 119 sq m four-bed stone cottage (BER F) on an elevated site with rolling countryside views.

Four-bed  

An extremely fetching-looking property, it does a good job of showcasing exposed original stone internally, while the outside stonework is pristine too. Entry is straight into the cosy living room with exposed stone and alcoves and a large fuel stove.

 There’s a sliding door to the kitchen and more exposed stone. Light green kitchen units give it an airy feel and there’s a door to the back garden.

Four overhead bedrooms have timber floors, and pale paint and veluxes help maintain the bright and airy feel. Outside, there are lawns front and back, and also gravel seating areas and plenty room for barbequing. As Michael Barry of Dick Barry & Son Auctioneers points out, it’s all very tastefully done.

A second converted outhouse (41.5 sq m, BER G )with a bright yellow door is also very pretty and is currently laid out as a self-contained cottage/apartment with kitchen, bathroom, and two bedrooms, all on the ground floor, and a floored attic overhead.

self-contained unit 

 As Mr Barry points out, this could be adapted to home office use.

The third residence is the original farmhouse, a 134 sq m two-storey 3 / 4 bed (BER E2), which is in good nick too, albeit it would benefit in places from a decorative upgrade. It’s had a sunroom added and the ground floor also includes a kitchen, living room, a games room, utility and downstairs bathroom. There are three bedrooms overhead.

Mr Barry, who is guiding the 30-acre holding with three dwellings at €1.25m, says it was bought by a Cork businessman about 20 years ago as an investment, with restoration and upgrade work carried out over the years.

“Some of the family, who also had houses in Cork city, lived on it for a few years,” he says.

The land has never been leased, he adds, but a deal was done with a local farmer who used to cut the grass a couple of times a year and use it for silage. Mr Barry says the property dates back to the 1650s and includes a four column haybarn. He says the land “is very good, quite lush” and could be used for grazing. As the only access to the land is via the path that runs by the houses, it is being sold as a single lot. It’s bounded by the River Bride.

“It could be ideal for something like an equestrian centre with provision for staff quarters,” Mr Barry says. There’s AirBnB potential too and maybe the possibility of a business venture such as glamping.

Location-wise, it’s 2.7km from Rathcormac village and 27km from Cork city centre.

VERDICT: Will probably attract someone with a business vision (or an investor) as it's not your typical house/land sale.