City to Country: A two-bed in Dublin's Donnybrook or a four-bed in Waterford for €475k

Buyers can choose from a city cottage to a large rural home, writes Trish Dromey

Tue, 07 Mar, 2023 - 10:14

Trish Dromey

Donnybrook, Dublin 4
€465,000
Size	48 sq m (517 sq ft)
Bedrooms	2
Bathrooms	1
BER	G

Small but charming and very well located, No 15 Pembroke Cottages is a Victorian redbrick terraced property with a fashionable Donnybrook Dublin 4 address.

Renovated over the years, it’s a well-presented two-bed house which has just come back on the market with a guide of €465,000 after its sale fell through.

Auctioneer Eoin O’Neill says the interior of the 48 sq m property is modern and well maintained although the G energy rating will need attention.

Accommodation includes a high-ceilinged living room, two bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom, a sunroom and the cottage has a pretty patio garden at the rear.

“Herbert Park, which is one of the finest parks in the country, is just 200 metres away and the cottage is close to all amenities in Donnybrook village while Roly’s restaurant and Avoca are within walking distance through the park,” says Mr O’Neill.

He says that although the Pembroke cottages are small, some buyers have taken a creative approach to increasing the amount of space available by extending upwards.

“One example of this is No 7 which sold for €750,000 in 2021,” he says. explaining that this was a two-bed property which sold for €499,500 in 2014 but is now a three-bed one with space upstairs.

Last year there were four sales at Pembroke Cottages including that of No 66, a one-bed with a converted attic which sold for €580,000 and No 62, an extended two-bed home which fetched €570,000.

VERDICT: Because of its charm and location, it won’t lack viewings.

Laragh, Co. Leitrim
€359,000
Size	150 sq m (1616 sq ft)
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	3
BER	B2

Laragh House near Mohill in Leitrim is the perfect purchase for a buyer whose dreams of rustic relocation involve a prettily renovated farmhouse with a large organic plot in which to grow roses, vegetables, and fruit.

Fishing rights on a nearby lake could be seen as an added bonus, says selling agent Gordon Hughes, quoting an affordable guide of €349,000 for the three-bed detached property and its 3.26 acre organic site which has a greenhouse, an orchard and a range of stone outbuildings.

Extensively renovated and extended in 2020, it’s now a 150 sq m property with high B2 energy rating.

Keeping the traditional style appearance of the property the owners fitted the kitchen with duck blue country style units with a Belfast sink and a range, and at the rear adding on a 40 sq m sitting room with a beamed vaulted ceiling and large windows.

Other accommodation includes an old style dining room with a fireplace and a dresser as well three en suite bedrooms — one downstairs and two upstairs.

Located nine km from Mohill village and 16 km from Carrick-on-Shannon, Laragh House is situated across the road from Lough Rowan which is popular for trout fishing.

“In the gardens there is a restored coach house, a large modern storage shed and an orchard with apple, cherry, pear, and plum trees as well as a greenhouse with vegetable beds,’’ reveals Mr Hughes.

VERDICT: Ideal for a buyer who wants to fulfil dreams of rustic living without having to get involved in messy renovations.

Dunhill, Co. Waterford
€490,000
Size	247 sq m (2,660 sq ft)
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	2
BER	1

Space to work from home as well as space to keep and ride ponies are on offer at Hillside, Ballydermody, in Dunhill — a substantial four-bed detached house located around 15 km from Waterford city.

The fact that it comes with a site of over five-and-a-half acres and has an American barn with six stables makes it very attractive to buyers with an equine interest, says Brian O’Shea of REA O’Shea O’Toole auctioneers quoting a guide of €490,000.

Built in the late 1990s, it’s a 247 sq m property which on the inside is full of timber features and handcrafted furniture made by the owner who is skilled at wood work.

Accommodation includes an open plan kitchen/ dining/ living room with a redbrick fireplace, oak beams, and a high timber panelled ceiling as well as olive ash kitchen units.

There’s also a utility room, a shower room, a bathroom and two bedrooms.

On the first floor there is a galleried room above the living room as well as two more bedrooms.

It’s a well maintained property although the exterior looks in need of a coat of paint and the D1 BER needs to be improved.

Offering distant views of the Comeraghs, Hillside has lawned garden at front and rear and an expanse of paddock suitable for horses, and a large stable block.

VERDICT: A dream home for a pony lover — it could attract both commuters from Waterford city and returning locals planning to work from home.

Newport, Co. Tipperary
€495,000
Size	325 sq m (3,500 sq ft)
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	5
BER	B2

For its €495,000 guide price, Mulcair Grove near Newport in North Tipperary is a very substantial four-bed property on a sizable three quarters of an acre site.

Built in 2006, the 325 sq m property includes a huge attic space which has been fitted with a built-sauna and used as a gym/ entertainment/relaxation area.

James Lee of REA Lee auctioneers says this is a bright, spacious, and well-maintained home with excellent accommodation for a family.

“It’s located just five km from Newport town and is within easy commuting distance of Limerick city and could suit someone working in University of Limerick or Castletroy,” he adds.

Accommodation includes two sitting rooms, one with a fireplace and one with a stove, as well as a large kitchen/ dining room with timber units and a granite topped island. To the rear there’s a sunroom, a utility room, and a bathroom while the first floor has four bedrooms and four bathrooms including two en suites and two with Jacuzzi baths.

The top floor — which has a large bank of windows at the rear — is given over to a play/ recreation space.

Accessed by a stone walled entrance with electric gates, the property has extensive lawns with a water feature and a large detached garage which could be converted into a home office. There’s a recently installed robot lawnmower which is being included in the sale.