Starter Homes: Four Cork properties on sale for €295k or less

Buyers can choose from homes across Kinsale, Midleton, Blackpool and Courtmacsherry, writes Trish Dromey

Old Court, Courtmacsherry

Midleton, Co Cork
€275,000
Size	93 sq m (1,000 sq ft)
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	2
BER	C1

A well-maintained, modern three-bed semi with a guide of €275,000, No 9 Willowbank in Midleton is certain to attract good first time buyer interest.

Listed with Kyle Kennedy of Hegarty Properties, it’s situated on a corner site in a cul de sac and is within a 15-minute walk from the town centre and a 10-minute one from the train station. 

There are 93 sq metres of accommodation in the 2004 built house. Downstairs it has a guest WC, a sitting room, and a kitchen/diner with modern units while the upstairs has three bedrooms and a bathroom.

VERDICT:

In terms of condition, size and price, it’s the type of property that many young couples want.

Kinsale, Co Cork
€275,000
Size	50 sq m (538 sq ft)
Bedrooms	1
Bathrooms	1
BER	G

The top-floor apartment at Creagh House, Summercove, in Kinsale is the type of quirky property that could do very well indeed on Airbnb.

Situated on the second floor of a semi-detached Georgian house, it’s a bright, one-bed apartment with a high vaulted ceiling and large windows that look out across nearby rooftops to the harbour and the town.

Well presented and attractively decorated in neutral colours, it’s listed with Trevor O’Sullivan of Lisney Sotheby’s, who is quoting a guide of €275,000.

“The location in the heart of Summercove is perfect for holidays,” he says. “The Bullman pub and Summercove pier are on the doorstep and it’s just a short drive from Kinsale, which has a host of amenities, including world-famous restaurants, bars, a yacht club, and shops.”

Offering just 50 sq m of living space, the apartment has an open-plan kitchen/living area with high ceilings and harbour views as well as one bedroom and a bathroom. An open tread staircase in the sitting room leads up to a mezzanine area in the attic, which is used as a bedroom and has a Velux window, which, being higher up, has better views.

Used for rentals, the apartment has storage heating and a G BER rating, which will need to be to be looked at. It comes with one parking space.

Mr O’Sullivan has been getting interest from buyers looking for a summer home as well as ones who see the potential of renting it on Airbnb.

VERDICT: A holiday pad that won’t break the bank.

Common's Road
€295,000
Size	105 sq m (1,131 sq ft)
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	1
BER	D1

Offers of €295,000 are being sought for this extended and modernised three-bed semi at 22 Parklands Close, Onslow Gardens on Commons Rd.

“It’s been upgraded to a high standard and is well presented and well maintained with modern flooring, a high-gloss, modern kitchen and a sandstone patio garden at the rear,” says Garry O’Donnell of ERA Downey McCarthy. Accommodation in the 1979-built house includes a living room, a dining room, a kitchen, three bedrooms and a bathroom.

It's located 2km from Blackpool Shopping Centre, a 10 minute drive from the city centre.

VERDICT: An ideal starter.

Courtmacsherry, Co Cork
€295,000
Size	130 sq m (1,399 sq ft)
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	2
BER	D2

Built in Georgian times for holidays by the sea, used by the RIC as a barracks, and attacked by the IRA during the war of Independence, Old Court in Courtmacsherry is quite an interesting property.

“The IRA attacked it with crowbars and pickaxes in 1920 — but it was later replastered and turned into a home by two local teachers,” reveals Con O’Neill of Sherry FitzGerald O’Neill explaining that the attack accounts for the its Georgian doorway not being the same as those of neighbouring houses.

Technically the three-bed property is half a house — since the original semi-detached building which housed the barracks was divided in two over 30 years ago.

A small second at the front of the building belongs to the second house which is entered at the side.

Quoting a guide of €295,000, Mr O’Neill says Old Court has been upgraded over the years and has most recently been a rental property. “Features include high ceilings and a distinctive staircase and fire surround and it has oil heating, PVC double-glazed windows, and a modern kitchen.” 

There’s 130 sq m of living space, including a living room, a WC, a kitchen diner, a guest WC, three bedrooms, and a bathroom. An extension was added in the past for a dining area and an upstairs bathroom.

“The location on the harbour front makes it an ideal holiday home but it could also appeal to retirees, relocators from Dublin, first-time buyers, and commuters from Cork city,” says Mr O’Neill.

The BER rating is a D2 and the property is likely to require modernisation.

VERDICT: Has period features, harbour views, and quite a remarkable history.