A score of reasons to buy Fiche, a €375k starter home in Passage West

It might look dated from the roadside but inside is crisp and contemporary

Fiche, 20 Bloomingdale, Passage West

Passage West, Cork
€375,000
Size	130 sq m (1400 sq ft)
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	3
BER	C3

THERE’S a crisp, contemporary edge to this Passage West home which you wouldn’t guess at from the roadside.

Upgraded kitchen with picture window

Built in the 1990s and occupied by owners who have been there since the outset, Fiche, aka No 20 Bloomingdale, moved with the times inside.

A series of upgrades in recent years created a stylish kitchen diner where those sitting at the dining table are looking out through a large, gable-end picture window into the garden. New, enlarged sliding doors lead from the kitchen diner to one of two well-positioned patios.

 Further upgrades to this room included the introduction of underfloor heating, and updated windows and doors are triple glazed.

Selling agent Karl O’Reilly of Savills says there’s “a great flow” to the house, particularly between kitchen diner and living room, where a pocket door slides back into the wall.

Living room 

While the house might have the appearance of a bungalow from the kerbside, in fact there are two bedrooms, a bathroom and a home office upstairs. There are two more bedrooms downstairs, including one ensuite. There’s a separate lounge and a ground floor bathroom too.

A detached garage, with guest WC, offers further options.

“It could be attached to the house or you could put in separate living accommodation, subject to planning permission,” Mr O’Reilly says.

He says No 20, at the end of a cul-de-sac, on a mature and private site “is ideal for families”. On about 0.2 acres, it has parking out front and a well-laid-out rear, with two patios to choose from, of which the main has external lighting.

Given the guide price of €375,000, Mr O’Reilly is expecting huge interest from families looking for a solid starter home.

“We’ll be mobbed,” he says.

Residents of Passage West have enjoyed improved links to the city in recent years with the event of the scenic Passage West to Blackrock Greenway, ideal for cyclists and pedestrians. There are good bus connections too to Douglas, Rochestown and Cork City, which is about 15 minutes away.

VERDICT: A terrific first time buyer family home but expect competition from downsizers.