Starter Homes: Four Cork properties on the market from €185k

First-time buyers can choose from homes across Carrigtwohill, Mount Oval, Ballincollig and Midleton, writes Trish Dromey

Tue, 07 May, 2024 - 09:53

Trish Dromey

Carrigtwohill, Co Cork
€310,000
Size	87 sq m (936 sq ft)
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	3
BER	B2

In an estate where many of the houses have kept their original creamy yellow exteriors, the owners of 43 An Fana, Cul Ard in Carrigtwohill have made their home distinctive and different by painting the façade a deep shade of blue.

The transformation of the interior of the three-bed semi which the couple bought in 2018, has been equally dramatic. Redecorating in shades of blue, grey, and teal, they fitted new contemporary grey units in the kitchen, replaced the flooring and renovated the bathrooms.

With attic and cavity wall insulation and the installation of grey triple-glazed windows and a new gas boiler, the owners brought the BER of the 2005-built house up to a B2. As an additional environmentally friendly feature, they fitted an electric car charger.

Listing it with a guide of €310,000, Susanne Wilkinson McCarthy & McGrath Auctioneers says it’s a tastefully upgraded property which is attracting steady interest from first-time buyers in Cork City and Midleton.

Accommodation includes a living room with herringbone flooring, blue alcove units, and a stove as well as a tiled kitchen/diner with grey units and French doors opening into the garden.

Noting that the property is close to schools, shops and the train station, Ms Wilkinson says the Cul Ard estate is very popular.

VERDICT: Possibly the only deep blue house in the estate, it shouldn’t be hard for viewers to find.

Mount Oval, Cork
€235,000
Size	54 sq m (581 sq ft)
Bedrooms	1
Bathrooms	1
BER	B3

While this one-bed apartment at 52 Maple Court in Mount Oval Village in Rochestown may be small, it has the advantage of having its own door entrance and a patio garden for sitting out at the rear.

So says Majella Galvin of DNG Galvin who believes that the 54 sq m former rental property would be perfect for a young couple.

“It’s a low-maintenance property situated in heart of Mount Oval Village, close to amenities and within easy reach of Douglas village and the South Link Road network,” she says.

Accommodation includes a living/dining area with a small kitchenette at one end as well as a bathroom and a bedroom.

VERDICT: A small but affordable apartment in a popular location.

Ballincollig, Cork
€325,000
Size	92 sq m (986 sq ft)
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	2
BER	B2

This three-bed first-floor apartment at 28 The Crescent on Old Fort Road is currently the only three-bed apartment being offered for sale in Ballincollig.

Also, given that it’s a larger-than-average apartment located in a modern complex close to the town centre, the expectation is that it will sell well.

“Three-bed apartments are very rare in this development and also in Ballincollig,” says Linda O’Donovan of Sherry FitzGerald Cork quoting a guide of €325,000.

Part of a 90-unit apartment complex built in 2007, it’s a well-maintained ex-rental property with 92 sq m of living space, a B2 BER, and an allocated parking space. “It has two balconies including one off the living room with views of the hills of Inniscarra as well as a smaller one off a bedroom,” Ms O’Donovan says.

The open-plan kitchen/dining/living has timber flooring and a kitchenette with cream units and integrated appliances in one corner. There’s also a bathroom and three bedrooms including one with an en suite as well as a balcony.

“The apartment is already attracting a lot of first-time buyer interest,” Ms O’Donovan says, adding that some viewers were considering the option of turning one of the bedrooms into a home office.

Just last month she sold No 14 The Crescent for €298,600, a two-bed apartment which she says also attracted a lot of first-time buyer interest.

VERDICT: Three-bed properties in this price range are always in high demand in Ballincollig.

Midleton, Co Cork
€185,000
Size	60 sq m ( 645 sq ft)
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	1
BER	G

Affordable but in need of major renovations, No 13 Rosary Place in Midleton is a three-bed, mid-terrace house with a guide of €185,000.

Located within a short walk from the town centre, it would — according to Kyle Kennedy of Hegarty Properties — make an ideal renovation project as it has a large back garden and ample room for an extension.