Starter Homes: Four Cork homes for less than €300,000

Properties in Bandon, Togher, Douglas and Boreenamanna Road

Douglas, Cork
€300,000
Size	66 sq m ( 710 sq ft)
Bedrooms	2
Bathrooms	1
BER	B3

Apartment hunters who view No 61 Fort Hill in Moneygourney in Douglas will be impressed with its attractively decorated interior and its prettily laid out garden – which is larger than you typically find in a two-bed apartment.

“The garden – with green painted walls and artificial grass is undoubtedly the standout feature,’’ says Der O’Riordan of Barry auctioneers adding that the ground floor property has been tastefully decorated by the owners who redecorated and put in a new kitchen since buying it four years ago.

Guiding at €300,000 the 66 sq metre property has a B3 BER, which has been improved by cavity wall insulation.

Inside the front bay window is an open plan kitchen/dining/living area with birch flooring, green feature walls and a small corner kitchenette with cream shaker style units.

At the rear, the apartment has a bathroom and two bedrooms, including one with a feature blue-green wall and a door to the back garden.

The enclosed back garden has been prettified with lights, plants and mirrors and has a corner shed and a gate to the car park. “There’s a parking area at the front and communal parking at the rear,’’ says Mr O'Riordan.

Given its condition and sought after Douglas location, he expects it to sell quickly.

Situated at ground level in a three storey apartment block, the property is three km from Douglas village.

VERDICT: An attractively decorated Douglas apartment with a garden- it might even start a bidding war.

Togher, Cork
€275,000
Size	93 sq m (1,001 sq ft)
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	2
BER	C1

Given the love and care that has been lavished on 9 Araglen Court in Togher, it’s hardly surprising that the first viewer put in a bid of the €275,000 guide price.

Described by Aine McLoughlin of AML properties as beautifully presented, the three- bed mid terrace house has been extended and extensively redecorated by owners who have owned it since it was built in the 1980s.

“An extension at the rear increased the size of the accommodation to 93 sq metres and an upgraded heating system and triple glazed front windows brought the BER up to a C1," she reveals.

Renovations carried out in recent years included the upgrading of the kitchen and bathroom, putting in some sliderobes and insulating of the roof on the extension at the rear.

Open plan ground floor living area includes a sitting room at the front and an L shaped kitchen diner at the rear. The dining section in the extension has a high vaulted ceiling with roof lights and a feature wall with blue panelling.

At the rear of the extension, there’s a guest WC while the upstairs has a bathroom and three bedrooms including a box room and one with a green, timber panelled feature wall.

The owners worked equally hard on their garden which has a raised decked patio, easy to keep artificial grass and an outbuilding/garden room. At the front the property has a smart red door and a garden area with a parking space.

Mid terrace in a row of six properties which have on street parking at the front, it’s within a 15 minute walk from Wilton Shopping Centre.

VERDICT: It’s very well renovated and move-in ready.

Boreenmanna Road, Cork
€295,000
Size	66 sq m (667 sq ft)
Bedrooms	2
Bathrooms	2
BER	D1

Location is expected to prove a strong selling point for this modern two-bed ground floor apartment at 115 The Willows on Boreenmanna Road.

Listed by ERA Downey McCarthy with a guide of €295,000, it’s a well maintained property which has 66 sq metre of accommodation and a small balcony which overlooks the communal front gardens of the gated development.

Accommodation includes a kitchen/dining /living room, a bathroom and two bedrooms( one en suite).

“It’s close to local schools, a medical centre, bus routes and parks, as well as being within close proximity to Cork city centre and the Docklands,” says auctioneer Sean McCarthy.

VERDICT: Modern, well-kept and convenient to the city centre, it could attract both first time buyers and downsizers.

Bandon, Co Cork
€295,000
Size	115 sq m (1,237 sq ft)
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	2
BER	C3

A four-bed house with a guide of €295,000 at 1 Mill Race Mews, Chapel Street could be seen as an affordable option for a first time buyer looking for a home in Bandon.

That’s according to Brendan Bowe of Bowe auctioneers who points out that new four-bed semis in the town typically cost over €400,000.

This is a 1990s build end of terrace house with 115 sq metres of living space which is located within a five minute walk from the town centre.

VERDICT: It’s modern, convenient to the town and has good space.