Starter Homes: Four Cork homes for less than €335,000

Properties in Ballincollig, Midleton, Cloyne and Wilton

Midleton, Co Cork
€335,000
Size	93 sq m ( 1,001 sq ft)
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	3
BER	B2

Upgraded and updated to look like new, this three-bed mid terrace house at 3 Blueberry Fields in Broomfield is expected to create a bit of stir among first time buyers in Midleton.

New to the market with a guide of €335,000, the 2006 built property has undergone comprehensive refurbishment in the last four years.

“The front door has been replaced and the BER has been upgraded to a B2 with new double glazing, insulation and a gas boiler,’’ says Ed O’Donovan of Sherry FitzGerald O’Donovan adding that the owner, who is a builder, also replaced the kitchen and flooring and landscaped the back garden.

At the front is a living room with herringbone flooring and a modern media wall with a contemporary electric fire and, at the rear, a kitchen/diner with white gloss handleless units with integrated appliances and a wine fridge.

In all there’s 93 sq metres of living space which includes a WC downstairs and a bathroom and three bedrooms ( one en suite) upstairs.

The property has parking at front and a garden with a patio , lawn and a recently added floored outbuilding with sliding patio doors.

Located in the Broomfield development, the house is within a 20 minute walk from Midleton town centre and train station.

Recent sales in Blueberry Field include that of No 31, a mid terrace three-bed which sold for €373,000 in July. In 2021, No 3 sold for €223,000.

VERDICT: Attractive enough to exceed its guide.

Ballincollig, Co Cork
€285,000
Size	65 sq m (709 sq ft)
Bedrooms	2
Bathrooms	1
BER	B3

Options for buyers looking for properties costing less than €300,000 aren’t plentiful in Ballincollig , so first time buyers should welcome the availability of this two- bed apartment at 33 Highfield Avenue which is guiding at €285,000.

Viewings at the 2004 built first floor property, listed with ERA Downey McCarthy, started this week. “It’s been owner occupied since day one and is in excellent condition,’’ says auctioneer Garry O’Donnell noting that the 65 sq metre property has a B3 BER rating.

The property has an own door entrance at ground level and a hallway with a staircase leading to the first floor . Around half the space of the apartment is taken up by a kitchen/dining/living room which has a tiled kitchen with blue and white shaker style units and carpet in the living space. A door at the front opens onto a south facing balcony, decorated with flower pots, which overlooks a green area at the front.

The property also has a bathroom and two carpeted bedrooms.

Highfield Avenue, an estate with a mix of apartments and houses, is located within a 20 minute walk from The Square in Ballincollig town centre.

“It’s an affordable starter home and it qualifies for a Green mortgage,’’ says Mr O’Donnell adding that investors may also be interested because it doesn’t have a rent cap.

The Property Price Register shows only a small number of sales in Highfield Avenue in recent years. No 10, a three-bed end of terrace house, sold for €385,000 last year while No 34, another two- bed apartment sold for €262,000 back in 2021.

VERDICT: Affordable and well kept.

Wilton, Cork
€315,000
Size	89 sq m ( 960 sq ft)
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	3
BER	B3

 

The key selling point for this three-bed mid terrace house at 189 Eagle Valley on Sarsfield’s Road is its Wilton location.

 

On the market with Bowe auctioneers, it’s an early 2000s built property with a guide of €315,000. Auctioneer Linda O’Donovan says it’s a well maintained ex-rental house with a B3 BER rating which is set attract good interest from people working at CUH and in the Wilton area.

 

It has 89 sq m of living space which includes a living room, a kitchen/diner and a guest WC as well as a bathroom and three bedrooms, including one en suite.

 

Outside it has a front driveway and a gravelled back garden.

 

VERDICT: An affordable three-bed in a popular location

Cloyne, Co Cork
€250,000
Size	153 sq m ( 1,646 sq ft)
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	3
BER	D2

 

A renovation project for a buyer who fancies a move to the country, Terriville at Churchtown South in Cloyne is a three-bed bungalow with a guide of €250,000.

 

Located 13 km from Midleton, it’s on a half-acre site and has 153 sq metres of accommodation. Built in the 1900s, it was previously upgraded and has a spiral staircase, reveals Kyle Kennedy of Kennedy auctioneers noting that it qualifies for a vacant property refurbishment grant.

 

VERDICT: The fact that it’s just six km from the coast at Ballycotton could be a selling point.