Four starter homes in Midleton, Douglas, Rochestown, and Wilton from €230k

Two-bed duplex in East Cork impresses Trish Dromey with its vibrant and eclectic decor

Clockwise from upper left: 14 Granary Court, Midleton, Co. Cork; 22 Lios na Greine, Douglas, Cork; 3 Ronayn’s Court, Rochestown, Cork; 125 Eagle Valley, Wilton, Cork

Midleton, Co Cork
€230,000
Size	88sq m (947sq ft)
Bedrooms	2
Bathrooms	2
BER	B3

Time spent in Africa had a strong influence on the owner of 14 Granary Court when it came to
decorating her two-bedroom duplex apartment.

Transforming it into a vibrant and highly
individual property, she hung African artwork on the walls, accessorised with colourful cushions and throws, and fitted plantation shutters on all the windows.

Sections of tropical-themed wallpaper were used to bring monkeys and exotic flora and fauna into the kitchen/dining /living room — a long room which has a timber-floored living area with a contemporary electric fire at one end and gloss kitchen units at the other.

The staircase to the upper floor has been given a full decorative treatment by the owner, who put up sketched flower wallpaper on one wall and hung a metal antelope head and a vibrant Celtic tapestry on the others.

The upper level of the property has a bathroom and two carpeted bedrooms — one with a feature wall
papered with tropical palms and one with a vivid red floral wall.

The property is one of 23 apartments in Granary Court, a former grain store which was converted into a gated development in 2006. Located just off Midleton’s main street, it has one designated parking space.

VERDICT: An attractive and slightly exotic option for an East Cork buyer in search of an affordable home.

Douglas, Cork
€325,000
Size	106sq m (1,149sq ft)
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	3
BER	B3

Duplexes typically have two or three bedrooms , so it’s quite unusual to find a four-bed one like 22 Lios na Greine on the South

Douglas Road.

A check on a popular property website shows that this 106 sq m 1990s-built property seems to be the only four-bed duplex currently advertised for sale in Cork city.

Seeking offers of €325,000, Michael Downey of ERA Downey McCarthy, says the ex-rental property has been repainted for sale and is spacious and well kept. “The Douglas location is a big draw,” he adds.

Accommodation includes a kitchen /diner with fitted units, which is connected by double doors to a sitting room with a fireplace. Sliding patio doors open onto a good-sized balcony looking over a wooded area at the rear. There’s also a guest WC, while the upstairs has a bathroom and four timber floored bedrooms, including one en suite and one single room. Fitted with electric heating, the property has a B3 BER rating.

A gated complex of 65 apartments, Lios na Greine has a large communal parking area. Located within a
25-minute walk or a 15-minute bus ride from the city centre, it’s around 2km from Douglas village.

Recent sales of four-bed duplexes in Lios na Gréine — one of only a small number of developments in the city with four-bed duplexes — include No 20, which exceeded its €325,000 guide price to sell for €343,000 in December.

Two other four-bed duplexes in Lios na Greine — No 32, with a guide of €325,000, and No 16, with a guide of €335,000, were listed as ‘sale agreed’ this year.

VERDICT: Likely to be popular due to size and
location.

Rochestown, Cork
€275,000
Size	70 sq m (753 sq ft)
Bedrooms	2
Bathrooms	2
BER	B

This first-floor apartment at 3 Ronayn’s Ct could look especially attractive to a first-time buyer.

A well-maintained ex-rental, it’s in a sought-after location. Dan Linehan, of Sherry FitzGerald, says an additional selling point is its estuary views.

Accommodation includes a sitting room, which has two large windows overlooking the estuary. There’s also a kitchen/diner with balcony, a bathroom, and two bedrooms, one en suite. Located in a gated complex of 36 apartments with communal parking, it’s within a five-minute drive of Douglas.

VERDICT: Likely to sell quickly.

Wilton, Cork
€295,000
Size	91 sq m (980 sq ft)
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	2
BER	C3

More affordable than usual for a three-bed mid-terrace house in Wilton, No 125 Eagle Valley is new to the market with a guide of €295,000.

Repainted and refloored for sale, it’s a well-kept ex-rental which would benefit from updating.

Niamh Smith, of Absolute Property, says interest in the 1999-built house has been huge. “We booked 40 viewings and got an immediate bid of the guide price,” she says, pointing out its popular location.

The most recent sale of a three-bed mid-terrace in Eagle Valley was No 213, selling for €383,000 in June.

VERDICT: In demand.