Homes in Watergrasshill, Glasheen, and The Lough from €350k

The two homes at The Lough can be bought individually or in a single lot

Clockwise from left: 11 Glen Dara, Ard Cashel, Watergrasshill, Co. Cork; 8 The Orchards, Glasheen Road, Glasheen, Co. Cork; 60 and 62 Hartlands Avenue, The Lough, Cork.

Watergrasshill, Co Cork
€395,000
Size	106 sq m (1141 sq ft)
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	1
BER	A3

As this was a new-build when the current owners bought in 2018 there weren’t any renovations needed which left time and money for adding attractive decorative upgrades instead.

They installed sage green panels in the hall and dining room of this three bed terraced Watergrasshill home. That versatile colour is also a key feature in the living room bringing a cohesive feel to 11 Glen Dara in the popular Ard Cashel development.

“This home has been beautifully finished and maintained, and there’s a superb road network around Watergrasshill is superb. It’s only a short motorway drive to Glanmire, Little Island and the Jack Lynch tunnel,” notes Paul Fenton of Sherry FitzGerald.

The back garden, accessed from the kitchen/dining area, is designed for low maintenance and features a patio and artificial lawn area though new owners may want to revert to a more natural outdoors area or even add a garden room as other houses in this area have done.

VERDICT: A sage move for buyers keen on an address handy for commuting or city access.

Glasheen, Cork city
€410,000
Size	107 sq m (1152 sq ft)
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	2
BER	C

The start-of-term shopping lists for some families living outside Cork can feature properties that will take the heat out of finding accommodation for children heading to college. So some of the prospective buyers of No 8 The Orchards on Glasheen Rd are parents keen to get a home for students in their family. First-time-buyers and investors are also interested in seeing this three-bed semi-detached home.

It’s on the market for €410k with Cohalan Downing, who sold it to the current owner back in 2021 for €260k according to the Property Price Register. Agent John Corbett says it’s an ex-rental which has been nicely renovated and decorated: “The roof was replaced just last year and it’s been fully rewired and there’s a new gas boiler. There’s a nice-sized south-facing garden too which is lovely.”

Location is key: This C-rated 1940s-built home is around 700 metres from the Bon Secours Hospital and UCC. The MTU campus is a very manageable 14-minute bike ride or 10-minute car ride away.

The house comes with vacant possession, which means that market rents apply.

VERDICT: A very desirable location.

The Lough, Cork
€475,000, 350,000k
Size	149 sq m & 68 sq m
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	1
BER	G

Two homes at The Lough end of Hartlands Ave will give buyers pause for thought. Next door to each other, they’ve been in the same family ownership for years and now come to market with a myriad of possibilities. They can be bought individually or as a single lot. The larger of the two, No 62, a detached 149sq m extended home called Avalon, has a guide of €475k. Its neighbour No 60, aka Hollymount (odd numbers are across the road), is a 68sq m semi-d, guiding at the cheaper price of €350k.

Both properties require extensive work but as they’ve been empty for more than two years, would-be buyers should make it their business to enquire about the vacant property grant.

Selling agent Johnny O’Flynn of Sherry FitzGerald says No 62 has a granny flat and garage and a slightly bigger rear garden than No 60. Put the two together, and the site is sizeable. The agent notes that the property could appeal to a family keen to have parents living close by, but regardless of buyer type, it calls for someone “not afraid of hard work”. Both properties are three-beds, with a lowly ‘G’ energy rating and the bonus of south-facing rear gardens.

Location is tops, by The Lough, and within a short walk of Cork city centre, UCC, and the Bon Secours.

VERDICT: Both properties need extensive work but the location is the payoff. Interesting option — could go to a handyman/woman or an investor/small developer.