€585k Glasheen home has extension potential and city-adjacent convenience

A four-bed family option with a south-facing back garden

Ardfinnan, Glasheen, Cork

Glasheen, Cork city
€585,000
Size	177 sq m (1905 sq ft)
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	3
BER	C

Figuring out the back-to-front aspect of this Glasheen Road home is a bit like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube. What did it look like before pieces were moved around? In the case of Ardfinnan, the answer has less to do with the house itself than the way the neighbourhood developed. The most likely explanation is that it once faced onto a country lane when the area was wholly rural and given over to market gardens. It was only when Glasheen Road became an established route many decades later that Ardfinnan was left looking like it was facing the wrong way ‘round.

At any rate, the re-orientation worked in its favour because the once-front-now-rear garden faces south – an ideal scenario for house hunters. It’s a substantial size too for a home this close to the city centre, and mature boundary growth means it’s secluded. You can enjoy the garden from the sunroom, which the owners built on. French doors open to a sunken patio and there’s a separate deck at the bottom of the garden that leads to a modest garden room.

Some internal changes were also made in the 20-odd years that the current owners lived at Ardfinnan. While original Victorian hallway tiles indicate the whereabouts of the orginal front door, a second entrance was added to the side of the house. It leads to a double-height hallway with a landing above it. Selling agent Michael Downey of ERA Downey McCarthy says a bathroom was moved off the landing into a bedroom to accommodate the raised ceiling. It worked in the bathroom’s favour as it’s a fine size, with room for a claw-foot bath and separate shower.

Various improvements were made to Ardfinnan, including to the main triple-aspect, open-plan living space, which includes a feature round-arch window and eye-catching splashbacks. It’s a split-level space, with dining in the sunroom and double doors to the front living room. Easily opened up, it’s a fine family/ entertainment space.

Families will also like the bedroom count: four in total, one at ground level, two on the middle floor, one in a converted attic, with en suite and a walk-in-wardrobe. The main bedroom is a fine room, with two windows overlooking the back garden.

If Ardfinnan is the same vintage as some if its other ‘back-to-front’ neighbours, then it’s at least a century old — which makes its C3 energy rating pretty good. Coronella, a house one door down, which featured in these pages in 2021, dates to 1917. It sold in 2022 for €641k, but was a bigger house than Ardfinnan (177 sq m v 196 sq m).

The excellent location of these homes, cannot be overstated. UCC, the Bon Secours Hospital, the Lough nature reserve are all a short walk away. The city centre is about 25 minutes on foot. The very nature of the location will attract investors — including households with teens of uni-going age. But Mr Downey expects young families in the mix too “particularly because of the back garden”.

“People realise that this location is a winner — even the vendors of Ardfinnan are staying local,” the agent says.

The guide price for the Glasheen Road home — with off-street parking — is €585k.

VERDICT: A fine solid property with some nice original features in a failsafe location. Possible to extend further as well.