House of the week: Glasheen, Cork, €360,000
First viewers came through the doors of this Hillside Grove three-bed home on Wednesday, with a dozen or so pencilled in at 15 minute intervals over several hours and Thursday was shaping up or at least the same level of activity, revealed auctioneer Jim Coughlan, noting “we don’t do open viewings, we prefer to do them individually.”
It looks like he’ll have had a lot of repetition on his hands given the interest shown already: that’s not too surprising, as there’s way more updated quality within this extended three-bed semi-d near to the Lough than initially might be suspected from the still-modest/traditional exterior.
The interior matches the popularity of the location, says the James G Coughlan sales description, both are quality and Hillside’s so close to Cork city centre, UCC, the Bons, CUH and other major centres of employment, while also being a popular family rearing spot, within a trot of the wildbird sanctuary the Lough (Hillside can be accessed via Tara Lawn to the west, or via Brookfield Park/St Joseph’s Park closer to the Lough and city direction.)
The current family in residence at Holt House have owned it since 1996, but only did it up in 2009, and gave it a major going-over, so much so that it went from also G BER to a very good B3, about as good as house of this mid-1990s vintage could ever hope to ever achieve.
“It’s much more comfortable, and they say their heating bills have plummeted,” says the selling agent, adding it has triple zoned gas central heating, solar panels and pvc double glazing.
The occupiers are trading up, hungry and able for another challenge, Mr Coughlan suggests and says what they are leaving behind has almost too many features to list, starting with solar panels on the roof and working down to a sun room extension in the back garden, super-bright thanks to glazing on two sides plus Velux roof lights on either side of the sloping cathedral ceilings, amid exposed painted rafters.
Essentially extended at ground level only, this means the first floor is more or less as originally configured, with two doubles and a single bedroom, plus re-done family bathroom with new bath and tiling, and decor throughout is fresh and modern.
The updated look is signalled from the hall in, with walnut floor, recarpeted stairs with storage undeneath, and left of the hall are the two original/traditional reception rooms, one up front, the other to the back.
They’re interlinked now thanks to double doors, and both rooms have corniced ceilings, walnut flooring and replacement fireplaces to boot, with an attractive, tall hardwood mantle around the open fire in the rear room, and a contrasting limestone fireplace is in the front reception room.
The added-on 27’ by 15’ kitchen’s bright and shiny, with gloss porcelain tiled floor, and as glossy are the Leicht kitchen units and long breakfast island, with integrated appliances and no fewer than 20 sockets.
Also as a back-up to creative chefs is a porcelain tiled utiliy room, and also fitted into the ground floor plan is a good ground level shower room, extensively tiled, with overhead Velux.
Then, what’s left of the attached garage is a further, c 10’ by 9’ space for storage, bikes etc, or, at a push, a Smart car.
In terms of smart buyer appeal, the catchment’s quite wide: it’s going to suit anyone who wants to be within a walk of the city centre (30 minute at max) and close to long-established amenities, in a mature setting.
The rear patio garden aspect’s spot-on, sort of south/west, and the balance of the outside space behind is landscaped and paved, so not much lawn for smallies to kick a ball around on or bounce on a trampoline, either front or back.
It’s early days yet, with back-to-back viewings just a few days now in train, so it’s still an open book as to who the buyers will be, traders down, starters out, couples, or those with good paying jobs in the CUH, UCC or the like.
Grab a holt of yourself: the interior’s a winner.
