Irish Post Property - August 23,2013

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INSIDE....

Pages 2-3 The appeal of the provinces We take a look at affordable residences in each of the four provinces of Ireland ➤➤➤

Page 3 Homes for the well-heeled Residences for those to whom money is no object ➤➤➤

Page 4 It’s never been a better time to buy a home in Ireland As London prices soar, Ireland’s property market is throwing up some bargains ➤➤➤

PLUS....

Top tips for property purchases Co. Clare estate agent Steve Symes points out the pluses and pitfalls to buying in the Irish countryside ➤➤➤

2 | August 31, 2013

PROPERTY

The Irish Post

PROPERTY SALES t : KATIE BROWN 020 89004137 e: katiebrown@irishpost.co.uk

Co. Clare-based estate agent Steve Symes gives his top tips for anyone thinking about moving home to the Irish countryside...

1. Ask yourself where do you want to be located in Ireland? A good knowledge of the difference between counties is essential before looking for any particular property. Try to focus on a preferred region. It may be wise to take a tour of the country before deciding on a specific area.

2. Establish how much land you really need and negotiate at the time of purchase as buying more land later will result in more fees and less negotiating power. Unless you intend to keep horses or other large animals, or do some kind of commercial growing, then one acre is usually plenty.

3. Don’t try to look at too many properties. This can be very confusing and trying to fit in around 20 into less than a week is usually stressful. Travel between properties and actual viewings often take longer than planned.

The appeal of the

Whether you’re looking for an investment or a permanent home, y

Ulster

4. Make notes about the different properties viewed but get permission to take extra photographs. Make for and against notes about each one.

TYNDALL HOUSE AND LODGE Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan

5. If you are serious about farming, view the property in winter.

Four-bedroom home with additional lodge €270,000

6. If you are looking for a renovation job, it may be better to buy cheaper derelict. Taking apart a habitable house can be the most expensive option.

7. Bring good boots or wellies and suitable clothes for exploring land.

8. If you are planning a new build, check your status with the relevant county council office to establish the areas where you may be considered for planning permission as an incomer. Rules vary throughout any county.

Steve Symes is the owner of Green Valley Properties in Co. Clare, a company specialising in rural properties. See www.gvp.ie for more.

CLOONSLANOR, STROKESTOWN, CO. ROSCOMMON, IRELAND Circa 19.1874 acres with access to Cloonfree lake and F.P.P. for 2 no. houses.

Potential for jetty subject to P.P. Beautiful, private, unrivalled location on the fringes of Strokestown, located off the N5, makes it ideal for fishing and boating.

PRICED TO SELL

CONTACT Michael: 00 353 868172034 (anytime) or 00 44 7519588143 (after 6pm)

Five bedroom house with basement

Between Castlebar and Westport, set in three acres on elevated site with panoramic views of Croagh Patrick, Partry Mountains and Ben Nephin. Storage shed and polytunnel. Attic is insulated and windows have secondary glazing. Access is from the N5, down a quiet laneway. Oil fired heating. Livingroom has solid fuel burner.

Two bathrooms, upstairs ensuite, downstairs with shower.

Price: €260,000 Approx. Price: in GBP: £220,980 (With exchange rate 0.8610925)

TYNDALL House will be a breath of fresh air for those who want a home with history. But that doesn’t mean it can’t meet modern needs.

Dating back to the late 19th century, the house is approached from a quiet road that runs through automated gates leading to a large parking forecourt.

But although its attractive green facade retains the look of a classic country house, its interior was recently refurbished. The process saw the property fitted with fire and burglar alarms, an oil-fired heating

Leinster ARRACHMORE Blessington, Co. Wicklow Detached five-bedroom home €280,000 THIS large dormer-style house will attract anyone looking for a bright and airy home that is ready to be moved into.

Arrachmore’s current owners have created a house that will need no work done to it. The property’s tiled kitchen, which measures seven by six metres, is already fully fitted out. Meanwhile, the sitting room is nicely finished and designed around an attractive brick fireplace.

system with gas to certain appliance and CCTV at the drives.

The comprehensive refurbishment also prioritised the retention Tyndall House’s characteristic qualities, such as its Canadian pitch pine floors and recessed sash windows with shutters.

In terms of accommodation, the home offers three reception rooms and principal bedrooms that face mainly south and are wellproportioned.

Continuing the historymeets-functionality theme Tyndall House is set on a two-acre site of mature gardens and woodland. The grounds are populated by a host of mature shrubs, herbaceous borders and specimen trees interspersed with flowers that provide a profusion of seasonal colour.

Yet there is also a paved garden terrace that is ideally situated for a barbecue as well.

Munst

CARNAHONE Beaufort, Killa

Detached four €230,000

€270 ,000

But the home’s real selling point is its space. Split over two floors, its four bathrooms and five bedrooms, which include two en-suites, are capable of accommodating a large family.

The property takes full advantage of its setting thanks to large picture windows that offer panoramic views of Wicklow’s Blessington Lakes and the surrounding countryside. All of that can also be viewed from a large patio area and lawned gardens.

Arrachmore is expected to attract significant attention from those looking for a family home in a picturesque location.

At just 25 miles from Dublin, it will also interest those who have to commute to the city for work or want to be within

On top of the main home, the next owner of Tyndall House will possess its quaint two-bedroom detached guest lodge, which has its own entrance, private garden and living facilities.

And none of this comes at the price of isolation. Tyndall House is welllocated, being just a short drive from Monaghan town and Carrickmacross, while motorways leading to Dublin and the North are accessed easily.

CARNAHONE bungalow loca most popular While the p tranquil count of Carrauntoo Killarney tow Kerry can be r minute drive.

For this rea Fitzgerald’s M attract signific Irish abroad lo home

Conna

POLLEENEY Furbo, Co. Ga

Three-bedroo €220,000

€280 ,000

a convenient distance of Ireland’s largest airport.

As far as day-to-day living is concerned, Arrachmore is just seven miles from Blessington and 13 miles from Naas.

email: aboyd1@eircom.net Tel: 00 353 87 9330591

FOR SALE – CLOONFAD, CO. ROSCOMMON

€87,500/ £75,300.

This country cottage, situated on 3 acres, has been lovingly restored and offered for sale in excellent condition.

Accommodation offers 3 bedrooms, family bathroom and separate toilet, kitchen/dining room, utility and sitting room. 2 large sheds- 30x20ft & 23x12ft.

2 additional sheds for animals, ponies etc.

For more photos visit: www.daft.ie/searchsale.daft?id=704915 For more information contact Oates Auctioneers. PH 00353 906627878, fax 00353 906627877 or email info@oates.ie

House for sale –

Castlebar, Co. Mayo Semi-detached house consisting of 3 bedrooms, master ensuite, kitchen/ dining, living room, bathroom, oil fired heating, open fire & garden shed.

Situated in a quiet residential neighbourhood overlooking green area. Shops, hospital and schools within 10 min walk. Scenic lakeside walks nearby. 30 min drive to Knock Airport. BER c2. £89,000 For more information: 00353 872915944 or marymcdonnell@hotmail.com

Carrigans, Co. Donegal

Station House, a unique and fascinating period property located on the banks of the River Foyle in the village of Carrigans.

This property has retained many original features and with further improvement would prove an ideal first time buy or family home. The property consists of 4 bedrooms, living room, study, newly fitted kitchen, newly fitted bathroom. Mainly new laminated floors throughout. Oil central heating as well as an open fire with back boiler. Mature gardens with views of the River Foyle. Enclosed rear patio area

Offers in the region of €65,000 – Please contact Peter on 07890 676617.

FOR SALE – CUILNAKILLEW, LAHARDANE

THIS LOVELY THREE BEDROOM 1,759 SQ FT HOUSE WHICH HAS PROVISION FOR TWO MORE BEDROOMS UPSTAIRS.

The Kitchen/Dining room area are very spacious and modern.

Two of the bedrooms have walk in wardrobes and main bathroom has Jacuzzi bath.

The house is in excellent order and is ready to move into.

The house sits on one acre of land with large manicured gardens, and large 20 x 30 garage and large yard at rear.

15 mins from Castlebar / Ballina, 5 mins from School / Shops / Pubs 2 mins from Lough Con Price range £132,000 for quick sale To arrange a viewing call Gerry at THE OPTIUM GROUP on 00353 96-92413 or 00353 86-845-9414

THIS propert buyers with a Polleeney h finished by it carpenter, in leaving its ne add their own Throughou white walls a wooden featu room’s mantl room’s ceiling meanwhile, is of appliances

The Irish Post

August 31, 2013 | 3

PROPERTY SALES t : KATIE BROWN 020 89004137 e: katiebrown@irishpost.co.uk

e provinces

you’ll find affordable properties all across Ireland

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arney, Co. Kerry

r-bedroom home

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“I have actually had two ex-pats from England look at it in the last week,” he adds.

The house itself is well furnished and capable of covering the needs of most families. One its most attractive features is its sizeable kitchen/dining room with pine units and built-in cooking appliances. Another big draw is Carnahone’s comfortably sized living room, which includes a functioning fireplace.

The bottom floor has two of the home’s four bedrooms, as well as a shower room, while the other two bedrooms, which are en suite and have walk-in wardrobes, take up the entire upper level.

And the property’s assets continue outside with the garage, which has been converted into a self-contained

€230 ,000 apartment.

Split over two floors separated by a spiral staircase, it has a kitchenette, toilet, living room and en suite bedroom, as well as conventional garage space.

But if you’ve got half a million to spare...

Radharc na Cuin Knockanish The Spa Co. Kerry Five-bedroom detached house €480,000 IF you’re looking for a detached house with sea and mountain views, then Radharc na Cuin, Knockanish, The Spa in Co. Kerry could fit the bill very nicely.

The Spa is one of Tralee’s most sought-after areas, within easy striking distance of many amenities such as beaches, golf courses and of course Co. Kerry’s unsurpassable scenery. For those with young families, the area is well served by good schools.

Radharc na Cuin, on the edge of The Spa, stands on its own .0.65 acres, with a driveway round the house. There is a detached garage, an d the garden has raised flower beds.

The property occupies two floors, with five bedrooms upstairs - all with excellent views across the Kerry countryside. The master bedroom has its own WC and shower, a timber floor, and a shelved walk-in wardrobe. All the other bedrooms are

similarly furnished to very high standards.

Downstairs includes a reception room, living room, fitted kitchen, utility room and play room.

There’s also a lounge with a magnificent open fireplace with cut-stone surround, solid timber floor, and recessed lights. The family room has a solid-fuelled pot belly Stanley stove with feature brick hearth/surround, solid timber floor and fitted corner cabinets. The dining room has a tiled floor, and French doors off to the rear patio. The sunroom, which has a tiled floor and vaulted ceiling with recessed lights, affords magnificent views to the south of Tralee Bay and the Slieve Mish Mountains. There are a total of four WCs / bathrooms throughout the spacious house.

..or if you can stretch to the million mark...

Father Mathew Tower Glounthaune, Co. Cork Five-bedroom home with a Gothic tower €1,150,000

range, hob, oven and Belfast sink.

The lower level of Polleeney also includes a tiled bathroom with cast iron bath and electric shower, as well as two unfinished rooms, designed to be a bedroom and another living room.

Upstairs, the property has two large bedrooms, one measuring at 20 feet by 15, with walk-in wardrobes. There is also an unfinished bathroom.

Polleeney sits on a 1.4 acre site that is a rough, typical Connemara landscape, which is within a 10-

€220 ,000

minute walk of the town of Furbo and a 10-minute drive of Galway City.

“It is like living in the city, but with all of the charm of Connemara,” says Paddy Flynn from Galway Real Estate.

Explaining that the price should make it an attractive prospect, he adds that the site alone would have cost “in excess of €250,000” in the days of the Celtic Tiger.

PROPERTY

FATHER Mathew Tower takes mixing the ancient and the modern to the extreme. From a distance it is an imposing monument - intimidating even but up close it is so much more.

At the base of its picturesque neo-Gothic towers lies a remarkable modern home fit for any family.

In keeping with the appearances-can-be-deceiving theme, the property’s interior is resplendent and vital, much unlike the dust-ridden and dead old buildings that one might find scattered across rural Ireland.

Each and every room at Father Mathew Tower is polished to perfection and the majority are painted in warm pastel tones.

Beyond the grand foyer, the ground floor offers a spacious kitchen and dining room as well as a family room with spectacular views of the

property’s pristine gardens.

There are also three bedrooms on the ground floor, including the expansive master bedroom, which opens onto its own viewing terrace. On the first floor, another living area opens onto another bedroom, a study and two balconies.

Meanwhile, up the tower’s stunning spiral staircase lie a living room on one level, a fifth bedroom on the next and an observation point at the top, all of which have spectacular views not only over the property’s twoacre grounds, but also over a wealth of local beauty.

The foundations of Father Mathew Tower were laid in 1843 in the presence of the great and the good of Cork society to commemorate the eponymous priest’s work in the slums of Ireland, Britain and the US as the ‘Apostle of Temperance’.

Upon its completion in 1846, it was lavished with praise.

Referring to the tower, one writer saying: “Neither money nor art was spared in making it a noble specimen of turret architecture”.

But it was not until 1980s, however, after the tower had suffered the effects of time and the elements, that it was transformed into the unique family home that it now is. The thorough restoration and redevelopment is evident outside too, with noted landscape designer Brian Cross having been drafted in to layout the terraces and lawns.

All in all, Father Mathew Tower is a monument with a difference. For buyers keeping an eye out for something different, it could be everything they are looking for.

KILMURRY, LISALWAY, CASTLEREA, CO. ROSCOMMON

## REDUCED PRICE ## £199,000 ONO 12-ROOMED COUNTRYSIDE ECO HOUSE ON 3 LEVELS • 420sq/m (4519sq/ft) • 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms (3 ensuite, 1 wetroom) • Sauna, Conservatory, Balcony • On 3⁄4 acre fenced and landscaped land • Working from home office space with separate entrance • 9 solar panels, underfloor heating, wood burning stove, oil heating • 40 mins from Knock Airport, 2 hours from Dublin Port For a video guided tour visit www.houseforsaleireland.eu.

Contact 00 353 86 1721476 or wpjordan@eircom.net

4 | August 31, 2013

PROPERTY

The Irish Post

PROPERTY SALES t : KATIE BROWN 020 89004137 e: katiebrown@irishpost.co.uk

It’s never been a better time to buy a property in Ireland As property prices in Britain head towards a new spike, Ireland offers great value with many desirable residences costing less than a London flat. Niall O’Sullivan reports

B

UYING a home in London is becoming “ever more a fantasy for more and more people”.

That’s the verdict given by one London MP as fresh fears of a property bubble in the city were sparked this week.

With mortgage lending up 30 per cent on last year and prices currently rising at eight per cent, the cost of a London flat has soared to a record average of £345,000 – or €400,000.

At such a time, it might be tempting for the thousands of Irish people who have emigrated to the city since 2008 to consider what they can get for their money back home.

“There are places in Ireland where the average house price is now less than €100,000, such as Longford and Leitrim,” says Ronan Lyons, an economist at Ireland’s largest property website Daft.ie.

“If you had said that to someone in 2005 or 2007, that the average house price in parts of the country would be below €100,000 in 2013 or 2014, I think they would have looked at you as if you were mad.”

Agreeing that such low prices help to make Ireland look like an attractive place to buy, he adds: “Once you go outside of Dublin, there are so many units for sale in towns around the country.

“The further west you go, roughly speaking, the easier it becomes if you are willing to buy. You have more choice and fewer competitors on any given property.”

But Mr Lyons stresses that part of the problem for the market is that the mass

“

...even in Dublin, stunning examples of the kind of property on offer for the cost of a London flat can be found. €3 (£3 75,00 21,0 0 00)

STUNNING: 135 North Circular Road

Cregane House, Military road, Buttevant

DETACHED PROPERTY 5 BEDROOM 3 BATHROOM 2 RECEPTION This is a recently built 2 storey detached property with attic conversion for B&B or commercial or any family home. It is situated in the heart of Buttevant with ample parking at front of house. The property has been built to a high and exacting standard including wood burning stove and would meet any criteria. €330,000/ £282,000 P: 00353 87 6832070 or 00353 2223817 E: nemostis@yahoo.com

LOVELY FAMILY/HOLIDAY HOME FOR SALE IN FARTOWN IN GORGEOUS CO. GALWAY — €40,000

Residence in good condition Contains 2 bedrooms, living room, sitting room (can be third bedroom), kitchen and bathroom Located midway between the villages of Creggs And Glenmaddy Would make an ideal holiday home or residence for moving to Ireland Property has front and back lawns Contact: Michael J Roarke & Son, Auctioneer and Valuer, Creggs, Co. Galway.

Phone 00 353 90 6621125 Mobile 00 353 87 2242329 E-mail: michaelroarke@eircom.net

emigration of young prospective housebuyers has drained demand.

“The key effect that you probably see in London is that all the young people from those areas outside the main cities do not see a future, they do not see jobs being created, so a lot of them are even skipping Dublin,” he explains.

It is not news that a good property in a bad location is worth less than a bad property in a good location. But the impact of location is startling if you take a look at what you could buy in Ireland for the money you have to spend in London.

Take Fort Lach in Clare for example.

The 10-bedroom detached home sits on a picturesque one-acre site in Newmarket-on-Fergus. It is correctly described as a mansion and could easily be run as a large B&B or as the site of a small business.

But at €325,000 (£278,000), it is on the market for the price of a small London flat.

And Fort Lach is not tucked away in the middle of nowhere. Limerick, Ireland’s third largest city and the home of 91,000 people, is a mere 10 miles away.

The same story plays out again for Hodson Bay in Athlone.

The beautifully finished six-bedroom home wants for little and is in a location that its estate agents assess to be “highly desirable”.

But the asking price is €399,000 (£341,000), still less than your average apartment in England’s capital.

Warning that the situation in London is fast becoming unsustainable this week, Mark Field, Conservative MP for the Cities of London and Westminster,

€3 (£3 99,00 41,0 0 00)

HIGHLY DESIRABLE: Hodson Bay, Athlone. said: “The London market has never really been in the doldrums.

“The danger here is that affordability of property prices becomes ever more a fantasy for more and more people.”

And Mr Field’s fears find cross-party consensus in the form of Labour’s shadow housing minister, Jack Dromey.

Without an effort to build more homes in London, he said, “rapidly rising property prices will put the dream of home ownership beyond the grasp of millions of Londoners”.

As far as the market in Ireland is concerned, Mr Lyons says that prices could start to rise when the most recent wave of emigrants starts to move home.

“I would not be surprised if it (the return of emigrants) becomes more of a factor over the coming years,” he adds.

“I think that is a bit of a return to the past in a way, because that is what happened to the Irish housing market in the late 90s.

“A lot of people who had moved away to the US or the UK came back with money and they were a boost to demand.”

But in the short term, he warns, Ireland risks becoming “a two-tier market”. While prices in Dublin jumped by eight per cent in the 12 months since last July, the value of property elsewhere fell by 0.1 per cent.

Yet even in Dublin, stunning examples of the kind of property on offer for the cost of a London flat can be found.

Behind the handsome facade of 135 North Circular Road are three floors and eight bedrooms. It is a house that retains many of its period features and is just a stone’s throw from the city centre.

And it is on the market for only €375,000 (£321,000).

All in all, Irish property makes for a sorry sight if you’re looking to get on the ladder in Britain.

FOR SALE

€99,000 Co Kerry Detached 3 bedroom cottage on 3 acres, with outbuildings/ office. Situated close to Brosna village and 14 miles from Kerry Airport. Consists of 3 bedrooms, sitting room, living room, kitchen, bathroom & own well. Outbuilding suitable for kennels, horses, cattle or poultry.

For more information phone 00353 876520827 or email neilie182@eircom.net

FOR SALE BALLINCOLLIG, CORK

2-bed Duplex Apartment, 917 sq. ft. with parking space in one of Cork’s fastest growing towns.

Price: €150,000.

Current Rental Income: €750 p.m.

Contact: 00 353 21 487 8086 or at S.Maguire8@gmail.com

Three Bed Two Storey Semi Detached house at Tulsk Co. Roscommon Bargain Price £59,000 Sterling 29-acre farm in Charlestown Co. Mayo £99,000 Sterling 3 Bed Terrace Town House at Fintona Co. Tyrone Price £39,000 Sterling

Phone 00 353 86 2585770 or Email: thcon@eircom.net

MODERN TOWNHOUSE TO LET BALLINROBE, CO. MAYO

J 4 bedrooms J Furnished J Shops, school, pubs nearby Only £420 or €480 pcm

For more information phone 07949918437 or 0208 8591708 Email: johncwalsh@hotmail.co.uk