A doer-upper home in Cork for €260k total spend

IT’S been a positive few months for the town of Macroom.

The bypass around the town opened six months ago, bringing an end to the clogging traffic at peak times, and heavy vehicles trundling through at all hours of the day.

The next stretch of the route, bypassing the Gaeltacht villages of Ballymakeery and Ballyvourney, is due to open in the coming months.

The Macroom Music Fest this month will also attract lots of visitors, a reminder of Rory Gallagher’s famous performance at Ireland first rock festival, ‘The Mountain Dew’, held in the town in 1977.

All of this means the mid-Cork market town and gateway to West Cork and Kerry is becoming a more desirable place to live. Homes there are moving from advertisement to sale agreed at a steady pace, say auctioneers, especially the new builds with the all-important high BER ratings.

However, if you are looking at a smaller outlay, and a place with oodles of potential, look at this large home in the centre of Macroom, with a beautiful back garden and off street parking. All it needs is some TLC.

Situated in an area called Gurteenroe, this 1960s four-bedroom and one bathroom property is on the market with Killian Lynch for €210,000 - and, crucially, it qualifies for the housing renovation grant as it has been lying empty for more than three years.

It’s on the mains water, has ESB, and is in an area with excellent broadband. The property is within walking distance of the town park with its sports pitches and river, while the golf course and weir are almost in your back garden.

Schools and shops are minutes away, and on the bypass, both Killarney and Cork city are not far from half an hour’s drive away.

At the front and to the left of the house is a garage currently used for storage and beside that is a shed for the boiler. The front door leads into a large and bright hallway. To the left is a kitchen, which leads into a utility room with access to the back garden.

There are two reception rooms, side by side at the rear. A porch is attached to one of the reception rooms which also leads to the back garden. There’s a small loo under the stairs.

Upstairs, there are three large bedrooms, all bright and with built-in storage, and the family bathroom. As with the entrance hall, the landing is huge with plenty of storage space.

The potential in this property is staggering. The ceilings are high, all the rooms are bright and airy. The established trees at the front offer privacy. There are fireplaces in both reception rooms, and the sinks in the bedrooms tell us that the plumbing is there for potential en suites. There is attic access from the landing and the roof is in good condition.

The re-build

The first thing I would do is knock the garage at the front and make a large drive to accommodate several cars. Electric gates would be a lovely addition and offer extra security.

I would rearrange the downstairs so the kitchen and front room are one bright and large main family area. I’d add a sunroom and patio to make the most of this sun-trap.

The stairs could be redesigned, leaving extra space for a downstairs family bathroom and even an office space or playroom.

The upstairs could easily be redesigned to offer en suites if the main bathroom was taken out. Full insulation would be a must to bring the BER up to a B at minimum.

Having consulted with the estate agent a figure of about €100,000 may cover the costs of these renovations, or less if there is no desire to move the stairs or create en suites.

With the grant of €50,000, this makes the cost of the property, bought and finished, somewhere in the region of €260,000.

Recent changes to the refurbishment grant mean you can do this work for either a home you plan on living in, or one you wish to rent out.

To qualify, you cannot be a registered company or developer and must register with the tenancy board if planning on renting it out.

This is all part of the scheme to support the sustainable reuse of vacant properties. A grant of €70,000 is available for properties that are deemed to be derelict.

You also have the option of applying for a sustainable energy grant (SEAI).

Everything you need to know is available on www.gov.ie

Your local vacant homes officer an also offer advise and assistance if you need it. The number for the Cork County Council officer is 021 4285088 or email seamus.defaoite@corkcoco.ie

This property has buckets of potential for anyone with an eye for design and the willingness to roll up their sleeves.

See https://www.daft.ie/for-sale/detached-house-gurteenroe-macroom-co-cork/5276997 - for more details or to arrange a viewing, contact Mairead at Killian Lynch on 026 41421.