Looking for. . . a two-bed house

As with all types of property in Dublin at present, a shortage of affordable walk-in condition first homes on the market means such properties are selling fast. A better selection of apartments is available at this price point, but there are still some houses worth considering.

58 Parnell Road, Harold’s Cross, Dublin 12 Agent: Felicity Fox; Price: €240,000; 68sq m (731sq ft) (Above)

This mid-terraced redbrick last appeared on the property price register in 2010 at a price of €200,000, although it is noted that this price did not represent “the full market price”.

While it is the oldest by far of the three properties here, it has been upgraded with double-glazed windows and a high-efficiency gas boiler (it has C3 BER rating). Despite its age, the house is decorated in a clean and simple manner throughout, with no original features.

Upon entering the house, the livingroom spans the left half of the property and the kitchen the right. Upstairs is a large master bedroom, a good-sized double bedroom, and one bathroom with walk-in shower.

The double-fronted façade is redbrick and to the rear of the property is a triangular-shaped garden laid out in concrete and grass. One downside, however, is the lack of off-street parking.

In 2006, 98 Parnell Road – a practically identical corner mid-terrace house one block over from No 58 – was seeking €495,000 for 73sqm (785sqft); at €240,000, the asking price of this property represents a drop of more than 50 per cent from the height of the property market.

1 Tenterfields, South City, Dublin 8 Agent: Felicity Fox; Price: €275,000; 69 sq m (743 sq ft) (Above)

This two-bedroom end-of-terrace house is located in Tenterfields, a gated development of 23 individual townhouses and 39 apartments. Originally built around 1997, standard two-bedroom townhouses were launched at about £92,950 (€118,000) and were asking as much as €425,000 by 2007 at the height of the property boom.

In September 2013 the same agent sold 21 Tenterfields, a similar townhouse in slightly better condition, for €270,000, while another townhouse sold for €200,000 in 2011.

No 1 is the first house on the left upon entering the development and the dormer-style property has instant appeal. The living accommodation comprises of an open-plan living-/diningroom at ground floor level with a separate kitchen, and two bedrooms and a bathroom on the first floor, with access to additional attic space – practical for storage in small properties.

Both bedrooms are on the smaller side and suffer from reduced ceiling height in parts due to the dormer style. The property does not appear to have been altered much from its original décor, which is clean and inoffensive, however potential buyers could certainly make improvements. The house has gas-fired central heating, which is a major plus – and somewhat of a rarity for a 1990s city centre development.

To the rear of the property is a good-sized low-maintenance private garden laid out in gravel and decking. There are landscaped communal gardens within the development and the property is sold with one designated parking space. Being in a private development, the house will be subject to a management charge, which is currently €600 per annum.

Harcourt Lodge, Inchicore, Dublin 8 Agent: DNG Central; Price: €260,000; 66sq m (710sq ft)

Harcourt Lodge is a small development located off Goldenbridge Avenue, in Inchicore. Built in 1994, end of terrace houses such as this were originally launched at a price of £56,000 (€71,000) and by 2000 this house re-emerged asking £145,000 (€184,000).

The property comes to the market this time in walk-in condition and is tastefully decorated throughout. Downstairs is a kitchen/diningroom to the front of the house, off the hallway, and a good-sized livingroom to the rear. Upstairs are two double bedrooms and a bathroom.

The house is finished to a relatively high standard, with solid timber floors and tiles as opposed to laminate and linoleum floors. It has gas-fired central heating and double-glazed PVC windows.

The small but stylish rear garden is accessed through the livingroom and also via the property’s private and practical side entrance.

As with the Tenterfields property above, this house would be subject to a small yearly management charge, but the agent has not disclosed the amount.

The development has a communal parking structure, meaning no parking space is designated to this particular house, which can be frustrating for car-owners as limited spaces can be quickly filled by houses with multiple cars.

On the plus side, the house is located minutes from Goldenbridge Luas station and multiple regular bus routes, making the city centre easily accessible.