Looking for . . . a house in central Dublin for €275,000

House hunters in Dublin will be well aware that houses are in short supply in practically every area. The shortage is more pronounced for buyers with lower budgets: decent houses for under €275,000 in central Dublin are few and far between. These three houses are in convenient locations, all within walking distance of the Luas, and in a price range that should attract first time buyers.

102 Emmet Road, Inchicore, Dublin 8

€275,000, DNG Central, 92sq m (990sq ft)

102 Emmet Road is a redbrick period house on this busy thoroughfare in Inchicore. The end-of-terrace house appears to be in good condition throughout and retains original features such as coving, cast-iron fireplaces, floor tiles and timber floorboards.

The house is advertised as having four bedrooms, however the fourth is on the ground floor and was most likely originally intended to be a separate diningroom as it adjoins the livingroom. The kitchen is to the rear of the house and has French windows, which open out to the compact, south-facing garden. There is a downstairs WC off the kitchen. Upstairs there are three bedrooms – two double, one single – and a family bathroom with power shower.

With numerous shops, pubs and eateries in the immediate vicinity and Inchicore village just five minutes away, the area is handy. Goldenbridge Luas stop is also close by – about eight minutes’ walk. The Irish National War Memorial Park is located 10 minutes from the house and Phoenix Park is slightly further. On the downside, there is no off-street parking provided with the house, however on-street parking is available in front of the house.

Number 116, a very similar house at the opposite end of the row, sold for €120,000 in 2012 – something of a bargain considering its neighbour, Number 114, was for sale more than a decade before, in 2001, for €215,000 (IR£170k). 112 Emmet Road is for sale through DNG for €275,000.

126 Killala Road, Cabra, Dublin 7

€240,000, Joe McCabe Auctioneers, 131sq m (1,410sq ft)

Number 126 is considerably larger than the vast majority of its neighbours on Killala Road, having been extended to its current double-fronted form. The house is located two minutes from the local shops at Fassaugh Avenue and about five minutes from Broombridge train station. Broombridge is also set to be home to the new Luas stop being constructed as part of the Luas cross-city extension. Phoenix Park is a 15-minute stroll from the house.

To the front of the property there is off-street parking for two cars behind metal gates, and a lawn area. The interior of the house is in reasonably good condition. The downstairs layout is open-plan, with the staircase located in the livingroom and the kitchen interconnecting with the living and dining spaces. Upstairs there is a large master bedroom with walk-in-wardrobe and en-suite bathroom. There are three further bedrooms and a family bathroom.

While the house is sparsely decorated at present, various items of furniture and appliances are included in the sale. To the rear of the property there is a triangular-shaped garden with a north-east orientation, which can be accessed from the house or from the pedestrian side entrance. At present the garden is not exactly inspiring, with bare concrete block walls and little in the way of planting or landscaping and could perhaps be improved by enlarging the patio area to provide more usable space.

In September 2003, a 65sq m house on Killala Road with a long rear garden was seeking €249,000. No houses comparable to Number 126 have sold on the road in the past five years, however there are two other houses, both considerably smaller, for sale at the moment for €240k (78sq m) and €225k (72sq m)

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51 Jamestown Road, Inchicore, Dublin 8

€245,000, DNG Central, 110sq m (1184sq ft)

Jamestown Road is minutes from Blackhorse Luas stop and less than 10 minutes on foot from Inchicore village, with a good selection of shops and other amenities. Number 51 is an instantly appealing mid-terrace house.

To the front is a garden laid out in lawn, however the off-street parking is located to the rear of the house. Behind the back garden is a wide laneway from which the large rear garage can be accessed. There is also on-street parking available to the front of the house.

Due to the long kitchen protruding from the rear of the house and the large garage at the end, the rear garden is no more than a small patio.

Inside the house, there is a livingroom, diningroom, kitchen, breakfastroom and bathroom downstairs. The interiors are undeniably in need of modernisation, particularly the kitchen, which comprises only a few outdated units and buyers will certainly seek to add their own touch to the house by refurbishing these rooms to their own tastes. Upstairs there are two double bedrooms, one single and a family bathroom.

A marginally larger 120sq m neighbouring house, which was in better condition, was for sale asking €620,000 in October 2006.

The last similar house to have sold in recent years was Number 38, which sold at the bottom of the market in 2012 for €200,000.

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