D8: where modest homes make big prices

Two refurbished homes at the popular city end of the South Circular Road should appeal to the young professional set

Curzon Street: €1m

The modest redbrick terraced houses that line the roads at the city end of the South Circular Road now routinely make over €1 million. It's a big price because, in the case of the villa-style houses at least, these are not large family houses; they have to be extended to create the sort of living space most families now demand, and this typically leaves most of them with little in the way of a garden.

Add in on-street car-parking on the narrowish roads and it's clear that they fit a certain type of potential buyer - usually individuals or young couples who want to be close to the city centre and appreciate the charm of a period home.

Last month number 34 Curzon Street sold at auction for €1.05 million. Now number 5 Curzon Street, which is just across the road, is for auction on April 12th through Hamilton Osborne King with an advised minimum value (AMV) of €1 million.

The owners have lived here since the mid 1980s but waited until around five years ago to renovate.

They did a major job that included adding a contemporary, mostly glazed kitchen at the back and the house now has three bedrooms.

The livingroom is at hall level with the expected high ceilings, fitted bookshelves in the alcoves and is painted a chilly blue. Upstairs there are two bedrooms, a small double and a larger bedroom with fitted wardrobes and a smart looking en suite shower room.

The renovation included taking out the original Victorian staircase and replacing it with a modern steel balustraded version which may not be to everyone's taste.

Down at garden level is the third bedroom with a large picture window looking out on to the patio garden, a family bathroom (which has no natural light) finished with mosaic tiles, good looking storage units and attractive contemporary fittings.

On the way to the extended kitchen is the utility room and then there's the eat-in kitchen itself, a big selling point of the house, which is mostly glazed on one side and fitted with a granite topped Shaker-style kitchen. There's also a walk-in pantry.

The extension ate up most of the back garden and it's now a narrow, partially decked strip running along the glass wall of the kitchen extension.

This area has been nicely finished with plenty of lush plants and all-year greenery.

In all, the Victorian era house has 105sq m (1,130sq ft) of accommodation. - Bernice Harrison

Daniel Street: €425,000

Felicity Fox is seeking offers over €425,000 for a two-bedroom terraced house at 15 Daniel Street, just off Clanbrassil Street, Dublin 8.

The house is being sold by well-known fashion stylist Niamh O'Rourke and her husband, James Redmond.

Since buying the house three years ago in very poor condition, the young couple have brought it to its full potential (heating, plumbing and electrics are all new) and with a sense of style one might expect considering her profession.

Although tiny - the floor area is just under 50sq m (538sq ft) - much has been done to make the house seem larger. The ground floor was dropped a couple of feet to create a full height bedroom in the attic. An extension meant goodbye to the yard but created a single bedroom, currently used as an office. A small open space remains to plant flowers.

The all-in-one kitchen, dining and livingroom has a cast-iron fireplace, wide floorboards bought from a salvage company, cute painted kitchen units and clever understairs storage.

Number 18 is an ideal starter home in the city for another young couple, who will appreciate details such as the colourful glass-tiled bathroom, the recessed wall lights on the sisal-covered stairs, and the dusty colours throughout. There is disc parking outside. - Eoin Lyons