Four first-time buys

Four first-time buys from Dublin to Birr

Capital: €275,000

ADDRESS: 26 Charleville Avenue, North Strand, Dublin 3. BEDROOMS: one. SIZE: 68sq m (732sq ft). PARKING: on-street. LINKS: bus. STAMP DUTY: none. AGENT: Gunne Residential WEB: www.gunne.ie.

DESCRIPTION: refurbished extended house with attic conversion. It has an entrance hall, livingroom, new kitchen, bedroom, newly fitted bathroom and south-facing rear yard. Double glazed teak windows to the front and partly rewired. Beech flooring in livingroom.

Commute: €275,000 ADDRESS: Rosslee, Myshall, Co Carlow. BEDROOMS: four. SIZE: 148sq m (1,593sq ft). PARKING: yes. LINKS: none. STAMP DUTY: none. AGENT: Sherry FitzGerald McDermott. WEB: www.sherryfitz.ie.

DESCRIPTION: on circa three acres, this extended traditional farmhouse is situated in a scenic rural townsland and is in need of some upgrading. It has a livingroom, kitchen, back kitchen, utility, oil-fired central heating and teak windows.

Countrywide: €180,000 ADDRESS: Lough Bran Cottages, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim. BEDROOMS: three. SIZE: 75sq m (802sq ft). PARKING: yes. LINKS: none. STAMP DUTY: none. AGENT: Sherry FitzGerald Gallaher. WEB: www.sherryfitz.ie.

DESCRIPTION: close to Lough Bran, this three-bed cottage has double glazed windows, is fully furnished, has gas central heating, a south-facing rear garden and is on 0.4 acres. The sittingroom has Liscannor flagstone tiles. Built-in wardrobes in bedrooms.

Country: €60,000 ADDRESS: Fortal, Birr, Co Offaly. BEDROOMS: one. SIZE: 40.5sq m (450sq ft). PARKING: yes. LINKS: none. STAMP DUTY: none. AGENT: Property Partners Ryan. WEB: www.propertypartners.ie.

DESCRIPTION: old labourer's cottage 2.5 miles from Birr with frontage on the Clareen Road. On one-third of an acre, it has a livingroom cum kitchen and shower room and one bedroom. Cottage could do with updating. Site may appeal to someone looking to build their own house, subject to planning permission.