Refurbished Victorian in Rathmines fits the bill

A three-bedroom end-of-terrace townhouse at 9 Rathmines Park, in Dublin 6, is expected to fetch over £350,000 at auction through Lowe & Associates on October 26th. Owned by a property professional, the Victorian two-storey house was in poor condition when he bought it eight years ago. Having refurbished the house from top to bottom, the owners are moving to a larger house in the area, hence the sale.

The house might appeal to a couple who, like the owners, have young children. The guide price puts it out of the reach of most first-time buyers, however, and it may well be bought by older buyers trading down, or by an investor seeking an easily managed base in Dublin.

Rathmines Park is a quiet cul-de-sac of about 30 houses. Number 9 faces a small communal green at the end of the cul-de-sac where there is no through traffic. A railed front garden allows off-street parking for two cars.

Although it looks small from the outside, the house has been cleverly extended to around 1,700 sq ft and there is good storage both in the bedrooms and in a spacious utility room. Tiny gardens on two levels have been transformed into decked patios that look very smart and make the narrow spaces more usable.

Inside, there are two reception rooms and a big bright kitchen with double doors opening on to the lower decked patio.

The entrance hall is impressive with its 14 ft high ceiling and ornate cornicing. To the left is the main reception room, which has a striking red and yellow colour scheme and a marble fireplace. The second reception room is at a lower level and is lit by skylights and patio doors opening on to the patio deck.

The main bedroom is a spacious double with a good sized en suite shower room. It has a full wall of built-in wardrobes, as do the two remaining bedrooms, both of which are doubles. One of these has a small en suite shower room and both have the use of a fully tiled family bathroom.

The kitchen is extremely smart with a terrific range of Shaker-style maple units trimmed with stainless steel and an azure blue tiled floor. There's plenty of room for a dining table and, in good weather, the deck outside becomes an outdoor diningroom. Steps lead up to a higher deck which, like the lower deck, is furnished with potted plants.

An outhouse leading off the lower deck is the washroom and storeroom of the house and is plumbed for a washing machine.