Smart Blackrock apartment with a terrace of its own

CO DUBLIN/EUR625,000:THE OWNER of a smart two-bedroom apartment in a development at the top of Newtownpark Avenue in Blackrock, Co Dublin, had warned me that he was out of town, so it hadn't been cleaned that week.

Smart two-bed apartment in quiet development

Agent: Lisney

But number 9 Newpark Lodge turned out to be in such showhouse condition - beautifully furnished and decorated, neat as a new pin and squeaky clean - that it's hard to know how more cleaning could improve it.

The ground floor unit is at the rear of Newpark Lodge, a development built two years ago at the top of Newtownpark Avenue near the junction (popularly known as White's Cross) with the Stillorgan Road. It is for sale by private treaty through Lisney for €625,000.

It's a small development of 17 apartments built in the grounds of Newpark House next door, a big house that was refurbished and sold at the same time.

Apartment nine is a good size, at 85sq m (923sq ft): its main attraction is a large livingroom with a box bay window with a door opening onto a large decked - and handsomely furnished - terrace.This looks over a well-landscaped common area dotted with mature trees.

The entrance hall, livingroom and main bedroom all have walnut floors. There's downlighting, a wood-burning stove fitted into the wall, and room for a dining table and chairs in the box bay window.

The neat streamlined kitchen has a tiled floor, granite worktop and Neff appliances. The main bathroom is done in neutral colours and has a high pressure Grohe shower.

The large main bedroom, which looks onto the back garden, has a fitted floor-to-ceiling wardrobe and a large en suite with a bath and heated towel rail and a fitted mosaic-framed mirror.

The second smaller bedroom also has a fitted wardrobe and is currently decorated for a child.

The high-spec apartments in Newtown Lodge were designed by Paul Duignan Architects and fitted with "smart home" technology. When they were launched two years ago, prices ranged from €650,000 to over €1 million.

The annual service charge is €2,200 and there is underground car-parking.

The development is near a QBC and not too far from the Luas at Sandyford.