Solid value a stroll away from the sea

Sandymount: €2.3m:A redbrick has an edge because of its smart D4 address, says Bernice Harrison

Location is still the key decider when it comes to house prices. Consider 39 St John's Road, a three-bedroom mid-terrace redbrick similar to so many period houses dotted around the inner suburbs of Dublin. This one, with 135sq m (1,453sq ft) comes with a private treaty price tag of €2.3 million from agent Sherry FitzGerald. Similar houses in other parts of the city could come in at €1 million less.

It's the location that makes the price difference. It's solid Dublin 4 and St John's Road in Sandymount is an attractive residential road, lined with smart looking houses, linking swanky Park Avenue with the coast road. So as well as a stroll to the sea, it's a walk to Sandymount Village.

The current owners bought it in 1998 when the house had already been refurbished. It follows the expected layout of two interconnecting reception rooms, with sliding doors and matching marble fireplaces, and the kitchen is in the back return.

This was extended to the side by the addition of a conservatory, used as a bright breakfastroom. This conservatory also opens into the rear reception room.

Upstairs there is a large family bathroom in the return, replacing the small bedroom and bathroom that would originally have been there, and on up again are the three bedrooms, two good doubles and one very small single. The larger double has an attractive bay window. There's a good back garden with a garage at the back, so access and parking aren't a problem. The current owners didn't have to do any work except general decoration and new owners might consider extending out the back, taking down the conservatory and building at the side and rear of the house.

A peek over the back wall reveals that several houses in this short terrace have done just that and it doesn't take up too much of the back garden. The houses are well off the road and the front garden has been recently landscaped for low maintenance.