Latest news with #DerO'Riordan
Irish Examiner
10-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Irish Examiner
Nice extras add pizazz at €850k swanky Botanika on Blackrock Road
A FEW tweaks and edits to a home that needed none made what was good even better. Such was the fate of No 26 Botanika, one of a 31-strong bevy of Blackrock Rd homes whetting buyers' appetites since first launched in 2017. No 26 sold as new in 2019 and an early request from the buyers was that an extra room be built on. Sunroom to the rear Behind the open-plan kitchen dining room, the extension juts out into the garden and has been a terrific addition, the owner says. It has windows on every wall, as well as a large skylight and sliding glass doors to the garden, creating a sunroom effect. 'While it does take from the garden, it's been a fantastic second relaxation space,' the owner says (the other is the official 'good room' to the front of the house). 'Besides, there's a super green area in the estate, where all the children congregrate, so we never regretted forsaking some garden for extra room,' she adds. The 'good room' A few interior design flourishes distinguish No 26 from neighbouring Botanika semi-Ds. Ex-army carpenter John Murphy, a friend of the family, helped the owner design a new staircase, which he built and fitted. Bespoke staircase is a nice design feature It's quite the statement piece, with drawers underneath for storage. He also built a walk-in wardrobe. It started out as a fourth bedroom, but was converted as the children grew. 'It's such a treat,' she says, adding that reinstating it as a bedroom would be no big deal. A utility room is on most people's wish lists, but this homeowner jettisoned it in favour of a bigger kitchen. She didn't make the decision without a back-up plan: Tall kitchen units conceal the appliances usually housed in the utility. There isn't a washing machine or tumble dryer in sight. Open plan kitchen dining There's additional storage (bikes?) in a covered-in passageway to the side of the house. Covered-in external passageway To the rear, the low-maintenance garden has been tastefully landscaped to include limestone paving, a raised bed with limestone capping, decorative Delforno tiles, well-chosen shrubbery, and some artificial grass. The entire is enclosed by warm wood panelling. Having lived at No 26 for five-and-a-half years, and having upped the size of their home from 144 sq m to 171 sq m, the owners are now heading for Dingle, 'which was always the plan', the owner says. They'll miss their neighbours and the house itself: They'll miss the convenience of the Blackrock neighbourhood, too, near the city centre, schools, retail, public transport services, and a wealth of green space. Der O'Riordan and Kevin Barry, of Barry Auctioneers, are selling the four-bed semi and they say the 'A'-rated home is 'the nicest semi we have ever seen'. 'It's going to attract a lot of attention, because of where it is and because of the fantastic condition it is in. We're getting queries from everyone — first-time buyers, downsizers, and traders up,' the agents add. The guide price for No 26 is €850,000. 26 Botanika To date, three Botanika resales have made the Price Register, all of them semi-ds. The highest price paid so far for a semi was last year, when No 13 sold for €810,000. The highest price paid for a home in the estate was in 2020, when detached No 17 sold for €885,000. VERDICT: Could set a new price record for Botanika semi-ds. Location is ace and house is turnkey.
Irish Examiner
27-04-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Relocators vying for extended, energy efficient, €625k Victoria Road home
CORKONIANS chomping at the bit to return to the real Capital are among those lining up to take a look at No 48 Marina Park, where viewings got underway last weekend. Its Victoria Road location, next to Kennedy Park, is a big draw, as well as the fact that it's been extended and expertly insulated. An external wrap, pv panels, triple-glazed windows, a new roof and a wood burning stove all contribute to the favourable B2 energy rating, which gives buyers the advantage of green mortgage rates. Rear garden with PV panels on the roof Floors were also replaced. The 1940s house had already been extended when the current owners bought it and they inherited a spacious open-plan kitchen/dining area. They beefed it up even more with the addition of a sunroom, ergo lots of rear glazing. Even though they already had scope for a home office downstairs, they installed another in the rear garden, all wifi-ed up and ready to go for the next owners. Ready made home office Selling this 133 sq m four-bedroom home is Der O'Riordan of Barry Auctioneers and he says 'there's been quite a few enquiries from Dublin and from people looking to move home from Limerick, a lot of young couples, with babies.' 'The house has been completely remodeled and has gone from a 'D' energy rating to a B2. There's huge interest and I have 28 people booked in this weekend,' the agent says. Front reception room He adds that the driveway has been widened and cobble-locked and can accommodate a camper van and two cars. 'It's a property that offers comfort and character in a highly desirable location,' Mr O'Riordan says. New marina promenade is close to Marina Park No 48, on the market with a guide of €625,000, is one of many Marina Park homes to undergo upgrades in recent years. The wider area is enjoying significant improvements to the public realm as part of the docklands regeneration project. VERDICT: Insulated, extended and well-located, a bidding war is highly likely.
