Latest news with #Midleton-based
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Buyers from 'The Pale' flock to sunspot Ballycotton as village marks first €1m+ house sale
IS Dublin, and Leinster, doing to East Cork's Ballycotton what American buyers are doing to Kinsale, driving prices up a gear, or several? Recent and just agreed sales would indicate an unqualified 'yes.' 5 Atlantic Terrace is new to market with agent Adrianna Hegarty: it dates to the early 1800s They include sale terms agreed after a swift and unrelenting bidding war at €1.1m for the refurbished Troy House, our May 10 Property & Home p1 and internal feature of a home done to the n-th degree by an interior designer owner Troy House is sale agreed at €1.1m, the strongest price to date in East Cork's Ballycotton : it soared past its €695,000 AMV, being bought by a Leinster purchaser, with a US bidder at the same €1.1 sum failing to get to view before the vendor accepted the Irish offer from within The Pale. Interior of Troy House Also just sale agreed is the diminutive boathouse, a wreck in stones on a tiny footprint by a secondary pier used by local fishermen: the old boathouse went for sale in April, guiding €70,0000 and is been bought by a Dulin bidder for €205k, to local amazement, with the buyer reportedly 'loving a project,' says selling agent Adrianna Hegarty, who says he hasn't disclosed if he plans a residential bolthole right by the water, or some commercial use. Ballycotton's old boathouse sale agreed at €200,000 'The holiday home here has taken off, people have waited years for supply here,' says Ms Hegarty as her June 2025 launch of 5 Atlantic Terrace at €395,000 (it's an executor sale) already has bidding on the c 700 sq ft quaint two-bed at €425,000 late this week, and is still climbing. View from 5 Atlantic Terrace With sea and pier views, and dual aspect/access, the compact early 19th century home has a wood-burning stove, double glazing and central heating, but still scores a F BER. Living room at 5 Atlantic Terrace Ms Hegarty notes sales on the charming terrace are uncommon, and attributes the current demand for the seaside village to a number of factors: She includes the proximity of Ballymaloe House, its cookery school and the Castlemartyr Resort; the impact of local entrepreneur Pearse Flynn whose Sea Church music venue, and just repositioned Cush restaurant (ex Pier 26) as well as the Blackbird pub and café has massively broadened the profile and driven visitor numbers to new heights. Daughter Niamh Hegarty of the same Midleton-based agency agrees: she says that relative proximity to Cork city and the airport also aids access - while parts of West Cork can be two or more hours from the city; she adds that online social media such as TikTok and Instagram reels are boosting Ballycotton's profile, beaches and beauty even further, with a number of major UK and US influencers adding to the overall lifestyle picture. 'The surprise isn't that it's happening to Ballycotton, the surprise is it's taken so long,' Niamh Hegarty says simply.
Irish Examiner
09-05-2025
- Irish Examiner
East Cork: Beautiful region is a real property hot spot
East Cork is 'no longer the bridesmaid, and never the bride' when it comes to comparisons between the eastern and western sections of Ireland's biggest county, Cork. While West Cork traditionally has had a halo effect from its rugged landscape, coastline, art appeal and celebrity allure, East Cork is no slouch either, in terms of beautiful places to live, outdoor attractions, strong tourism draws and attractions as well as valuable, well-paid employment options. And, it's on the move, with improving accessibility as a spur, and a growing profile as an attractive and viable commuter option for the greater Cork area. With all the aspirational talk about a light rail service for Cork city — LUAS Cork — the reality is there's already a commuter rail service in Cork, up to Mallow along the Dublin line, with expansion plans for around Blarney and other stations. Even more vigorously, the East Cork service serving Cobh, and out to Midleton and points between with more such as at Water Rock for Midleton's booming new quarter, is getting constant upgrades. Expanded twin-track sections are on the way, and with increased regularity: it's up to every half an hour and train reliability leaves city buses in the shade. Much of Cork's future population growth is being directed eastwards, thanks to the sustainability of rail travel, with points past Glanmire such as Glounthaune, Carrigtwohill and Midleton on track literally and metaphorically to provide thousands of homes in the next five to ten years — some 2,500 new builds in Midleton alone, in locations like Lakeview and Water Rock. 'Upcoming rail line upgrades between Cork city, Carrigtwohill, and Midleton are transforming these towns into true commuter hubs: Cork Co Council's development plans continue to prioritise East Cork for sustainable residential growth,' says Midleton-based estate agent Adrianna Hegarty. Similarly, Cobh-based agent Johanna Murphy comments: 'Cobh is now becoming very much a commuter town and the main reason is that we have an excellent transport system – the train runs every half-hour — and we have a bus service Cobh Connect. It takes half an hour to get to Cobh and it's a scenic trip both up and down. 'The whole idea of living on an Island is another concept that people are finding extremely attractive — after all, let's face it, to live on an island, just half an hour from Cork city is something out of a fairytale,' Ms Murphy adds. Apart from the lure of lifestyle appeal around Cobh, Cork harbour's fringes and beaches galore both inside the harbour and right out to 'sleeping giant' Youghal (there's growing calls for the rail line to parallel the new greenway right back to Youghal one more, and rightly so) at the county's far tip, another key element is relative affordability of housing, both new and second hand, often at a fraction of city values, and those in West Cork which in many cases hit stratospheric levels — Kinsale, admittedly, is right off the charts! Work is under way at Ballynatray House, on the banks of the River Blackwater, British billionaire James Dyson's €30+m home on the Cork-Waterford border. Photo: Larry Cummins Off the charts in terms of East Cork is breaching the €1m barrier, only rarely done around main towns (one of the first was the modern and high-end Capri Lodge in Midleton making €1.1m last year via agent James Colbert): but, there's definitely going to be a knock-on effect from the €30m+ plus purchase of the Ballynatray Estate on the Cork-Waterford border by UK billionaire James Dyson just over a year ago. The Blackwater buy is Ireland's most expensive private house/estate purchase ever, bar the €58m paid for Dublin's Walford, and that was bough as a development play that went south. Dyson's further spend on Ballynatray is already having an effect on the local economy around Youghal, in terms of accommodation for work crews, materials, and service, and will have a continuing impact locally and in the town, with a consequent 'halo' effect likely too. Value for money has been quite real in East Cork: the average price for three-bed semis in the region is c.€ 300,000, and closer to or €335,000 in the main bustling towns. However, BER A-rated new housing stock is now priced in the €400,000/€450,000 level after recent years of near-double-digit price inflation and material costs increase. Price examples quoted by Suzanne Tyrrell of Cohalan Downing for the rapidly evolving Water Rock Midleton by Clancy Construction have three-bed 100 sq m semis at €405k, 127 sq m four-beds at €475k and larger (152 sq m ) ones at €520,000 in the 300-unit (200 houses) strong development Ard Griffin. First handovers will be Q3 2025 and buyers are 'a mix of locals and Corkonians in general as well as 'new Irish' all commenting on the positive location and easy access to transport networks, says Ms Tyrrell, adding 'the general Water Rock area will be a hive of activity with a new train station stop, schools, nursing homes etc planned.' The same Cohalan Downing agent is also selling the final phase of Harpers Creek, Glounthaune, The Crest, with 108 sq m three-bed semis at €445,000, 128 sqm ones at €485,000 and four-bed semis of 152sqm at €580k to € 590,000. In Cobh, new three-bed homes are coming to market from €80,000 to €450,000: 'That might be OK if you have two good salaries coming in but not everyone does, and I think the market in Cobh caters for everyone, with so many grants available to buyers now to help them renovate,' notes estate agent Johanna Murphy, adding that 'you can buy a terraced house in Cobh anything from €200,000 to €250,000.'
Irish Examiner
07-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
€12,000/acre expected for East Cork farm
Located 4km from Youghal, a 38-acre farm is new to the market with Midleton-based auctioneer David Keane. The property at Kilnatoora is being presented in lots and is described by David Keane as a prime roadside holding. 'At the moment, it's all in permanent pasture,' said Mr Keane, 'but it's a property that could lend itself well to any agricultural enterprise.' Lot 1 consists of 37 acres of land, complete with cattle handling facilities. The price guide is in the region of €440,000 to €450,000 (€12,000/acre). Lot 2 is a fully-enclosed shed of approximately 4,500ft2, with a yard, mains water and electricity, with a price expectation in the region of €100,000. Lot 3 consists of a residence on 0.5 acres of land, with gardens to the front and rear and a private entrance. The price guide for this is €320,000 to €330,000. All lots have good road frontage, the agent says. The two-storey dwelling of the third lot will be a strong attraction in its own right. It is in good condition throughout, enjoys spectacular country views and offers approximately 2,000ft2 of living space. Accommodation includes sitting room, living room, bathroom, kitchen and spare room on the ground floor, while on the first floor there are three bedrooms and a toilet. According to the selling agents, it has oil heating and is well insulated, including the outhouse attached to the kitchen. 'The entire holding is in a prime location,' added Mr Keane. 'It's only a short distance off the N25 from Youghal Bridge.'
