Blackrock Road townhouse for €395K? Sorry, but it’s gone over that in bids already

IT LOOKS like there’s a steady price progression in the case of recent sales at the suburban Cork Blackrock Road townhouse development called Carrigdubh, driven by location, and a dearth of clean, trade-down home options.

First up, Carrigdubh is a Triple A location, at the village end of the Blackrock Road, the pier and Marina: the setting is only getting better by the year, by the decades or even longer periods: it’s built in the former grounds of a pristine, period, Georgian-era, Italianate home called Carrigduve designed almost two centuries ago by Thomas and Kearns Deane, top architects of their day as wealth flowed into Cork’s burgeoning suburbs.

Dating back c 45 years, Carrigdubh is by Carrigduve house, Dundanion Court and Dundanion House, near Menloe Gardens, while upmarket apartments are being built by Kerry firm KPH at and alongside Drumcora House: we’re talking ‘poshville.’

No 1 Carrigdubh, or 1 Carrig Dubh, sold 11 years ago, for €165,000. Then, in 2015, No 5 Carrigdubh sold for €281,000. In 2022 No 7 sold for €403,000 (having featured here that year on launch with a guide price, way lower, of €345,000).

No 6 sold just last year, in 2023 for a recorded €400,000: but, it’s surprisingly back up for resale already, albeit in even better condition.

Now, no 6 is already under offer at a higher €425,000 as it’s back up for grabs this early 2024, and there’s a deal of immediate momentum behind its launch. The fact it’s been given a swift makeover in that short time with decent upgrades, seen and unseen may well mean some extreme bidding ensues too.

No 6 Carrigdubh (or, Carrig Dubh) is a fresh listing with agent Eileen Neville of Lisney Sotheby’s International Realty who had a low guide on launch this March at €395,000, especially given the money spent on top of the €400k which her vendor paid for it just last year.

The overly-cautious AMV, it seems, can be thrown out the window – just don’t make it one of the back windows, here, as they are new, replacement triple glazed ones.

Despite the rise in interest rates in the past two years and the fact rates haven’t yet started to come back down any substantial amount, it hasn’t seemed to temper property bidding in key locations at least….especially for properties presented in walk-in condition, as No 6 is (and if walking in to view, do take off your shoes, the luxe carpet is brand new too.)

“At least she’ll get her money back,” Ms Neville predicts for her woman vendor who, she suggests, has changed her plans  and has decided to sell it on and back into what appears to be a very keen and receptive market.

Work done in the past year includes replacing the rear windows (facing east) with triple glazed ones; rewiring; replumbing, with new bathroom units and tiling both upstairs and down; new kitchen with appliances; the attic has been floored and reinsulated, and then it has all been finished off with redecoration and flooring, including plush new pale carpets for additional hush.

The previous BER was a C3, but now it could be expected to even get into the Bs, especially if the open fireplace was closed up, fitted with gas or a stove: in any case, it’s going to be warmer than before, with both gas central heating and that ‘real’ fire for the aesthetic lick of an open flame.

By a common green area and with enclosed rear courtyard, it comes with a quality marble fireplace, and very much an open plan layout, with only an entrance vestibule with the guest WC off it (under stairs) and the kitchen then is via an arch, on the back left corner.

Other than that, it’s got a lovely spacious open living/dining area, double aspect west to the front and east behind, luxuriously carpeted as are the stairs, landing and bedrooms.

That carpet “is lovely, it’s so soft, but it’s breaking my heart trying to keep it, with the viewings,” admits Lisney SIR’s Ms Neville, revealing c 40 viewings already, from both ends of the buying or age spectrum, starters out/FTBs and traders-down to get it to the current €425k level.

The soft carpet contrasts to only a slightly harder sell as she describes her townhouse offer as “an inviting haven for first-time buyers or those seeking to downsize, offering a blend of modern comfort and timeless charm,” and bills Carrigdubh’s cul de sac setting as “serene,” and just off the “tranquil” Blackrock Road.

There, it does in fact impress from the get-go thanks to the almost stately entrance the niche scheme of just nine townhouses shares with the original limestone pillars to Carrigduve…nice.

VERDICT: No 6’s owner had a good eye for location, a good eye for an upgrade, and has a good chance of an unexpected, but tidy pay-off as a result.