BOUGHT for the long haul, but back on the market after a short three or four year sojourn due to a jobs move, is No 33 St Anne’s Drive, a neat-as-a-pin semi-detached home in Cork’s elevated Montenotte.
Dating to the early 1930s, No 33 had one family in occupation for over 75 years, up to 2007 when its then long-time owners sold it and when it had carried a €380,000, featuring at the time in these pages.
Its buyers of back then upgraded it (the price paid in '07 was pre-Register days,) turned it from a three bed into a two bed as it only had one bathroom (at ground level), and it next came up for sale in 2021.
Then, it fine fettle, it had been priced at €338,900 on its launch, but sold for a lot more: it made €406,000, according to the every handy Price Register, so almost 25% over its AMV at the time.
Now, its current owners who had to bid so strongly to buy unexpectedly have their tech-based jobs taking them back to the east coast of the US:
“It was going to be a home for life,” says 2024 selling agent Mark Gosling of Behan Irwin Gosling, adding that after two sets of improving owners No 33’s in absolutely great shape and extremely well finished.
And, in shades of last time around, and just a week or so on the market, it is already gone over its asking price, at least marginally for now.
Mr Gosling had priced it initially at €435,000 this month, and by mid-week an early offer took it to €440,000.
“I’m getting interest from first-time buyers, families with maybe one child, and also from traders-down,” he observes, noting it’s ticking today’s ‘essential’ buyer’s box – it’s in walk-in condition.
His vendors, a couple, have done largely ‘unseen work,’ but ones which will pay both comfort and financial dividends, putting in a new gas central heating, with zone controls, new radiator, increasing attic insulation and putting in a new kitchen and appliances (it previously had a ceramic Belfast style sink with dark granite tops, according to images still on websites from 2021.)
It has an improved BER, a C3, he adds saying “it offers a perfect blend of historic character and modern convenience having recently been upgraded to the highest of specifications while also retaining many original features.”
Among retained features is the original tiled hall, a part-glazed painted hardwood door, while the first floor bathroom (to the front of the house) now has a free-standing cast iron roll top bath plus corner shower.
The two bedrooms have laminate floors; the stairs is carpeted and the two ground floor reception rooms have solid walnut floors, with an ornate cast iron fireplace in the front room.
Externally, No 33 St Anne’s Drive has off-street parking for a couple of cars on a cobble lock drive which replace and enclose front lawn, with side access to a south-aspected back garden, a good size, with a high stone wall at the far boundary separating it from the more modern Merrion Court on the Montenotte/southern side.
The drive has access option down to the Montenotte/Middle Glanmire Road just east of the every-upgrading Montenotte Hotel where new chic woodland suites and treehouses are due a later summer media launch, whilst on the city side is Gardiners Hill and links to St Luke’s and Dillons Crosses.
VERDICT: A second chance to buy: the Price Register shows the semi-detached No 32 St Anne’s Drive (albeit a different style with bay window) selling earlier this year for a reported €410,000 and No 26 sold in 2023 for €355,000, a few months after 1A made €450,000.