Number 770 Howth Road is hidden behind a well-planted wall at the busy intersection of James Larkin Road and the Howth Road. It is one of many bungalows along this stretch hiding their incredible location under a low-key bushel.
It is not known when exactly the house was built but during the tenure of the current owner, a retired builder, the property has been extended to a spacious 247sq m (2669sq ft), with rooms leading off into further rooms in a warren of accommodation.
The original part of the house has good ceiling heights of about 10ft and commanding views of Dublin Bay and the Bull Island nature reserve but the property is so discreetly set off the main road that it almost misses the point. You could make so much more of the vista, subject to planning permission.
Patio
The house has a fine formal sittingroom that leads through to a formal diningroom. This opens into the large kitchen where there is a multifuel burning stove and roof lights to brighten the room.
Doors open out to the garden where there is a patio and barbecue area. The rear faces northwest.
Three of the four bedrooms are doubles with en suite shower rooms. The fourth bedroom is a twin room. A Dutch-style staircase leads upstairs to an office room set under the eaves.
Insulation
The house has a C2 BER rating, which is impressive for a home of this vintage and hints at the insulation the owner invested in during his time here.
Set on 0.23 of an acre the property is asking €825,000 through agent DNG.
An architect might be able to imagine constructing two two-storey houses on the site. If they were designed in a villa style with the bedrooms on the ground floor and the living space on the first floor, new owners could better enjoy the surrounding seascapes and blustery winds.
According to the property price register, number 644 Howth Road, a four-bed detached house, sold in October 2012 for €660,000, while 800, a two-storey, three-bedroom house with good sea views sold for €560,000 in March 2013. Number 820, a five-bedroom semi-detached house, also with sea views, sold in July 2013 for €575,000.
