Located on the rugged west coast, Mayo is home to some of Ireland’s most popular destinations, including Westport, Achill Island and Belmullet, as well as bustling towns such as Castlebar, Ballina and Ballinrobe. A surfer’s paradise with beaches aplenty, it’s no wonder that buyers are drawn to settle in the maritime county.
Asked for his perspective on the residential property market in the county Patrick Durcan of Sherry FitzGerald Durcan, based in Castlebar, says: “Purchasers are active in the market but the supply just isn’t out there.”
Buyers seemed to regain confidence in January following a slowdown towards the end of last year due to interest rate hikes, he says, and that has continued in February.
The market is mainly first-time buyers, Durcan says, with a handful of people relocating from the east coast, especially those returning to the county from Dublin due to the increase in working-from-home arrangements.
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The prospect of a great quality of life draws buyers to Mayo and “you get a lot more property for your money here as well”, he says.
Four-bed
6 College View Place, Westport Road, Castlebar
This detached four-bedroom property, built within the last four years, is in turnkey condition and benefits from an excellent A Ber rating, helping to keep energy costs low. The open-plan layout of the ground floor coupled with large windows to the front and rear flood the living space with light. The kitchen has contemporary navy/grey units and a centre island. There is also a handy utility room and WC downstairs.
Upstairs sit three double bedrooms – the principal is en suite – as well as a single bedroom and a family bathroom. This home occupies a corner site in the College View development and has a coveted south-facing back garden. It is in an excellent location, five minutes from Castlebar’s bustling town centre and a 15-minute drive from the popular destination of Westport. Number 6 College View Place, extending to 142 sq m (1,528 sq ft), is on the market through Sherry FitzGerald Durcan, seeking €395,000.
Three-bed
Military Close, Ballinrobe
In a newly-finished residential development of 14 homes, located just five minutes from Ballinrobe, there are three of the four three-bed sem-idetached properties still on the market, seeking €225,000 through Property Partners Emma Gill. With a B Ber rating, these properties extend to 107 sq m (1,152 sq ft).
Although these properties have never been occupied before, building on them began in 2005 and the properties were later bought in an unfinished state and finished by a new developer. The properties, therefore, will not be eligible for the Government’s Help-to-Buy scheme, according to the agent.
The homes have a standard layout with a livingroom, a kitchen/diningroom, a utility room and a WC on the ground floor and two double bedrooms – the main is en suite – as well as a single bedroom and a family bathroom upstairs. Kitchen and bathroom fitout are included in the asking price. Military Close is a stone’s throw from Bowers Walk, a popular riverside walking route.
Downsizer
42 Glencarra, Knock
This two-bedroom dormer bungalow is likely to appeal to someone looking for a manageable home close to the amenities of Knock. A livingroom, with a solid-fuel stove, at the front of the house leads into a galley kitchen, with a small diningroom beyond that. There is an en suite bedroom also on the ground floor and a large double bedroom and family bathroom upstairs.
There is great outdoor space, all of which is paved with hassle-free blocks. There is also a raised patio at the end of the garden, perfect for al fresco dining. The property comes with planning permission for another bedroom and an extension to the diningroom at the rear of the property, valid until 2026. Number 42 Glencarra, with a C Ber rating, is on the market through John Higgins Auctioneers, seeking €165,000.
Buy-to-let
14 The Kiln, James Street, Westport
This two-bedroom duplex apartment has a C Ber rating and is right in the heart of Westport. The property would benefit from a cosmetic refresh but its prime location is likely to appeal to an investor.
The apartment would make a great holiday letting, where visitors could spend weeks or months at a time sampling all Westport has to offer, including its well-known pubs, restaurants and cafes. It also has a golf course, fishing and sailing facilities, Croagh Patrick and is close to several beaches. Number 14 The Kiln, extending to 57 sq m (614 sq ft), is on the market through Sherry FitzGerald Crowley, seeking €259,000.
Holiday home
Knockshambo, Belmullet, Mayo
This pristine detached four-bedroom bungalow, extending to 120 sq m (1,292 sq ft), looks out over breathtaking views of the water and rolling green hills. The property is a 10-minute walk from Blind Harbour, known for its pollack and sea trout fishing. It is a 10-minute drive from the amenities of Belmullet town, including pubs, restaurants and a golf club.
The airy turnkey property consists of two livingrooms, a kitchen/diner, four double bedrooms and a bathroom. With a D Ber rating, it is on the market through Fox & Gallagher property consultants, seeking €220,000.
Fixer-upper
54 Corcoran Terrace, Ballina, Mayo
This three-bedroom end-of-terrace property in need of modernisation could be given a new lease of life by an imaginative buyer. The “groovy” wallpaper suggests it may last have been decorated in the 1960s but the property itself seems to be in decent nick and benefits from gardens to the front and rear. A new owner will likely take action to improve the G Ber.
The home, extending to 91 sq m (980sq ft), is in a good location; it is just a five-minute walk from the amenities of Ballina town centre. This property is now on the market through Property Partners Garrett Loftus, seeking €130,000.
