This three-bed property will likely appeal to a buyer looking to gain a foothold close to the sought-after area of Rathgar. Perhaps its location, coupled with a market in which Dublin house prices are just 7.3 per cent off their eye-watering February 2007 peak, goes some way to justify the €650,000 price tag.
Unlike the grand Victorian and Edwardian redbricks synonymous with Orwell Park, the homes at Orwell Gardens, 750m south, are more modest, with number 88 measuring 76sq m (818sq ft).
The interior of this end-of-terrace property is in good condition but could do with a cosmetic refresh. The potential is there for a buyer to further extend the kitchen, if their budget allows, to create a more functional open-plan kitchen-living-dining space, subject to planning permission.
Orwell Gardens is a quiet enclave of terraced homes a short drive from Rathgar, Terenure and Templeogue villages, with plenty of schools and amenities nearby. It is also adjacent to the Dodder linear park, a lovely spot for walks. It is about 30 minutes from the city centre via public transport, taking the 14 bus or the Luas green line from the Milltown stop, which is 15 minutes away on foot.
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This property is being sold as an executor sale and the last occupant lived here since 1943. Entering the hallway, a compact livingroom lies to the right. A mahogany mantelpiece is the centrepiece of the room and shelves could be added as a space-saving solution to either side of the chimney breast for a TV and books.
The floor is a laminate wood in a dark tone, which continues in the hallway and into the dining area of the kitchen-diner at the back of the property.
The dining area also has a mahogany fireplace, which makes a charming feature; you could fill it with candles or a vase of flowers if you didn’t want to light it, and there is plenty of room here for a good-sized dining table.
The kitchen, which was added as an extension in 1978, is rather small with cream coloured units. The back door leads out to the large north-facing back garden, measuring 7sq m (75sq ft); due to its size it enjoys sun throughout the day, the agent says. It doesn’t take an architect to spot the potential to further extend this kitchen and install French doors for light and access to the garden, with high trees beyond that.
There is also a WC at the end of the ground floor hall; it currently houses the washing machine but may be better served with the addition of a shower. There is understairs storage in the form of an airing cupboard.
The stairs and upstairs bedrooms are carpeted in beige. The principal bedroom is situated at the back of the house with a built-in sliding-door wardrobe. The second bedroom at the front of the house is a small double (2.8m x 3m) beside which is a small single which could be used as an office or a nursery.
The main bathroom is quite dated with white sanitary ware and beige tiles, two of which are cracked at the entrance; there is a bath but the small room would likely work better as a wetroom with a shower.
Double-glazed windows with black frames were installed through most of the home in 2011, and the Ber is C3. There is off-street parking for one car to the front of the house as well as side access to the back garden. The home is also fitted with an alarm system. Number 88 Orwell Gardens is now on the market through Mullery O’Gara estate agents.
