It’s hard to believe that when Gem Construction acquired the 7.2 acres of land at Clonfadda Wood, off Mount Merrion Avenue in Blackrock it sold the first 25 detached homes off plans, recalls Vincent Fay, director of Gem Group, which includes Gem Construction.

The firm, whose new homes developments include the Willows, Dunshaughlin and upscale Abbott’s Hill in Malahide, went on to build a mix of 28 fine-sized detached redbricks and 40 apartments in four blocks.

The homes have stood the test of time, boast fine big gardens and have delivered good returns on investments when you consider that these homes sold new for about €293,000 in 1994. According to the property price register number 3 sold for €1,412,500 last September, having come to market seeking €1.35 million; number 1 sold for €1.35 million 12 months ago at its asking price while number 9 sold for €1.27 million in November 2017.

Number 8 is a well laid out property that also boasts a very decent C3 Ber rating and needs only minor tweaks to really update the property.

The house opens into a large L-shaped hall and flows around it with the drawing room to the right, a dual aspect space big enough to accommodate a baby grand piano. Doors lead out to the conservatory and a set of fold-back doors open into the formal dining room. These can be closed off and indeed many recent purchasers have reconfigured the layout to remove the conservatory altogether morphing the dining room and kitchen to create a larger, eat-in space.

The kitchen has a shamrock-coloured Aga as well as granite-topped counter units with a utility and side door access to the garden. The northwest facing garden is far wider than it appears because a hedge planted outside the conservatory shortens the sightline and blocks the evening sun.

In addition to these two sizeable spaces there is a small but bright twin-windowed study to the front that could be a children’s playroom or a space for parents .

Originally a four-bedroom property number eight now has three bedrooms after its owners merged two doubles to create a master bedroom that is almost 42sq m in size, the footprint of a decent one-bed flat. It offers a glorious sense of retreat. The en suite had been fitted out for an elderly person and will need some modernisation. The other two bedrooms are doubles. One with a shower en suite.

The house, which extends to 178sq m (1,916sq ft), is seeking €1.25 million through agents Colliers.