The owners of this bright, congenial and very livable house are leaving with what they say are “heavy hearts”. The neighbourhood has a hold on them too and, with family increasing, they’re upsizing in the locality. They’ve lived in what has been “a comfortable family home and great community” since 2000, when they paid £338,000 for 4 Havelock Square. Back on the market through DNG, the asking price this time round is €725,000.

This time too there are views of Aviva stadium, a sight that sits quite easily with its period style and grace. It was built in the late 1800s, just after the completion of nearby Havelock Square, developed by a Mr Havelock from 1864 onwards. The vendors have made use of every storage space, done an imaginatively stylish job on the rear patio-garden and, using a palette of muted greys and whites chosen by Helen Turkington, created a sense of space and peace throughout.

They’ve worked on the house consistently, beginning with a “full roof job” and, in the past five years, extending the kitchen area, flooring the attic, landscaping the rear garden and, in front, erecting a wooden structure to hold bins as well as a slim, silver birch tree. In a floor area of 115.6sq m (1,245sq ft) there are three bedrooms, one reception room, open-plan kitchen/ dining/family area, family bathroom and guest WC.

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Period features that were intact when they bought the house have been carefully preserved. The high-ceilinged front reception room has a fine cast-iron fireplace, ceiling coving and polished wood floor. The rear, living/kitchen area has French oak flooring, a dining area set into a sunroom-like alcove and cleverly integrated appliances, making for maximum space.

The patio is an extension of the house: sheltered, with a granite wall, high old trees and a creeper along another wall, and three haven-like seating areas – one of them pergola-style. “Great for pre-match entertaining,” the vendors say.

The main ground floor bedroom overlooks the patio, has plenty of wardrobe space and a cast-iron fireplace. A second bedroom is to the rear on the first floor and the third, with built-in robes and shelving, leads to the attic.