Estate agents say that within eight seconds of coming into a house, people will have made their decision whether they want to buy it, and No 63 The Maples certainly sets out to make a good first impression.
This semidetached 104 sq m (1,119 sq ft) home has been completely refurbished by its owners in the last two years, with a family room extension out the back, and from the moment you step into the large entrance hall, your eye is invited to peruse the entire length of the house, through the kitchen/dining area, to the new extension, and out to the private patio and landscaped rear garden. You’ll know then, says Brian Dempsey of selling agent DNG.
If you are a young couple starting a family, you’ll certainly find all you need in this modern home in a quiet, leafy cul-de-sac. There’s a green area out the front that is safe for children to play, and two tennis courts are available for use, which are maintained by the local council.
Inside, all is clean and bright, with white the dominant colour, eliminating any dark, poky corners. Light pours into the hallway from a side window and from a landing window above. A guest cloakroom with tiled floor, WC and wash-hand basin is the first of three bathrooms in the house.
Housing in Ireland is among the most expensive and most affordable in the EU. How does that happen?
One in five people expect to pay mortgage in retirement, survey finds
Irish architectural great Ronnie Tallon built a home far superior to Mies van der Rohe’s original. Time to protect it
Sherry FitzGerald CEO Steven McKenna to leave firm to ‘explore new opportunities’
To the right of the hall is the front-facing livingroom, set up for a large-screen TV and with an upgraded gas fire set into the wall.
The kitchen has new high-gloss white units at floor and eye level, an island and coloured work surfaces. There’s a Neff oven with slide-and-hide door, and the cooking area is laid in white subway tiles, making it look like a real chef’s corner.
The new family room extension has twin Velux windows to bring in light from above, plus a large picture window and French doors opening out to the patio. A big outdoor dining area with glass-topped table and cosy L-shaped cushioned seating allows for hours of pleasant al fresco entertainment once the weather is in it.
The back garden is walled all around, and is the perfect size for the sallies to play safely while you relax on the patio. There’s a Barna shed at the end of the lawn for handy bike storage, and you can access the back garden through a gated side entrance.
Upstairs are three bedrooms, the main one overlooking the green area to the front, and with its own de luxe tiled en suite with shower, WC and wash-hand basin, topped by a Velux roof window. Both this room and the double bedroom to the back have large fitted wardrobes.
The main bathroom has also been upgraded and beautifully tiled, and has bath with shower over it plus WC and wash-hand basin.
A cobble-locked driveway provides parking at the front. The area is well served by amenities, with the vast grounds of UCD’s Belfield campus nearby, and the play areas of Deerpark also in close proximity.
The Luas Green Line stop at Windy Arbour is nearby, so you can be at St Stephen’s Green within a half-hour, and you’re within easy reach of the villages of Dundrum, Milltown and Ranelagh. Schools in the vicinity include Our Lady’s Grove, Alexandra College, St Killian’s and Gonzaga.
Another, slightly larger, semidetached house on the same cul-de-sac, No 132, is also on sale through McNally Handy asking €795,000. For young families looking to get a foothold in the area, these houses offer affordable, quality living in a vibrant Dublin suburb.
No 63 The Maples, Bird Avenue, Clonskeagh, Dublin 14, with a Ber rating of C2, is on sale through DNG asking €695,000
