DUBLIN 8 is sprinkled with “secret” enclaves, little corners of beautifully rendered artisan houses — and Ceannt Fort in Kilmainham is one of the most attractive examples.
Set between the Liberties and Inchicore, these houses are set off the main road on Mount Brown and encircled by St James’s Hospital. Nearby amenities include the Irish Museum of Modern Art and the Phoenix Park, with the city centre within walking distance. The site is also on a Luas line into town. Inevitably, however, the two-bedroom houses that come on the market for sale here are few and far between, and when they do, they tend to be priced at least €250,000.
No 96, which is on sale for €330,000, is a special offering even for Ceannt Fort. The double-fronted house has been given a remarkable overhaul: downstairs has been transformed into one large space that moves around a central staircase. The entire back of the room, the width of the house, is glazed with large sliding doors looking out onto a courtyard.
On one side of the room is a white kitchen with wooden worktops, on the other is the living space with an exposed redbrick fireplace, while the third aspect is the dining area. Upstairs are two bedrooms and a bathroom.
The house has clean, fresh decor, wooden flooring and original features, including cast-iron fireplaces, throughout. There is access to the attic for storage and at the front is a cobble-lock driveway with off-street parking. The house is terraced and has no rear access, but since the renovation work has been done, this isn’t too much of an issue. A bigger problem for some might be the poor energy rating — E1.
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A starter home with bells and whistles won’t come cheap but on current rates, repayments are manageable for most. On the basis of a 30-year €264,000 mortgage with a €66,000 deposit, the monthly repayment comes to just over €1,200.
Another way of getting the Ceannt Fort experience is to rent. This is not a cheap option, either. An end-of-terrace two-bedroom house is on the market for €1,450 a month. Downstairs there is a living room with a gas fire, as well as another room that could be used as a dining room, office or a third bedroom. The kitchen is at the back and amenities here are pretty basic: the cooker is electric and there isn’t much counter-top space. The lavatory is downstairs and has an electric shower rather than a bath. Upstairs are two double bedrooms.
The house has been refurbished and the period features, including the fireplaces, have mostly been retained. The house is triple aspect, making it a bright and welcoming place to be, and there is a garden to the front and rear, with a shed in the back for extra storage.
Furnishings and drapes, however, are plain, and clearly aimed at the rental market. If you had your own furniture you could really turn this into a home; a pretty house deserves prettier furniture, after all. There is no energy rating available. For renters it may be a bit difficult to swallow when they realise that they will be paying almost €250 more a month than for a property that is for sale up the road.
No 96 is available through felicityfox.ie; and the rental property is being let through dublinlettings.com
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Repayments are based on a 20% deposit, 3.8% APR (AIB’s variable rate) on a 30-year mortgage. We have allocated €66,000 towards a deposit, as per the Central Bank’s requirement for experienced buyers, but first-time buyers will have to pay just 10% on the first €220,000.