This is part of a series looking at different sizes and types of housing for sale in Connaught, for those living in the greater Dublin area who are considering a move west. They are based on online listings. If you’d like a tailored house-hunting service, with in-person visits to vet properties, get in touch.
This week I’m looking at north Mayo, specifically in or around the town of Ballina. The area offers great value for money, even for large detached houses. The cheapest from this selection is €135K and the dearest is €265K.
This cottage has been extended and sympathetically modernised, retaining lots of cottage charm. The ground floor of the original cottage is an open-plan kitchen/dining/living room, but it’s well zoned and each area is spacious enough to function comfortably.
The extension houses the main bathroom and an ensuite bedroom, while the second floor has three more bedrooms (one ensuite) and a storage room. With the renovations being only two years old, there is literally nothing to do here except move in.
If you didn’t want to give one of the bedrooms over to your home office, the spacious landing provides an option for a study nook too. If you’re looking for a rural location, with easy access to the coast, this is one to check out for sure. It’s also only 20km from Ballina town.
Click here for full details which includes a video tour as well as plentiful photos.
This cute dormer bungalow is a great option if you’re looking for something to put your own stamp on, without needing to do any major work. It has a gorgeous country setting, sitting above a lough, but is only a short drive from the towns of Ballina, Crossmolina and Castlebar.
Although the listing says one bathroom, this would appear to be a mistake as the description says the upstairs bedroom is ensuite, while the main bathroom is downstairs.
Still, it’s probably one for a smaller family, or a couple. But it’s one to check out if you’re in that bracket and looking for something neither too big nor too small, but just right! Click here to see the details.
Another rural location, with a short drive to Ballina or Crossmolina, if you need more space this large detached house has plenty. That includes a downstairs office, so you still get to have four bedrooms. The solid fuel stove in the living room has a back-boiler which is a great bonus when you have oil-fired central heating.
It’s another blank canvas waiting for you to put your stamp on it. Don’t let the current lacklustre decor put you off! With some colour and art on the walls, and a few rugs on the downstairs floors, this house has great potential to be a cosy and charming family home. Click here for the details.
If you don’t fancy a rural setting, this semi-D in Ballina may suit instead. It appears to be in excellent condition and the garden shed is listed as a home-office option if you don’t want to give up one of the bedrooms.
I think it was probably photographed on a dull day – some of the rooms do appear quite dark. However, I wouldn’t rule it out on account of those…almost of the blinds are pulled partway down and some of the curtains are dark (black in one room). These can have a negative impact on the lighting in photos and in reality the rooms may be brighter (or have the potential to be brighter) than they currently appear.
Sellers tip: when having your home photographed for the listing, ensure all curtains and blinds are fully opened to maximise the light coming into the rooms.
The kitchen/diner could be brightened up too with a change of flooring and splashback. And the same applies to the colour of sofas and rug in the living room. With a utility room and downstairs loo, this is a good option for a family home. If a four-bed in a surburban location is what you’re looking for, I wouldn’t write this one off based on the online photos. Click here for the details.
This cute little bungalow is a wonderful small home option if you want a country setting, but also want to be close to a town. Overall it doesn’t appear to be cramped – it just doesn’t have the bedrooms (or extra bathroom) for a large family. But for a couple, it offers up a room that can be used as a home office and still leaves one spare for guests. (Or use both as offices, and put in sofa beds for occasional guests.)
It’s just five minutes drive from Ballina and is ready to move into. Sure, there could be some updates to maybe the bathroom or fireplaces. But that all depends on your taste – if you like the vintage look, the condition of everything looks remarkable.
I would replace the gas fire installations though, and it does have a low BER rating, so it would probably benefit from some insulation work. But hopefully the price tag leaves room for that in your budget. Click here to check it out.
So this one is something of a fixer-upper. It used to be a doctor’s surgery and the property is now vacant and seriously dated. As a townhouse, it might suit buyers looking to combine commercial and living spaces.
Equally, it could be converted back to strictly residential if you don’t mind the front of the house being on the street – the back garden has amazing space and potential. Either way, you can configure it to meet whatever your needs are. Check the details here.
You may also be interested in:
House Hunter: Four 4-bedroomed Homes in South West Mayo.