The property world was very different in June 2006 when Roxborough House on Coliemore Road in Dalkey was last for sale. On a sunny day in June the four-bed seaside house with its own jetty and boathouse sold for €5.5 million. Even given the auction-room frenzy at the time, and allowing for the stunning location with its full-on sea view, inside it must have been an attractive house. Not any more though.
The sea view is still spectacular – there are breathtaking views from most rooms in the double-fronted house, which is two-storey to the front and three-storey at the back, but inside it is tatty, with most rooms needing renovation.
Roxborough House now has all the chilly grimness of a receivership sale. In this case the receiver is reluctant even to name a price.
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But before people start rushing to the selling agent, DNG, with their Communion money, there are indications that €2 million might be a ballpark figure, given the size and location of the house. The property price register shows house sales ranging between €575,000 and €2.4 million on this road since 2010.
The owners appear to have left in the middle of carrying out some renovation; for example, the ceiling in one of the reception rooms is down, the plaster is exposed in another room and it is only partially furnished, which adds to the dreary air.
It could be lovely again, though. It's big, at 315sq m (3,400sq ft), and has the rambling air of a period house. The blue shutters at the front give the house a distinctive look; it's quite different from its sleek neighbour, the ultramodern, showstopping architectural gem built by the film director Jim Sheridan.
Previous owners extended at the back and to the side to make best use of the panoramic views so there are floor-to-ceiling windows at all levels with a small outdoor terrace at hall level, a sunroom and a tiny attic room with a big picture window that is used as a home office.
The kitchen, family room and fourth bedroom are downstairs at a level visible only from the back of the house. It opens out on to a long paved patio – this is not a house for a keen gardener – with access to the private jetty and the boathouse.
As well as a balcony at the back, there is a roof garden over the garage at the side. Access to this is, a little eccentrically, through a door in one of the bedrooms. As well as the garage, there is off-street parking for two or three cars, which is important on this road.
