The four-bedroom house at 57 Merrion Road is for trader-uppers – families looking for more space, a convenient-to-everything location and a large south-facing garden that’s not overlooked.
It’s an executor sale – for €2.5m through Sherry FitzGerald – and once inside the lovely square-shaped hall it is immediately obvious that this is a well-cared-for, comfortable family home. Built in the 1930s it is one of six similar houses on the road, which is mostly lined with much older houses. Some of its features are typical of the time: deep bay windows, that welcoming hall, stained glass, tall ceilings and plenty of rooms.
The two main reception rooms are divided by folding doors and there is a third, smaller reception room at the rear off the hall. The owners built a large sunroom across the back of the house to better enjoy the house’s orientation and the beautifully tended garden.
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Access to sunroom
Curiously, what they didn’t do at the time was install French windows to provide access into this new space from reception rooms – they kept the original windows and so access to the sunroom is via the kitchen – and this is something new owners will consider. They will also update the kitchen and bathrooms – the latter feature coloured suites popular when the house had its last major overhaul.
It was originally a five-bedroom house – there would have been two bedrooms to the front but the owners converted one into a large en suite bathroom and a dressing area with a door into the main bedroom.
Downstairs, there’s also a walk-in pantry, a utility room, a cloakroom and a guest toilet.
There is still room to expand – up into the attic or to the side b – but at 280sq m (3,015sq ft) this is a particularly large semi-detached house, and four double bedrooms would be enough for most buyers.
Comparisons
This long and busy road is lined with very many styles and sizes of house, from enormous Victorians to mid-20th century builds, so comparisons can be difficult. However, number 57 is semi-detached and its neighbour number 55 sold as recently as early 2013 when it changed hands for €2.26m – and that was at a time when little at this end of the market was selling, which shows the popularity of the road. It was in walk-in condition but the new owners have upgraded throughout and added an extension at the rear.
Number 57 has this potential – it is on a very generous third of an acre – or new owners might choose to simply redecorate.
At the front there is parking for several cars – a must on this busy road – and the road is screened by mature trees and shrubs.
