Photograph 1 of 13 of Donegal Road, Ballybofey, Co. Donegal
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Donegal Road, Ballybofey, Co. Donegal

€275,000

4 Bed~2 Bath~BER A3

What you'll like:

  • Prime town location: The property occupies a prominent position directly opposite a major retail anchor, ensuring exceptional everyday visibility and high foot traffic for any future commercial or residential occupants.
  • Substantial site area: The plot extends to approximately 1,100 square metres, offering an unusually large footprint for a central town-centre holding with clear multi-unit development potential.
  • Exceptional energy rating: The impressive A3 Building Energy Rating indicates modern thermal performance standards, which could significantly reduce future heating costs and enhance tenant comfort upon refurbishment completion.
  • Multi-unit composition: The site comprises two terraced houses alongside three additional rear buildings, creating an immediate multi-stream layout that diversifies potential rental income across several distinct dwellings.
  • Commercial integration: The inclusion of a ground-floor retail unit with a large display window provides immediate street-level business potential alongside the upper-floor residential or storage accommodation.
  • Redevelopment flexibility: The generous plot size and multiple existing structures present a rare canvas for a comprehensive architectural overhaul, subdivision, or total site reimagination tailored to local housing demand.
  • Three separate folios: The entire portfolio is legally contained within three individual folios, offering a savvy investor structural flexibility to sell off, mortgage, or develop individual sections independently.
  • Conversion grant potential: The property may qualify for lucrative financial incentives associated with government commercial-to-residential frameworks, potentially lowering the net capital outlay required to bring vacant structures back into use.
  • Established street frontage: Sitting directly on Donegal Road, the buildings benefit from immediate access to established municipal infrastructure, footpaths, and passing vehicular traffic without hidden rural access issues.
  • Dual aspect rooms: Multiple interior spaces feature dual or triple-aspect windows that maximize natural daylight penetration, creating brighter and more inviting living environments throughout the main structures.
  • Generous room proportions: Principal rooms such as the sitting rooms and bedrooms offer functional square footage, providing a comfortable baseline for modern interior redesign and furniture placement.
  • Rear garden space: The substantial rear lawn and yard area provide valuable outdoor amenity space for future tenants or secure off-street parking, highly prized features in central urban environments.
  • Existing structural layout: Having previously accommodated multiple residential units and a shop, the foundational layout minimizes the conceptual hurdles normally associated with blank-slate greenfield developments.
  • Open fire features: Traditional open fireplaces in the primary sitting rooms offer authentic character features that can be retained or upgraded with modern stoves to enhance architectural charm.
  • Established residential demand: Ballybofey is a bustling commercial and commuter hub, ensuring strong underlying tenant demand for both retail spaces and well-finished rental apartments within the town center.
  • Clear folio boundaries: Containing the asset within three distinct legal titles simplifies phased legal transactions, should a developer wish to syndicate funding or divest portions of the overall landholding over time.
  • Retail display utility: The dedicated shopfront features a prominent display window directly facing major thoroughfares, offering robust branding opportunities for local retail, office, or service-sector enterprises.
  • Proximity to amenities: Being situated right in the heart of Ballybofey places shops, schools, and essential community services within comfortable walking distance, appealing heavily to modern convenience-driven renters.
  • Investment scalability: The combination of retail, residential terraced housing, and rear outbuildings allows investors to execute a staggered refurbishment strategy, generating early cash flow from one section while others are developed.
  • Rare market offering: Opportunities to acquire a multi-building town-center portfolio of this specific scale are exceptionally uncommon, making this a strategic trophy acquisition for localized developers and portfolio builders.

But keep in mind:

  • Extended vacancy risks: Having stood vacant for a number of years, the buildings may conceal severe hidden structural deterioration, dry rot, damp issues, or compromised roofing integrity that will require extensive capital remediation.
  • Planning permission uncertainty: Any major redevelopment, change of use, or residential conversion remains strictly subject to local council planning approvals, carrying inherent regulatory delays and project approval risks.
  • Grant eligibility requirements: Accessing government conversion incentives often depends on strict qualifying criteria and tight timelines, meaning buyers should verify eligibility independently before relying on subsidies to balance project budgets.
  • Comprehensive renovation needed: The interior spaces require complete modernization, rewiring, plumbing overhauls, and cosmetic restoration, implying significant construction expenditure well beyond the initial purchase price.
  • Commercial lease status: The listing does not clarify if the retail unit is sold with vacant possession or subject to existing tenancies, requiring careful legal due diligence regarding commercial lease obligations.
  • Confined kitchen space: The current kitchen and kitchenette arrangements are compact and outdated, demanding substantial spatial reconfiguration to meet modern lifestyle expectations for rental or owner-occupied properties.
  • Single bathroom constraint: With only two bathrooms serving multiple potential residential units across the entire portfolio, additional sanitary facilities must be engineered to comply with modern building regulations.
  • Rear access logistics: Buyers should carefully verify the vehicular and pedestrian access width to the substantial rear yard to ensure construction machinery, delivery trucks, and future residents can navigate the site safely.
  • Boundary fence condition: The wall-enclosed plot may require structural repairs or rebuilding along shared perimeter boundaries to ensure security, privacy, and clear demarcation between neighboring properties.
  • Asbestos and hazardous materials: Older vacant buildings frequently contain hazardous building materials such as asbestos or lead paint, which mandate professional testing, safe removal, and disposal protocols during renovation.
  • Party wall obligations: Undertaking heavy structural refurbishment on terraced properties will likely trigger party wall considerations and legal notices with adjacent neighbors to prevent structural disputes.
  • Floor area omission: The exact floor area is not provided in the listing details, forcing buyers to commission independent measured surveys to accurately calculate per-square-metre acquisition and renovation costs.
  • Property type ambiguity: The exact legal classification of the mixed portfolio is not fully specified, requiring solicitors to confirm local zoning, commercial rates liability, and residential property tax statuses.
  • Utility connection updates: Long-term vacancy often leads to disconnected or degraded electricity, water, and sewage connections, which can incur substantial reconnection fees and municipal infrastructure upgrade demands.
  • Traffic noise impact: Overlooking a major road junction and sitting opposite a busy retail hub exposes the front-facing rooms to considerable traffic noise and pedestrian congestion, potentially affecting residential rentability.
  • Conservation or zoning limits: Buyers must investigate whether any local architectural conservation rules or strict town-center zoning ordinances apply to the external facades, limiting aesthetic alteration options.
  • Fungus and damp inspection: The presence of open fires combined with long-term unheated vacancy creates prime conditions for timber rot and rising damp, necessitating a specialized pre-purchase structural engineering survey.
  • Refurbishment cash flow: Carrying out a multi-building renovation project requires substantial upfront working capital and contingency funds to absorb unexpected construction inflation and unforeseen site challenges.
  • Management complexity: Managing a mixed-use site featuring commercial retail and multiple residential apartments involves complex ongoing landlord responsibilities, commercial lease management, and maintenance coordination.
  • Insurance underwriting terms: Securing comprehensive buildings insurance for long-term vacant structures undergoing major construction works can be notably more expensive and subject to strict policy exclusions.

Price positioning

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This comparison depends on limited public and listing evidence, which may be incomplete, outdated or not directly comparable. The score is not a percentage, professional valuation or guaranteed estimate. Ask an independent qualified valuer before relying on a property value.

Not enough reliable market evidence is available to position this asking price.

Build Analysis

What we know from similar construction types

  • The property consists of a portfolio of vacant buildings including two terraced houses, a ground-floor retail unit, and three additional rear buildings previously laid out as apartments, requiring thorough structural survey and condition assessment.
  • The buildings have been vacant for a number of years, meaning a buyer should investigate potential issues related to damp, deferred maintenance, roof integrity, and outdated electrical or plumbing systems.
  • The site encompasses multiple structures across three individual folios, offering significant redevelopment and conversion potential, which should be verified with local planning authorities.
  • A buyer should investigate compliance with current building regulations and planning permissions, particularly regarding the commercial-to-residential conversion potential and eligibility for relevant financial incentives.

Heating cost*

Estimated expense to heat this property every year

  • Estimated annual heating cost: €800 to €1,200.
  • Short explanation: The property has an A3 BER rating, which indicates high energy efficiency and excellent thermal insulation, significantly lowering heating demands compared to older buildings, though actual costs will depend on occupancy and usage.

Pollution Safe

8/10

Environmental situation to investigate

  • The property is located in a mixed commercial and residential town-centre setting with no major heavy industrial pollution sources immediately adjacent.
  • Any potential legacy commercial use on-site should be investigated by the buyer to ensure no localized ground contamination exists.

Flood Safe

7/10

Water overflow reports to follow up

  • The general Ballybofey area includes zones near watercourses that have experienced localized weather-related alerts in the past.
  • Buyers should consult local flood maps and environmental reports to verify the specific vulnerability of this town-centre plot.

Recent Local Sales

Verified residential transactions published in the previous five years

Sales on the same street or estate

  • DONEGAL ROAD, BALLYBOFEY, CO DONEGAL

    Sale date
    Declared sale price
    €115,000.00
  • 38 CUIRT AISLING, DONEGAL RD, BALLYBOFEY

    Sale date
    Declared sale price
    €255,000.00
  • 24 DONEGAL ROAD, BALLYBOFEY, CO DONEGAL

    Sale date
    Declared sale price
    €252,250.00
  • FURZEHAVEN HOUSE, DONEGAL RD, BALLYBOFEY

    Sale date
    Declared sale price
    €360,000.00
  • 14 CUIRT AISLING, DONEGAL RD, BALLYBOFEY

    Sale date
    Declared sale price
    €298,000.00

Recent sales in the wider Ballybofey area

  • MULLINAHOSE, BALLYBOFEY, CO DONEGAL

    Sale date
    Declared sale price
    €155,000.00
  • 264 ARD MAC, BALLYBOFEY, CARRON

    Sale date
    Declared sale price
    €145,000.00
  • 2 GLENFIN COURT, GLENFIN RD, BALLYBOFEY

    Sale date
    Declared sale price
    €126,000.00
  • 104 THE BEECHES, NAVENNY, BALLYBOFEY

    Sale date
    Declared sale price
    €272,000.00
  • CORRAINE, BALLYBOFEY, CO. DONEGAL

    Sale date
    Declared sale price
    €50,000.00

Source: Property Services Regulatory Authority (PSRA), Residential Property Price Register (PPR).

Matching uses address information published by the PPR rather than measured map distance. It may omit nearby properties on differently named streets.

Last Sale

A confidently matched previous PPR transaction for this property

No confidently matched previous sale was found in the Property Price Register.

Buyer fees*

Associated expenses guide

  • Stamp duty: approximately €2,750 based on 1% of the asking price for residential portions, though mixed-use or commercial elements should be verified.
  • Solicitor legal fees: roughly €1,500 to €3,000 plus outlay and VAT.
  • Land registration fees: approximately €170 to €400 depending on the number of folios involved.
  • Property valuation fees: around €150 to €300.
  • Surveyor fees: approximately €500 to €1,200 depending on the scope of the inspection.
  • Annual home insurance: roughly €400 to €800 per year, subject to the final rebuild cost and risk profile.

Forum Talk

What people are saying about this area

  • Locals in Ballybofey frequently discuss town-centre regeneration and the potential for commercial-to-residential conversions.
  • Discussions often highlight the convenience of living along Donegal Road due to its proximity to major supermarkets like Lidl.
  • Residents on community forums note ongoing demand for well-located multi-unit properties and investment opportunities in the twin towns.
  • Traffic flow around the major road junctions near the property is a common topic of conversation during peak hours.

LifeFit Assessment

How well this property may suit your lifestyle

Family

7 areas
  • Young Children

    The property consists of vacant buildings requiring extensive redevelopment and is located in a busy town-centre position opposite a major road junction, making it unsuitable for young children without significant safety and structural works.

    3/10
  • Teenagers

    Proximity to the town centre offers access to local amenities, but the current derelict and vacant state of the buildings means teenagers would not find it liveable without major refurbishment.

    4/10
  • Multi-generational Living

    The presence of multiple buildings across three folios offers great potential for multi-generational living once redeveloped, but substantial renovation is required first.

    5/10
  • Single Buyers

    An intriguing project for an ambitious single buyer looking for a commercial-to-residential conversion or investment opportunity, subject to planning permissions.

    6/10
  • Couples

    Couples with a vision for redevelopment could take advantage of the substantial site area and multiple units, though extensive works are necessary.

    6/10
  • Empty Nesters

    Empty nesters seeking a ready-to-move-in home will find the vacant and run-down condition of the portfolio entirely impractical without heavy project management.

    3/10
  • Retirees

    The property requires major redevelopment, making it poorly suited for retirees looking for comfort, accessibility, and low-stress living.

    2/10

Work

3 areas
  • Remote Working

    The multi-unit layout offers potential space to set up a home office or live-work arrangement, provided the buyer invests in modern utilities and high-speed broadband infrastructure.

    5/10
  • Hybrid Commuting

    The central location in Ballybofey provides decent road connectivity, though longer commutes to major cities like Dublin or Belfast would be substantial.

    5/10
  • Retired

    Managing a vacant multi-building redevelopment project is misaligned with a typical retirement lifestyle.

    2/10

Practical

8 areas
  • Ageing in Place

    The property comprises vacant, multi-level structures requiring complete overhaul, making it unsuitable for ageing in place without major architectural adaptation.

    2/10
  • Low Maintenance

    Having been vacant for a number of years with multiple buildings and a large plot, maintenance requirements will be exceptionally high initially.

    1/10
  • Secure Gated Entry

    The site is described as a large, wall-enclosed plot, though security upgrades would certainly be needed during and after redevelopment.

    4/10
  • Minimalist Design

    Achieving a minimalist design would require stripping back and heavily redesigning the existing traditional and commercial structures.

    2/10
  • Flexible Floor Plans

    With 2 terraced houses (including a retail unit), 3 rear buildings, and 3 individual folios, the footprint offers immense flexibility for re-imagining the layout.

    8/10
  • Heritage Home

    The property includes older traditional buildings and a commercial unit, though buyers should verify if any specific historical or heritage restrictions apply.

    4/10
  • Ecological Setup

    Currently, the vacant and neglected state of the buildings implies low energy efficiency, though potential exists to integrate eco-friendly systems during redevelopment.

    3/10
  • Outdoor areas

    Features a substantial rear lawn and yard area on a plot extending to approximately 1,100 sq. metres, providing extensive outdoor space.

    7/10

Interests

9 areas
  • Gardening

    There is a substantial rear lawn and yard area extending across a plot of approximately 1,100 sq. metres, offering ample space for landscaping once cleared.

    5/10
  • Walking

    Being central to Ballybofey means daily amenities and town walks are easily accessible on foot.

    6/10
  • Gym

    Town-centre location provides reasonable access to local fitness facilities, though buyers should verify the exact proximity to nearby gyms.

    5/10
  • Cycling

    Town roads offer connectivity, though the immediate junction may be busy for cyclists setting off from the property.

    5/10
  • Golf

    County Donegal has notable golf courses in the wider region, though buyers should verify travel times to the nearest clubs from Ballybofey.

    5/10
  • Fishing

    The general region offers river fishing opportunities, though proximity to specific angling spots should be verified by the buyer.

    5/10
  • Horse Riding

    A dense town-centre plot with multiple derelict buildings is not suited for keeping horses or immediate equestrian pursuits.

    3/10
  • Water Sports

    The inland town location lacks direct access to water sports facilities.

    2/10
  • Entertaining

    While the rear yard is large, the current vacant and derelict condition prevents any entertaining until comprehensive redevelopment is completed.

    4/10

Lifestyle

5 areas
  • Quiet Living

    Situated in a prime town location directly opposite Lidl and overlooking a major road junction, the site is likely to experience significant traffic noise and activity.

    3/10
  • Rural Living

    This is strictly a town-centre property with commercial and residential buildings, offering none of the rural isolation or countryside surroundings.

    2/10
  • Village Living

    Located in Ballybofey, the property places residents right in the heart of a bustling town with local shops and amenities close at hand.

    5/10
  • Coastal Living

    The location is inland in County Donegal, far away from any coastal areas or beaches.

    1/10
  • Urban Living

    Positioned in a prime town-centre spot with high visibility opposite a major supermarket and road junction, fitting a small-scale urban environment.

    6/10

Social

6 areas
  • Community Involvement

    A prominent town-centre property places a future resident or developer right at the heart of the local community.

    6/10
  • Café Culture

    Central Ballybofey location ensures reasonable access to local cafes, shops, and eateries.

    6/10
  • Nightlife

    Being in a prime town-centre position puts pubs and evening venues within walking distance.

    6/10
  • Health/Wellness groups

    Town location offers potential access to local community health and wellness activities, subject to local availability.

    5/10
  • Networking Opportunities

    The commercial unit and high-visibility town location offer strong potential for business networking and commercial ventures.

    6/10
  • Tech-Hub Connectivity

    Buyers should verify local broadband speeds and tech infrastructure availability for the specific address.

    4/10

Listing information

Agent
Henry Kee & Son
Phone
074 9131050
Published on HouseDelve
6 September 2026
Correction
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Property reference: HD-69ED1DHouseDelve · Republic of Ireland

Estimate — not advice. Actual costs and outcomes can vary materially. Obtain current quotations and professional advice before making financial or property decisions.