
No 30 Whitethorn, Douglas Road, Cork, Co. CorkT12E9X2
€325,000
3 Bed~1 Bath~81 m²~BER G
What you'll like:
- Prime Douglas Road Location: Situated in a quiet cul-de-sac just off a highly popular thoroughfare, offering exceptional convenience between Douglas Village and Cork City Centre.
- Historic 1930s Character: Dating from circa 1933, the property retains charming period features such as original cast iron fireplaces that provide unique aesthetic appeal.
- Generous Floor Area: Extends to approximately 81 square meters, providing a practical three-bedroom layout with functional room proportions for comfortable modern living.
- Mature Private Gardens: Features enclosed mature gardens to both the front and rear, delivering wonderful private outdoor spaces for families and gardening enthusiasts alike.
- Exceptional Expansion Potential: The spacious site offers significant opportunities for future extensions and development, subject to obtaining full planning permission from authorities.
- Vacant Property Grant Eligibility: Advertised as potentially qualifying for the lucrative Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, significantly easing the financial burden of necessary upgrades.
- Favorable Sun Aspect: Benefits from a bright east-to-west orientation, ensuring natural sunlight fills different parts of the home throughout the various times of day.
- Established Residential Setting: Located within a settled neighborhood known for convenience and community feel, making it an attractive long-term investment for buyers.
- Mains Services Connected: Already connected to essential mains water, mains sewage, and mains gas services, reducing upfront utility connection hurdles for the buyer.
- Proximity to Healthcare: Positioned within easy reach of local medical facilities including St Finbarr's Hospital, ensuring great accessibility to vital public health services.
- Local Retail Convenience: Short distance to local shops, supermarkets, and amenities in Douglas Village, minimizing daily travel times for essential household shopping needs.
- Public Transport Proximity: Well positioned for accessing local transport routes leading directly into the city center, which is highly beneficial for non-drivers.
- End-of-Terrace Advantage: Being an end-of-terrace dwelling provides extra privacy and potentially easier side access to the rear garden compared to mid-terrace homes.
- Solid Structural Footprint: Offers buyers a blank canvas to completely modernize and stamp their own design preferences onto a solidly built period structure.
- Traditional Utility Room: Includes a dedicated utility space featuring a traditional Belfast sink and under-stairs storage, enhancing the practical family functionality.
- Attached Shower Ground-floor: Features a convenient ground-floor shower room with a WC and electric shower, adding accessibility convenience for residents and guests.
- Solid Fuel Fireplace Feature: The sitting room contains an attractive tiled surround fireplace, providing a cozy focal point for the main living area.
- Clear Asking Price: Listed at a transparent asking price of €325000 with no recorded price fluctuations, offering a stable baseline for initial purchase negotiations.
- Easy Route Access: Clear navigational directions from the city center via well-known roads make scheduled viewings and future contractor visits straightforward to manage.
- Agent Availability: Listed with an established local agency, providing buyers with professional representation and easy communication channels throughout the acquisition process.
But keep in mind:
- Extremely Poor BER Rating: Holds a deficient G energy rating with an intensive energy performance indicator of 510.55 kWh/m2/yr, demanding a complete energy overhaul.
- Substantial Modernization Required: The interior dates back significantly and requires extensive structural refurbishment, modernization, and re-wiring before it becomes comfortably habitable.
- Grant Conditions Due Diligence: Buyers must independently verify their eligibility and compliance requirements for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant before relying on those funds.
- Heating System Overhaul: The heavy reliance on older heating setups and solid fuel fireplaces implies that a modern central heating system installation will be necessary.
- Single Bathroom Constraint: The property currently features only one bathroom located on the ground floor, which may feel restrictive for a three-bedroom family home.
- Insulation Upgrades Essential: Achieving an acceptable living standard will require substantial investment in wall, roof, and floor insulation to combat the current G rating.
- Double Glazing Verification: The effectiveness and condition of existing windows should be thoroughly inspected during a structural survey to prevent immediate replacement costs.
- Potential Hidden Defects: Properties built around 1933 often conceal outdated electrical wiring, antiquated plumbing, or damp issues that require specialized survey inspections.
- Planning Permission Uncertainties: Any future extensions to the mature site will be subject to strict local planning permission rules that are never guaranteed.
- Refurbishment Cost Inflation: Construction and labor costs for bringing an 81 square meter period property up to modern standards could significantly exceed initial budget estimates.
- Temporary Accommodation Needed: Due to the extensive nature of required works, buyers may need to rent elsewhere during renovations, adding to overall project costs.
- Ventilation and Damp Checks: Older structures of this era should be carefully checked for rising damp, penetrating damp, and adequate sub-floor ventilation.
- Roof Integrity Assessment: The age of the property indicates that the roof timbers, slates, and flashing should be professionally inspected for wear and tear.
- Sewerage Line Condition: Buyers should commission a CCTV drain survey to ensure the existing mains sewage connection is free from cracks, roots, or blockages.
- Electrical Safety Compliance: The electrical consumer unit and wiring must be tested by a certified electrician to ensure compliance with current safety regulations.
- Boundary Verification Required: The exact legal boundaries of the mature front and rear gardens should be confirmed by a mapping professional prior to closing.
- Limited Parking Details: The listing does not explicitly detail off-street parking arrangements, so buyers must verify vehicle parking availability on-site or nearby.
- Renovating While Occupied: Living in the property during phased works can be extremely disruptive, requiring careful contractor scheduling and dust management.
- Resale Value Ceiling: Buyers should ensure that total acquisition and renovation costs do not exceed the ultimate ceiling market value for the immediate neighborhood.
- Strict Survey Recommendation: Due to the G energy rating and 1933 construction date, a comprehensive structural survey by a qualified engineer is absolutely essential.
Price positioning
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- The asking price appears slightly ambitious initially given the extensive modernization required and the very poor energy rating, which will necessitate significant capital expenditure to achieve comfortable living standards before occupancy.
- Valuation signals present a mixed picture where prime location convenience and potential grant eligibility support value, yet these positive factors must be heavily discounted against the substantial repair costs needed for the obsolete condition.
- Strong buyer demand for well-located fixer-uppers could support this listing figure, though this might be undermined if total renovation outlays exceed prevailing market caps for fully upgraded homes in the immediate neighborhood.
- Additional relevant considerations include the mature gardens offering future extension possibilities, historical pricing trends on the same street, and the structural implications of a 1933 build requiring comprehensive insulation and services overhaul.
Build Analysis
What we know from similar construction types
- The property dates from circa 1933 and is an end-of-terrace house requiring significant modernization and refurbishment.
- Given its age, a buyer should investigate the condition of the roof, the electrical wiring, plumbing, and potential damp issues typical of houses from this era.
- The BER rating is G, indicating poor energy efficiency that will require comprehensive fabric upgrades.
- The mature site offers potential for further development, which a buyer should verify regarding planning permission and local zoning regulations.
Retrofit Cost*
Possible renovating / insulating expenditure
- The property has a G BER rating and requires a deep retrofit, which for a house of approximately 81 square meters is estimated to cost between EUR 50,000 and EUR 80,000.
- This estimate includes external wall insulation, window and door replacements, roof insulation, heating system upgrades, and potential ventilation improvements, offset slightly by potential grants such as the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant.
Heating cost*
Estimated expense to heat this property every year
- Estimated annual heating cost is 2,500 to 3,500 euro.
- This higher range reflects the property's G energy rating, floor area of approximately 81 square metres, and older construction date of circa 1933, which indicates poor thermal efficiency and high heat loss.
Environmental checks
Area-level evidence and things to investigate
Air quality
Nearby sites
Waste facilities
None foundIndustrial facilities
None foundNearby infrastructure
Overhead electricity lines
None foundUnderground electricity cables
None foundFlood Safe
7/10Water overflow reports to follow up
- The property is located along the Douglas Road area in Cork, which generally sits above major tidal and river floodplains associated with the city center.
- Official mapping evidence shows no designated flood zones directly affecting this specific cul-de-sac setting.
- While low-lying parts of Cork experience recurring weather-related inundation during extreme events, this mature suburban site benefits from relative elevation away from primary watercourses.
Recent Local Sales
Verified residential transactions published in the previous five years
Sales on the same street or estate
24 WHITETHORN, DOUGLAS RD, CORK
- Sale date
- Declared sale price
- €265,000.00
42 WHITETHORN, DOUGLAS RD, CORK
- Sale date
- Declared sale price
- €311,000.00
27 WHITETHORN, DOUGLAS RD, CORK
- Sale date
- Declared sale price
- €330,000.00
6 WHITETHORN, DOUGLAS RD, CORK
- Sale date
- Declared sale price
- €285,000.00
Recent sales in the wider Cork area
7 TIVOLI WOODS, CORK, CORK
- Sale date
- Declared sale price
- €327,000.00
42 ROMAN ST, CORK, CORK
- Sale date
- Declared sale price
- €180,000.00
100 EVERGREEN RD, CORK, CORK
- Sale date
- Declared sale price
- €220,000.00
5 VICTORIA CROSS, CORK, CORK
- Sale date
- Declared sale price
- €350,000.00
63 BANDON RD, CORK, CORK
- Sale date
- Declared sale price
- €256,000.00
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
- Estimated stamp duty: €3,250 — 1% of €325,000.
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Based on the asking price shown on this page, using standard residential stamp-duty rates. No adjustments are made for VAT, reliefs, mixed-use property or additional land. The final purchase price and your circumstances may change the amount payable.
- Solicitor legal fees: 1,500 to 3,000 euro plus VAT and outlays.
- Land registration fees: 400 to 800 euro depending on property value and registration type.
- Property valuation fees: 150 to 250 euro for a standard mortgage valuation.
- Surveyor fees: 500 to 1,200 euro depending on the depth of the structural survey required.
- Annual home insurance: 400 to 800 euro depending on the level of coverage and property specifics.
Forum Talk
What people are saying about this area
- Local residents and community forums frequently discuss the ongoing demand for properties requiring modernization along the Douglas Road corridor, noting that mature neighborhoods close to Cork City Centre remain highly sought after.
- Discussions on regional property platforms highlight strong interest in the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, with buyers actively sharing experiences on securing funding for homes with low BER ratings like the G rating recorded here.
- Community groups in the Douglas area often comment on the limited supply of properties in quiet cul-de-sac settings, which frequently drives competitive interest among first-time buyers and renovators.
- Local neighborhood pages emphasize the strategic convenience of living between Douglas Village and the city centre, frequently citing accessibility to amenities, hospitals, and transport routes as major lifestyle draws for the area.
LifeFit Assessment
How well this property may suit your lifestyle
Family
7 areas- Young Children5/10
The property features mature enclosed front and rear gardens which are great for children, but the need for extensive modernization and a poor BER rating mean significant work is required before it is child-ready.
- Teenagers6/10
Located conveniently between Douglas Village and Cork City Centre, providing good access to amenities and activities for teenagers, though the three-bedroom layout is somewhat compact.
- Multi-generational Living3/10
With only 81 square meters of floor area and one bathroom, the property lacks the space and separation typically needed for multi-generational living without substantial expansion.
- Single Buyers7/10
An affordable entry point for single buyers looking to take on a refurbishment project, aided by potential eligibility for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant.
- Couples7/10
Offers a fantastic project for couples wanting to customize a 1933-built home in a quiet cul-de-sac with convenient access to urban amenities.
- Empty Nesters5/10
The quiet cul-de-sac setting and manageable garden size appeal to empty nesters, though the extensive modernization required and stairs may deter some.
- Retirees4/10
While the single-bathroom layout and stairs could pose challenges for aging in place, the quiet location near city amenities has some appeal. Buyers should verify suitability for long-term accessibility.
Work
3 areas- Remote Working7/10
The three-bedroom layout allows for a dedicated home office space, though high-speed broadband availability should be verified by the buyer.
- Hybrid Commuting8/10
Conveniently located between Douglas Village and Cork City Centre with good road links for hybrid workers.
- Retired6/10
The quiet cul-de-sac setting suits retirement, though the property requires significant refurbishment before it is fully comfortable.
Practical
8 areas- Ageing in Place4/10
The two-story layout with stairs to bedrooms and a single ground-floor bathroom limits suitability for aging in place without renovation.
- Low Maintenance3/10
Built in 1933 and requiring extensive modernization, refurbishment, and garden upkeep, this is currently a high-maintenance project.
- Secure Gated Entry2/10
The property features standard open access from the cul-de-sac without secure gated entry.
- Minimalist Design3/10
Retains original 1933 character with traditional features like tiled fireplaces and fitted carpets, far from a minimalist aesthetic.
- Flexible Floor Plans5/10
At 81 square meters, the floor plan is relatively compact, though potential exists for future development subject to planning permission.
- Heritage Home7/10
Dating from circa 1933, the property retains original character features such as cast iron fireplaces and a traditional Belfast sink.
- Ecological Setup1/10
Carries a G BER rating with a high energy performance indicator of 510.55 kWh/m2/yr, indicating very poor energy efficiency.
- Outdoor areas8/10
Benefits from a spacious site with mature, well-kept enclosed gardens to both the front and rear offering excellent potential.
Interests
9 areas- Gardening8/10
Features mature enclosed gardens to both the front and rear, providing excellent potential for keen gardeners to develop the outdoor space.
- Walking7/10
Good proximity to local amenities in Douglas Village and Cork City Centre makes walking a viable option for daily errands.
- Gym6/10
Proximity to Douglas and the city centre provides reasonable access to various local fitness centers and gyms.
- Cycling6/10
The intermediate location between the suburb and city centre allows for cycling, though local traffic conditions should be verified.
- Golf5/10
General access to golf courses in the wider Cork area is reasonable, though no specific courses are immediately adjacent.
- Fishing3/10
The urban-suburban setting does not offer immediate access to primary fishing locations.
- Horse Riding3/10
Equestrian facilities are limited given the suburban context of the property.
- Water Sports3/10
Inland location means water sports require travel toward Cork Harbour or coastal areas.
- Entertaining6/10
The kitchen/dining room and mature rear garden offer good entertaining potential once modernized and refurbished.
Lifestyle
5 areas- Quiet Living8/10
Situated in a quiet cul-de-sac just off the popular Douglas Road, offering a peaceful residential environment.
- Rural Living2/10
This is an urban-suburban setting between Douglas Village and Cork City Centre, offering very little rural atmosphere.
- Village Living8/10
Conveniently located close to Douglas Village, providing a strong sense of local community and accessible amenities.
- Coastal Living2/10
The location is inland in Cork, offering no immediate proximity to coastal amenities.
- Urban Living7/10
Positioned between Douglas Village and Cork City Centre, ensuring easy access to city services, transport, and dining.
Social
6 areas- Community Involvement7/10
Established neighborhood near Douglas Village offering good opportunities for local community engagement.
- Café Culture8/10
Proximity to Douglas Village and Cork City Centre puts a wide variety of cafes and eateries within easy reach.
- Nightlife7/10
Easy access to Cork City Centre and local pubs provides ample options for nightlife.
- Health/Wellness groups6/10
Access to local wellness groups and medical facilities, including St Finbarr's Hospital nearby, is convenient.
- Networking Opportunities6/10
Proximity to the city centre facilitates professional networking and business connectivity.
- Tech-Hub Connectivity6/10
Good general connectivity to Cork's urban center, though specific fiber broadband speeds should be verified.
Listing information
- Agent
- Irish & European
- Phone
- 021 427 7606
- Current status
- active
- Published on HouseDelve
- 9 November 2026
- Correction
- Report an issue
HD-5677C6HouseDelve · Republic of IrelandReport checks
Sources used: Public marketplace, Property Price Register, and grounded web research where available.
Automated quality checks: Passed
* Estimate — not advice. Actual costs and outcomes can vary materially. Obtain current quotations and professional advice before making financial or property decisions.