
Rath, Ardcath, Garristown, Co. DublinA42T259
€385,000
3 Bed~1 Bath~79 m²~BER G
What you'll like:
- Tranquil countryside setting: Nestled in a peaceful rural location, this property offers buyers a quiet retreat with beautiful uninterrupted views across open fields and rolling countryside.
- Generous plot size: Set on approximately 0.3 of an acre, the expansive grounds provide ample outdoor space for gardening, recreation, and family activities.
- Charming bungalow layout: The single-storey configuration offers accessible accommodation without stairs, making it ideal for various life stages and long-term comfort.
- Inviting living room: The central living area features a traditional open fire, creating a warm and cozy focal point for relaxing winter evenings.
- Functional kitchen space: A bright kitchen provides direct access and pleasant views to the outdoor grounds, making it convenient for everyday family meals.
- Three comfortable bedrooms: The property includes three distinct bedrooms, offering flexible accommodation for family members, guests, or a home office setup.
- Main family bathroom: A well-appointed bathroom services the household, providing essential amenities centrally located relative to the sleeping quarters.
- Expansive rear garden: The exceptionally spacious rear garden holds immense potential for landscaping, outdoor entertaining, or hosting family barbecues during warmer months.
- Dedicated garage space: A practical garage structure delivers excellent extra storage for tools, recreational gear, or serves as a functional workshop area.
- Convenient commuter access: Despite the rural feel, the home remains close to surrounding villages and established commuter routes, balancing quiet living with accessibility.
- Off-street parking: The site includes dedicated parking space off the public road, ensuring convenient and secure vehicle accommodation for residents and visitors.
- Mature surrounding environment: Established greenery and mature grounds give the property an established, private feel that newly built developments often lack.
- Future expansion potential: The sizable 0.3-acre site offers great scope for potential extensions or improvements, subject to obtaining the necessary planning permissions.
- Stable asking price: Recorded asking price history shows the price has remained steady at 385,000 euros, indicating a consistent valuation strategy by the seller.
- Detached privacy: As a detached structure, the home provides greater acoustic privacy and separation from neighbors compared to semi-detached or terraced alternatives.
- Natural light integration: The functional layout features windows designed to maximize brightness throughout key living spaces and sleeping quarters.
- Outdoor lifestyle appeal: The combination of open views and large gardens strongly supports a desirable lifestyle focused on gardening and outdoor relaxation.
- Storage versatility: Beyond the main dwelling, the garage and large site ensure plenty of options for storing bicycles, seasonal items, and maintenance equipment.
- Clear development vintage: Built in 1971, the property represents a classic mid-century construction style favored by buyers seeking traditional character and proportions.
- Viewing recommendation: The selling agent actively recommends physical viewings, allowing prospective buyers to fully appreciate the unique setting and potential firsthand.
But keep in mind:
- Poor energy rating: The property holds a G energy rating, indicating severe thermal inefficiency that will likely result in high heating costs and cold drafts.
- Substantial upgrade costs: Due to the G energy rating, the buyer should budget significantly for comprehensive insulation, window upgrades, and heating system overhauls.
- Oil-fired central heating: The home relies on OFCH, which requires active fuel management and can be subject to fluctuating oil prices compared to modern gas or heat pump systems.
- Compact floor area: Measuring 78.78 square meters, the compact footprint may feel restricted for larger families or buyers needing extensive indoor storage space.
- Single bathroom constraint: Having only one bathroom to service three bedrooms could create household bottlenecks during busy morning routines.
- Older construction era: Built in 1971, the property may conceal aging electrical wiring, outdated plumbing, or hidden structural issues requiring professional inspection.
- Planning permission caveats: Any future extensions or major structural enhancements to the expansive gardens remain subject to strict local planning permissions.
- Rural isolation factors: While peaceful, the countryside location means residents must rely heavily on private transport for daily errands, shopping, and commuting.
- Septic tank verification: Buyers must thoroughly investigate the presence and condition of any private wastewater treatment or septic tank systems serving the rural site.
- Water supply checks: Due to the countryside setting, purchasers should verify whether the property relies on a private well or public mains water supply.
- Insulation deficiencies: The low BER rating strongly suggests inadequate wall, attic, or floor insulation that will demand immediate remediation for comfortable living.
- Ventilation and damp risks: Older bungalows with low energy ratings often struggle with condensation and ventilation, requiring checks for hidden dampness.
- Window and door efficiency: Original or older window frames may suffer from degraded seals, leading to heat loss and increased external noise infiltration.
- Roof condition due diligence: The buyer should commission a detailed survey to assess the lifespan and structural integrity of the roof timbers and coverings.
- Boundary verification: Given the rural setting, purchasers must ensure their solicitor carefully verifies all site boundaries and land registry maps for the 0.3 acres.
- Limited local amenities: Immediate walking access to shops, schools, and social infrastructure is minimal, requiring short drives for basic necessities.
- Open fire efficiency: While charming, the open fire in the living room is notoriously inefficient for whole-house heating and can draw warm air up the chimney.
- Future retrofit disruption: Carrying out the extensive energy upgrades needed to improve a G-rated home will cause significant disruption to daily living.
- Uncertain market demand: The niche appeal of a rural, unmodernized bungalow might limit future resale liquidity compared to modern suburban housing stock.
- Professional opinion necessity: Given the disclaimer that particulars are for guidance only, buyers must rely on their own independent professional surveys to uncover latent defects.
Price positioning
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- The asking price appears somewhat undervalued given the surrounding market context, primarily because the property carries a very low G energy rating that will necessitate substantial immediate capital investment to upgrade energy efficiency standards and general insulation.
- Signals of potential under-valuation stem from the compact seventy-nine square metre floor area and the G energy rating, which together create a discount relative to larger or more modern homes trading in the wider rural locality.
- A factor that could heavily undermine this pricing level is the significant cost and logistical challenge of deep retrofitting required for a G-rated bungalow, while factors supporting the price include the desirable 0.3-acre site and garage space.
- Additional relevance comes from the historical asking price remaining entirely unchanged since initial observation, indicating a firm initial pricing strategy by the vendor with limited near-term downward pressure evident in the listing history.
Build Analysis
What we know from similar construction types
- The property is a detached bungalow built in 1971 with a floor area of approximately 78.78 square metres, situated on a 0.3-acre site.
- Given the 1971 construction date, a buyer should investigate the potential presence of older building materials, the condition of the electrical and plumbing systems, and the insulation levels.
- The presence of an open fire in the living room should be inspected for proper chimney maintenance and compliance with current safety standards.
- The property features oil-fired central heating (OFCH), so the age and efficiency of the boiler should be verified.
- The large rear garden and garage offer potential for future enhancement or extension, though any structural changes or extensions would be subject to obtaining the necessary planning permissions.
Retrofit Cost*
Possible renovating / insulating expenditure
- The property has a G BER rating, indicating very poor energy efficiency and high potential heat loss.
- A comprehensive deep retrofit for a detached bungalow of approximately 79 square metres typically ranges from €50,000 to €80,000, depending on the scope of works.
- Estimated works would likely include external wall insulation, upgrading attic insulation, replacing old windows and external doors with high-performance double or triple glazing, upgrading the heating system to a heat pump or modern condensing boiler, and installing renewable energy systems such as solar panels to significantly improve the energy rating.
Heating cost*
Estimated expense to heat this property every year
- Estimated annual heating cost: 2,500 to 3,200 euro.
- Explanation: Given the property has a G BER rating and uses oil-fired central heating (OFCH) across a floor area of approximately 78.78 square meters, thermal efficiency is expected to be very low, resulting in higher than average energy consumption.
Pollution Safe
9/10Environmental situation to investigate
- The property is located in a quiet agricultural countryside setting with no major heavy industrial facilities, incinerators, or large active landfills in immediate proximity.
- Any historical or localized agricultural waste management practices should be verified as part of standard pre-purchase environmental due diligence.
Flood Safe
8/10Water overflow reports to follow up
Recent Local Sales
Verified residential transactions published in the previous five years
Sales on the same street or estate
IRISHTOWN, ARDCATH, GARRISTOWN
- Sale date
- Declared sale price
- €420,000.00
CLOGHAN, ARDCATH, GARRISTOWN
- Sale date
- Declared sale price
- €685,000.00
CLOGHAN, ARDCATH, GARRISTOWN
- Sale date
- Declared sale price
- €280,000.00
Recent sales in the wider Garristown area
NEWTOWN LANE, GARRISTOWN, COUNTY DUBLIN
- Sale date
- Declared sale price
- €432,500.00
ARDCATH, GARRISTOWN, DUBLIN
- Sale date
- Declared sale price
- €525,000.00
10 GARRISTOWN ORCHARD, GARRISTOWN, DUBLIN
- Sale date
- Declared sale price
- €575,000.00
HILL OF GARRISTOWN, GARRISTOWN, COUNTY DUBLIN
- Sale date
- Declared sale price
- €66,000.00
NEWHAGGARD, GARRISTOWN, CO DUBLIN
- Sale date
- Declared sale price
- €315,000.00
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: €3,850 — 1% of €385,000.
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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: approximately 1,500 to 3,000 euro plus VAT and outlays.
- Land registration fees: approximately 400 to 800 euro depending on the property value and registration type.
- Property valuation fees: approximately 150 to 300 euro for a standard mortgage valuation.
- Surveyor fees: approximately 500 to 1,200 euro depending on the level of detail required for a structural survey.
- Annual home insurance: approximately 400 to 800 euro depending on the level of cover chosen.
Forum Talk
What people are saying about this area
- Residents in the Ardcath and Garristown areas frequently highlight the peaceful, rural nature of the community along with a strong sense of local identity.
- Community discussions often center around the convenience of rural living while maintaining reasonable commuting access to Dublin and surrounding towns.
- Local groups regularly share updates on rural road maintenance, community events, and local infrastructural developments.
- Prospective buyers in the area often discuss the charm of countryside properties alongside the typical considerations of rural septic tanks, oil-fired central heating, and property upgrades.
LifeFit Assessment
How well this property may suit your lifestyle
Family
7 areas- Young Children6/10
The property features a spacious 0.3-acre garden and a safe rural setting ideal for young children to play, though the lower floor area of 78.78 m² may feel compact as families grow.
- Teenagers4/10
With three bedrooms and a single bathroom within roughly 78 square meters, space is limited for teenagers, and the rural location lacks independent public transport links for older youths.
- Multi-generational Living2/10
A single-bathroom, three-bedroom bungalow of 78.78 m² lacks the independent living space or footprint needed to comfortably accommodate multiple generations under one roof.
- Single Buyers5/10
Affordable at an asking price of €385,000, a single buyer might appreciate the detached nature and garden space, but the heavy maintenance and G energy rating require careful financial and physical upkeep.
- Couples7/10
The home offers a cozy layout with an open fire, three bedrooms, and expansive gardens, making it a charming retreat for couples looking to escape urban environments.
- Empty Nesters7/10
Single-level bungalow living suits empty nesters looking to downsize to manageable accommodation without stairs, though the G BER rating indicates potential energy efficiency upgrades may be required.
- Retirees7/10
The absence of stairs in this detached bungalow provides excellent potential for aging in place, provided that retrofit works are undertaken to improve the G-rated energy performance for comfort.
Work
3 areas- Remote Working6/10
The peaceful environment suits home working, though buyers should verify local broadband speeds and connectivity infrastructure before committing.
- Hybrid Commuting5/10
Conveniently close to commuter routes, the location allows for hybrid commuting, though reliance on a car is absolute given the rural address.
- Retired8/10
Single-level bungalow living and a tranquil setting make it very attractive for retirees, subject to modernizing the G-rated energy systems for comfort.
Practical
8 areas- Ageing in Place8/10
As a detached bungalow with all accommodation on a single level, it is structurally well-suited for aging in place, though thermal upgrades are necessary.
- Low Maintenance5/10
While the single-level footprint is manageable, the 0.3-acre gardens require regular upkeep, and a G BER rating suggests potential maintenance or retrofit works.
- Secure Gated Entry2/10
The listing details off-street parking and a garage but does not mention secure gated entry, which a buyer would need to install if desired.
- Minimalist Design4/10
The home retains a traditional countryside cottage feel with features like an open fire rather than a stark minimalist architectural style.
- Flexible Floor Plans4/10
With a compact floor area of 78.78 m² comprising three bedrooms and one bathroom, layout flexibility is relatively limited without undertaking significant expansion.
- Heritage Home3/10
Built in 1971, the property is a mid-20th-century bungalow rather than a protected historic heritage home.
- Ecological Setup2/10
The property has a G BER rating, indicating poor energy efficiency that would require substantial ecological and thermal retrofitting to meet modern green standards.
- Outdoor areas9/10
Set on 0.3 acres, the property boasts front and rear gardens with uninterrupted views across open fields, complemented by a useful garage space.
Interests
9 areas- Gardening9/10
A standout feature is the large and exceptionally spacious rear garden on a 0.3-acre site, offering immense potential for gardening enthusiasts to cultivate plants and landscape.
- Walking7/10
The surrounding quiet country roads offer pleasant walking routes amid rolling fields, though walking directly to commercial amenities is impractical.
- Gym2/10
There are no gyms within immediate walking distance, requiring travel to nearby towns or the establishment of a home gym setup in the detached garage.
- Cycling6/10
The rural roads provide scenic cycling routes, though narrow country lanes without dedicated cycle tracks demand caution regarding vehicular traffic.
- Golf5/10
While rural locations in this region generally require a short drive to reach local golf clubs, the specific proximity to courses should be verified by the buyer.
- Fishing4/10
There are no notable fishing amenities mentioned on-site, though inland angling opportunities may be found within the wider region upon further investigation.
- Horse Riding6/10
The countryside setting and rural roads are characteristic of areas popular for equestrian pursuits, with potential stable options nearby to be verified.
- Water Sports1/10
The inland rural setting lacks proximity to rivers suitable for water sports, lakes, or coastal waters.
- Entertaining7/10
The property features a welcoming living room with an open fire and a large rear garden that provides an ideal setting for barbecues and outdoor social gatherings.
Lifestyle
5 areas- Quiet Living9/10
Nestled in the peaceful countryside of Ardcath with uninterrupted views across open fields and rolling countryside, this property offers a remarkably tranquil environment.
- Rural Living10/10
Positioned on 0.3 acres surrounded by mature grounds in a rural setting, the property delivers an authentic country lifestyle with a detached garage and open views.
- Village Living6/10
The location provides convenient access to surrounding villages, bridging rural isolation with nearby community amenities, though daily travel is reliant on private transport.
- Coastal Living1/10
The location is firmly inland within the countryside of County Meath and Dublin borders, offering no proximity to the coast.
- Urban Living2/10
Far removed from city centers or urban hubs, this rural setting requires a significant commute for typical urban services and amenities.
Social
6 areas- Community Involvement6/10
Rural areas like Ardcath typically foster tight-knit local communities centered around nearby village events and local organizations.
- Café Culture3/10
Café culture is minimal in the immediate rural vicinity, requiring travel to nearby towns or villages for coffee shops.
- Nightlife1/10
There is virtually no nightlife or entertainment venues within the immediate rural surrounds.
- Health/Wellness groups4/10
Formal health and wellness groups will require travel to surrounding towns, though the natural surroundings support independent fitness activities.
- Networking Opportunities2/10
The rural location offers very few local professional networking opportunities, making remote channels or travel necessary.
- Tech-Hub Connectivity2/10
The property is located in a rural countryside area far from established tech hubs, meaning connectivity relies entirely on home internet solutions.
Listing information
- Agent
- DNG Tormey Lee
- Phone
- 01 835 7089
- Current status
- active
- Published on HouseDelve
- 28 October 2026
- Correction
- Report an issue
HD-4D2DE6HouseDelve · 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.