Portobello three-bed goes a long way to being perfect city home

In the past, Portobello and its environs was the area of choice for house hunters priced out of Ranelagh and Rathmines across the canal in Dublin 6. But over the past year or so, it is becoming evident from prices achieved that the area is now the star attraction on either side of the canal.

One such property is 37 Synge Street, on the edge of Portobello; it has just been listed as sale agreed – its asking price was €1.5 million.

Another is 42 Longwood Avenue on one of the oldest streets in Portobello which sold in 2018 for €1.025 million – it was seeking €895,000.

Number 3 Longwood Avenue, a property of the same size, 160sq m (1,722sq ft) has now come on the market through DNG seeking €1.15 million. But the difference here is the extent of the rear garden. Number 42 extended to about 14m whereas number 3's garden is 43m long and appears – by satellite view – to be one of the largest gardens in the area.

The property, which lies on the canal end of the avenue, was purchased by current owners, Kevin and Maria Roantree in 2010 for €455,000. "It was a complete wreck, it had a pigsty in the back garden and the only loo was in a lean-to beyond the kitchen," recalls Roantree, director of corporate affairs at the Food Safety Authority of Ireland.

With the guidance of relations who are architects, the entire house was renovated and an extension added to the rear, which now houses a very spacious kitchen-cum-dining area.

The house which dates from the mid-1850s has the usual Victorian layout with two interconnecting reception rooms off the front hallway.

All the old flooring has been replaced by pale oak throughout the ground floor and this marries well with the country-style kitchen in the extension, which is bright thanks to the six overhead Velux as well as glazed doors to the garden.

The property, in turn-key condition, is essentially a new build as it required so much work, has three bedrooms alongside a good-sized family bathroom on the upper floor, and is also soundproofed.

The garden is the real selling point and is currently laid out with some plantings and a children’s play area. It offers huge scope for landscaping as one of the largest gardens in the vicinity.