Two great locations, but in need of an update

Gennazanno, Grosvenor Terrace, Sorrento Road

The Italian town of Gennazanno is situated atop a rocky outcrop about 25 miles from Rome. It is said to have been a celebrated shrine for the worship of Venus in pagan times, but in the fourth century a church was built on the site and in the Middle Ages a reported apparition caused it to became a shrine to Our Lady of Good Counsel. Pilgrims have worshipped the fresco ever since.

The dormer bungalow of the same name in Dalkey village is also situated on a rocky hill. The house is sequestered off Sorrento Road in a small cul de sac called Grosvenor Terrace where there are about four other houses. The rear of the house looks down to Coliemore Road and through pine and deciduous trees to Dalkey Bay and Dalkey Island.

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The house, built in the 1950s, is for the most part in original condition. It has a square west-facing sittingroom with a very ornate tiled fireplace to the front. There is a diningroom to the rear with a door leading out to the east-facing garden. Across the hall are three bedrooms, one single and two doubles. The whole house needs modernising. It has an F BER rating.

Over the years, the house has been extended to add a narrow breakfast room and adjoining kitchen and a utility room that is housed in a lean-to that borders the property. By extending these rooms out into the garden you could create a bigger space and take advantage of their southern aspect.

These rooms overlook an east-facing walled garden that has a side entrance to the front. It’s a mature space that is very private. You can just about see Dalkey Island through a line of deciduous trees – a view that may disappear when the leaves reappear.

Upstairs is the master bedroom which has an adjoining bathroom complete with an of-its-era turquoise coloured suite. The master overlooks the single-storey extensions below. A clever architect could do something very interesting with this space that could include a terrace or balcony, subject to planning permission.

The house is now 131sq m (1.408sq ft) in size and is asking €665,000 through agents SherryFitzGerald. Dalkey village and Dart station are just a five-minute walk.

Parking is on street and given the narrow nature of the road it could be difficult to find space, especially if you are a two-car family.

Aisling, 1 Cluny Grove, Killiney
Cluny Grove is a residential corner of Killiney that connects Ballinclea Road with Avondale Road. The street has a large green along one side and is populated with dormer bungalows built in the late 1960s.

Aisling, at number one, Cluny Grove, is a deceptively large house that in many ways is in original condition.

The house has a good-size sitting-cum-diningroom that runs the depth of the house. The floor-to-ceiling heights at ground level are 2.6 metres, 20cm higher than the 2.4-metres that is the modern building standard. There is G-Plan furniture in all the rooms.

The kitchen overlooks the sunny south-facing front of the house and looks like it has been preserved in aspic – in a good way. It has chocolate brown units with stainless steel recessed handles that have come full circle back into fashion and a lovely, warm, well cared for parquet floor in the kitchen area.

There is a huge utility room to the rear with access to the garden. Adjacent is the family bathroom, which is comparatively small. The next owner may like to reconfigure these rooms.

There are two more rooms on the ground floor. These are both being called bedrooms but with three good-sized rooms upstairs the next owner may prefer to integrate the end room and garage to the south-facing front to create a large family room.

An open-tread staircase takes you upstairs to a roomy landing with lots of storage under the eaves .

The master suite overlooks the garden and comprises very cool built-in wardrobes with a wash area and a sliding door taking you through to the avocado shower room.

The house has a fine back garden that measures 19.5 metres by 18 metres (64ft by 59ft) It may be north-facing but is big enough to get the afternoon sun.

The 231sq m (2,497sq ft) property has a G BER rating and is asking €845,000 through Sherry FitzGerald.

Belmount Lodge, a detached four-bedroom house of 134sq m (1,442sq ft) built next door in 1999 came to market last October and is asking €795,000 through the same estate agents.

Number 2, Cluny Grove sold last September for €695,000, according to the Property Price Register. Number 31 sold in May 2012 for €590,00.