Countryside and cows over the wall are part of the charm at €595k West Cork home

AN 18-year-old home with a B2 energy rating is nothing to be sniffed at, so kudos to the family that built this Carhue property and maintained it over the years. It's a fine 244 sq m residence on about half an acre, much of which they landscaped themselves, adding a lovely feature pond to encourage biodiversity during the pandemic. 

The garden is geared towards easy maintenance - lots of lawn with trees and shrubs at the borders. 

The house is in a peaceful, rural location, with cows over the garden wall, about five miles west of Bandon town. 

There's terrific space for a growing family, with a slew of ground floor rooms. 

The kitchen/dining room is open to a family room; there's a separate living room, a home office/playroom, a utility and guest WC all on the ground floor, and also an en suite bedroom that could come in handy for an au pair, or perhaps a less mobile family member. Four more bedrooms are overhead plus the main family bathroom.

Selling is David Busteed of Sherry FitzGerald Brennan Busteed and he's says it's "a turnkey property that has seen one family reared and is ready now for another".

A detached 400 sq ft garage could also serve as a home office or gym.

VERDICT: Ideal family fare. B2 energy rating means a buyer will qualify for more attractive green mortgage rates.