'Virtual viewings? That’s like your wife asking you if you’d be happy with a cuddle'

Thu, 18 Jun, 2020 - 21:19

Tommy Barker

Tommy Barker says this home at Limeworth deserves a long physical inspection.

Virtual viewings of properties over the past few months served their purpose, and some even resulted in consummated property transactions — but, not everyone was convinced of their worth, even when there was little alternative to them during the strictest measures of lockdown.

“Virtual viewings? Go on out of that; that’s like your wife asking you if you’d be happy with a cuddle,” was the verdict of one, unreconstructed male director of a sizeable Cork city estate agency when asked by the Irish Examiner if he’d be doing virtual viewings.

Well, the wait is over, property lovers can kiss and cuddle and the door is open now to, eh, physical inspections, once proper precautionary measure are taken: wash your hands.

We’re a couple of weeks now into the new normal of viewings, and in the rush to the new embrace, auctioneers have been swept of their feet, are on the road, opening doors, windows, putting out hand sanitisers, and many are remarking how odd it is not to be able to shake even sanitized hands with prospective customers.

Norma Healy of Sherry FitzGerald has just started back doing viewings at 16 Limeworth, as it’s returned to the market after an agreed sale didn’t progress, long after it was put up for sale in 2019.

At a price level of €790,000 (unchanged from last year’s launch price threshold) there might not be a queue out the door, but the tours and inspection will take a bit of time as it’s a 2,800 sq ft home, thanks to its three floors of accommodation.

There’s about three dozen homes in Limeworth, set just south of Ballincollig, within a whirl of the N40 and bypass road, and they’re all detached.

There’s more variation in size than in look, and it’s considered a pretty desirable trade-up address in Cork’s western suburbs and Ballincollig.

The Price Register shows 15 sales in a decade, and four were for over €700,000, while the latest was No 14, selling in summer 2019 for €675,000.

No 16 is a four-bed, with two further attic rooms.

Norma Healy describes it as substantial, with “an abundance of well-proportioned living space” with southfacing patio, detached garage and high standard of finish.