“THE SPACE WAS the first thing that struck us when we came to view it,” says Caroline Hickey of her light-filled and airy home.
“We came into the front driveway and saw that there was a big lawn. That was a big thing for us. We were hoping to have kids so we knew it would be somewhere they could play.”
That was back in 2007, when Caroline and her husband bought the three-bedroom semi-detached in Monasterevin, Co Kildare. Fast-forward to now, and they have two children aged seven and eight; that garden has a climbing frame, basketball hoop and trampoline. “The house has been just right for our family, as we have progressed to different stages,” she says.
Today, the family of four have reached the next stage and are moving on. They put the home on the market with Amove, based in Kildare Town, and it is now sale agreed – the process was over within two weeks.
“It’s such a pretty house, and the position of it is really good – houses in these kinds of estates don’t come up that often,” says Kathy Moran of Amove. The agency brought the property in the Abbeygate estate, built around the turn of the millennium, to market. “So it was a wide ranging buyer base and a very competitive bidding process.”
The property’s listing reached an especially wide range of buyers, she says, because the vendors used a Daft Advantage ad on Daft.ie. “I would be a huge fan of the Daft Advantage ads, particularly where certain properties would have a broader appeal.
People have spent a lot of money on their homes, and you only get one chance to sell – so make it count.
Located in a prime position overlooking the GAA grounds in Monasterevin – a short stroll from the town centre and with access to the railway and the M7 – the house feels immediately bright and airy. This is partially down to the double-height hallway that greets you on entry; but also to a thoughtful renovation which Caroline and her husband undertook over the last number of years.
Their first big move was to make the most of the home’s corner location, extending the paving of the front driveway to make space for two cars as well as any visiting friends or family. They also invested in the garden, creating a secluded and safe place for kids to play with hedges and landscaping work.
Inside, they started by opening up the downstairs space. “Now you can see from the front door right through to back door, and it feels really spacious,” she says.
When you get up in the morning, the sun is beaming through the windows. In the mornings we’d open the double doors and have our coffee with them wide open.
Caroline describes the interior decor as “crisp and clean, yet not cold looking”. “We have some lovely splashes of colour like the orange chair in the living room, the chairs in the kitchen. I liked that it was colourful but we weren’t tied down to it, we could always replace it. We’ve enjoyed making changes together.”
The couple also upgraded the insulation, with new triple-glazed windows adding to comfort levels. With these features alongside the attractive garden, it’s no surprise that the property attracted plenty of interest.
Daft Advantage ads, which secure a premium position and more listing views on Ireland’s leading property platform, can also help ensure more potential buyers see a home, says Kathy. “I would be a huge fan,” she says. “Does it make sense financially? For us, asking vendors to spend that little bit extra – you do get it back.
I’ve never had a vendor come back to us unhappy with it. If I had my way we’d put all our houses on Daft Advantage.
As a Daft Premier Partner, Kathy is able to offer Daft Advantage positions to property sellers. These ads support vendors with the best positions on Daft. This has helped her small agency to remain competitive with larger businesses, she says. “I had worked previously in a bigger agency, and I maybe felt we would be on the back foot” starting out with a local business. “But I don’t feel that way at all. We feel very supported.”
Meanwhile, it’s onwards and upwards for Caroline and her family after 15 happy years in Abbeygate. “Different things happened and it just felt like a good time to try to sell,” she says. “We haven’t decided where we’re moving to yet. But we know we want to stay local.”
Daft.ie is Ireland’s leading real estate platform. Daft Advantage upgrades are available exclusively through Premier Partner agents to maximise your chances of a great sale. You don’t sell a home every day – so when you do, give it every opportunity to get the very best return.
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