This house is No 5 in the 10-house Lia Fáil development on Kerry Road in Tower — but it’s the first one up for resale.

Built in 2021, it’s on the market now as the owners, a family of five, are trading up in the locality. Indeed they’re staying so local that the children, aged six, four and one, will be able to go to the same school the eldest is currently attending.

The mum in the family says they’re both ‘blow-ins’ from east and north Cork but have loved discovering Tower as it’s so handy for the city and for getting to work at CUH too: “It’s a really small development and there are lovely neighbours and families here. Even when you go on holidays there’s always someone you can rely on for practical things like bins or post.”

Before they had even moved in they made some changes to the house — claiming what was originally planned as a sitting room at the back of the house for a generous and high-end kitchen.

“We consulted with Emmet of Callan Kitchens in Bandon and he totally got it when we wanted a long island with Dekton work surfaces and integrated Neff appliances and an induction hob and downdraft extractor. They also worked on a very functional boot-room style storage area in the utility room for us.”

The dad is the one with green fingers and worked on raised beds and planted areas featuring an apple tree, strawberries, peas, potatoes, beetroot, and carrots. He’s also the one behind the house name, Tenaya, as it’s the name of the lake in Yosemite where they couple got engaged.

There’s underfloor heating on both floors and the double-height atrium style hall has a warm herringbone flooring, notes agent Jeremy Murphy who hails this home’s “superb balance of contemporary style, energy efficiency and practical family living”.

The good-sized living room is painted in fresh Eden green. And the playroom has one wall painted in fun blackboard paint.

Upstairs, the main bedroom has a walk-in wardrobe and en suite bathroom; and there’s a Stira leading to the floored attic.

It’s a downhill walk to Tower and there’s a playground at the bottom of the hill too: “It’s a lovely walk with the kids (sometimes fuelled by a bag of jellies).”

Cloghroe National School is about 1.5km away.

Tenaya, with its attractive A2 energy rating, is on the market for €720,000.

VERDICT: A superbly finished living space in a 12-home development could be an all-rounder family base.