Roscommon: €475,000 Buyers prepared to settle for a provincial location can sometimes get exceptionally good value.

A good example of this is a five-bedroom Georgian house - Carrowmore House near Roscommon town - which has just come on the market with an asking price of €475,000.

A similar house within 30 miles of Dublin would easily make in excess of €1 million, according to Angus Oates of Roscommon agents ERA Oates Auctioneers.

Carrowmore House stands on almost four acres of mature grounds at the end of a long tree-lined avenue off the Roscommon-Athlone Road.

Roscommon town is less than two miles away.

The two-storey house is in immaculatle condition, having been extended and refurbished less than four years ago.

There are four particularly fine reception rooms, none more so than the drawingroom which is ideal for entertaining.

It is distinguished by aframosia teak wall panelling, recessed mahogany display units and a high ceiling with Waterford glass chandelier and matching wall lights.

The diningroom, which is slightly smaller, but is no less impressive with its oak flooring and large window focussed on the formal gardens.

Much of the activity centres around the kitchen/livingroom which has a lovely atmosphere and is kept cosy by an oil-fired cooker.

There are five bedrooms in all and three bathrooms, including an en suite with the main bedroom.

One of the bedrooms can double as a study or television room for families with children.

Most of the bedrooms have polished timber floors which help to recapture an earlier era.

A walled field at one side of the house will come in handy for familiew wanting to keep a few ponies.

The grounds also include four outhouses, all with electricity and plumbed for central heating, which would allow this accommodation to be used for office or living accommodation.

Carrowmore seems particularly good value at less than €500,000.