Expert advice for buying and maintaining a second home in West Cork.

This article was featured in our Property West Cork 2026 magazine – you can read the full magazine here!

Be honest with yourself about yourself 

That’s the advice from Maeve McCarthy of Charles McCarthy estate agents, Skibbereen. ‘It’s very easy to fall for a farmhouse on the Beara Peninsula on a beautiful summer’s day, but what you need to ask yourself is what does this house feel like in November, or what does it feel like being an hour and a half from the airport, and a good drive from the nearest shop?

The buyer that ends up the happiest is the one who buys for the life they actually live, not just the dream they had on one summer’s day,’ said Maeve. 

Colm Cleary of James Lyons O’Keeffe agrees: ‘A sea view is fantastic, but the reality is that a ‘lock up and leave’ property in an estate may work best for you. Also, grounds and gardens look lovely but ask yourself if you’re prepared to cut grass and hedges every time you come down, or organise  and pay for someone else to do it?

It’s about going in to a purchase with your eyes wide open and getting the right fit for you.’

Buy for the place and not the house

West Cork is full of different types of villages and towns that attract different people and have different vibes, but Maeve advises to buy in the area you’ve got ties to.  

‘If you have connections to Goleen, there is no point buying in Baltimore.

That’s what makes a holiday home worthwhile – being in a place you’re connected to.’  Colm agrees: ‘It’s all very well to fall for a particular property, but how well you know the area should be the real determining factor before purchasing.’

Buy for the now – but with an eye to the future

If there’s kids in the family, being near to swimming spots and sports facilities will be important, says Colm, whereas retired couples may prefer to be within walking distance of restaurants and bars.

Other questions to futureproof the house are: is there scope for a downstairs bedroom, is the garden manageable, will there be a need for an extension and is there room for it?

Connectivity 

Access and connectivity are two things Maeve gets asked the most about.

‘How far is Cork Airport and is there good broadband are among the top questions, as lots of  people intend to work when they come, rather than taking annual leave to visit their holiday home,’ she said. 

How to get the most from your holiday home

‘Frame it as a second home, not a holiday home,’ says Maeve.

‘That means developing connections in the community, getting involved, putting down roots so that you feel like you’re part of the West Cork community and not just here for an odd weekend and two weeks in the summer. Buy into the area and the experience is so much better.’

Colm agrees: ‘There’s also an option to rent out the property when it’s not in use which will provide an income stream. There’s a good demand for holiday rentals especially for properties in towns and villages.”