Hampton Square

Kintarō Hattori

Hey Folks,

Can anyone tell me what Hampton Square (off of the Navan Road) is like? Is it a good complex, are the folks there decent, any trouble etc? The lady and myself viewed a fantastic apartment there and are keen to go for it but had never heard of the place.

Treehouse72

I don't quite understand why somebody (and especially a couple) would buy an apartment when every indication is that prices will continue to fall in the coming months. The important implication of this is that the chances that you will be able to trade-up to a house or bigger apartment in the medium term (inside 5 years) are almost nil since you'll be in negative equity within a month of moving in and so won't be allowed to sell until that changes. I would doubt the price you pay will recover inside 10 years since there is a very major oversupply of apartments in Dublin.

There is also the matter of whether apartments are suitable if you plan on having children. Experience of couples who bought apartments over the ast 10 years suggests not, in my experience, thus making the NE point I make above even more important.

I see this one for sale at €225,000:
www.myhome.ie/185088

There are also several units for rent in the complex, the most expensive of which that I can find is €1,000. That means the sales price of €225k above is still too high by, IMO, 30% since a 6% yield would suggest a price around €170,000.

My strong advice therefore would be not to buy at this time, or if you must not to pay more than €170,000.

Kintarō Hattori

Oh we're not buying, we are renting another year as that seems the sensible thing to do.

Treehouse72

Ah, apologies, I misunderstood.