Information Required on Athlone

CKitty

Hi All,

We are looking into purchasing a home in or around Athlone. As we do not know the area we would like your advice...

Our Priorities are the house must be in a nice area, not too isolate, and it is essential that we are able to get broadband internet.

We have children so a good school is a must.

Thank you in advance for any advice/recommendations given

Zubeneschamali

Some info in this thread:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056180776

What sort of house would you like? Size? Distance from town? Garden?

How old are the kids?

CKitty

Thanks for your reply,

We are looking to buy a 3/4 bed property on about 0.5 acres I'd prefer a Dormer but its not essential.

Garden manageable not to huge as the other half would then insist on one of those sit on mowers

Price <170k. Approx 10 mins drive from town, I have family in Ballinahown so I would like to be close to them but there it is a little remote for us.

Key is the ability to have broadband internet connected to the area.

As for the children we have a 7 and 11 yr old but only the 11 yr old requires schooling.

Thank you for the thread link, I'm sure that will be of some help.

Zubeneschamali

I live in the town, myself, so I don't know what broadband is like further out.

holyhead

. I would plump for Moate. It is only 15 minutes from Athlone with motorway. As an outsider I find Athlone fierce clanish. I am an outsider and find they mix amongst themselves. Not the most welcoming to outsiders. The housing stock in Athlone is quite poor and you are likely to get a more substantial house for the same money in the likes of Moate. Moate maybe more welcoming to oursiders. Moate has all the essential services you could need. Not aware of how good broadband is out there. However given where your relatives live you would be fairly close to Ballinahown. You can cut across through Castledaly. Ckitty best of luck in your house hunting

CKitty

Thank you Holyhead for your reply, I will look into Moate, I've seen a lot of properties are available in Mullingar too any views on that town?

holyhead

Ckitty I have only ever passed through Mullingar. Two towns I quite like are Longford and Roscommon. Both towns, though small, have all the necessary facilities, a nice selection of decent detached houses and are friendly. Both towns have a plethora of supermarkets, schools, etc. Athlone is very higgeldy piggeldy in structure. There's a definite shape to Longford and Roscommon. I think it lends for a better atmosphere in these towns. Athlone lacks a proper main street. I know your probably wondering what this has to do with looking for a house. However it does impact on the quality of life you will have in a place.
Tullamore is a fine town with a nice selection of detached houses. It has a proper town center although I think the out of town retail parks are hurting it badly retail wise. I would imagine a town like Tullamore would have good schools. It has all the main shops. A town that size is bound to have good schools surely. I pass through Tullamore on commute and its a fine spot. Worth considering. Wouldn't give Clara too much thought.

tubos

holyhead wrote: »

. As an outsider I find Athlone fierce clanish. I am an outsider and find they mix amongst themselves. Not the most welcoming to outsiders.

I wouldn't totally agree with that, I'm in Athlone over 3 years now and have made a lot more friends than I ever had in Dublin, and many of them are born and raised in Athlone or surroundings.

I really think Athlone is a great spot and a great place to raise kids.

holyhead

Tubos glad to hear you like Athlone. Different people can have different experiences. Ckitty I forgot to mention Birr. Birr is a lovely heritage town with some fine detached houses. It about 25 miles from Ballinahown and would have all the required facilities. I would imagine its friendly but couldn't testify to that effect. Bear it in mind though. Best of luck with your search. I would be very reluctant to advise you to live in Athlone despite Tubos positive experience.

neaideabh

Your best bet for any residence in athlone is in Coosan! Lovely area. 10 min walk from town, 10 minute walk from the lake. Right beside school, motorway, church.

AckwelFoley

neaideabh wrote: »

Your best bet for any residence in athlone is in Coosan! Lovely area. 10 min walk from town, 10 minute walk from the lake. Right beside school, motorway, church.

Have to agree with this poster

Cant wait to get out of here.

Oh_Noes

neaideabh wrote: »

Your best bet for any residence in athlone is in Coosan! Lovely area. 10 min walk from town, 10 minute walk from the lake. Right beside school, motorway, church.

Agreed on this, there are two areas called Hill Quarter and Meehan Quarter down there that are in a really nice spot. Very near the lake, very near town. Near Coosan School, which is definitely one of the better primary schools.

I doubt there'd be any hassle with broadband out there either.

TUBBY

Glasson is a nice spot and no prob with broadband. One of the best national schools in the county there. there are even loads of kids from athlone and ballymahon who go there.

Also, a nice little place would be knockroghery but it is on the roscommon side of athlone so far from b/hown. however, you would get a great house there for 150K.

athlonelad

http://www.daft.ie/searchsale.daft?id=581698

Great house in Coosan area. Another one for sale beside it. Its between the rugby club and Coosan Church. Cant get much better than that.




http://www.daft.ie/searchsale.daft?id=581663

This is an older estate. They are nearly all owner occupied and i remember houses going for nearly 300k in this estate. Ballymahon road. They would be my top two of whats on Daft.

Id also safely say to avoid the newer estates out in the monksland area. It seems like your getting a good deal until you realise that most of the houses are rental ones. Not that there is anything bad with rented houses its just sometimes they are not as "neighbourly"

Oh_Noes

athlonelad wrote: »

http://www.daft.ie/searchsale.daft?id=581698

Great house in Coosan area. Another one for sale beside it. Its between the rugby club and Coosan Church. Cant get much better than that.

That's a beaut of a house, was in one of those first row in Coolevin, a few doors down from that recently and they are seriiously nice houses inside, very big and nicely laid out.

200K seems a lot in the current market but those are really in the upper range of houses you'll find un the area.

neaideabh

Oh_Noes wrote: »

That's a beaut of a house, was in one of those first row in Coolevin, a few doors down from that recently and they are seriiously nice houses inside, very big and nicely laid out.

200K seems a lot in the current market but those are really in the upper range of houses you'll find un the area.

I agree on this one.... If i was selling this house,I would look for €250k, however, i I was buying I'd offer €180k
:D:D

veryangryman

neaideabh wrote: »

I agree on this one.... If i was selling this house,I would look for €250k, however, i I was buying I'd offer €180k
:D:D

Simple - contact them and offer 150K - gauge their reaction.

Id imagiine you could get for 180

CKitty

Thanks all for all the advice and information, We have decided to head over to stay with my family at the end of the month in the hope to look at the areas. The houses look very nice but have decided it must be a bungalow now as my mobility has declined (have a spinal condition, stairs are a challenge).

Coosan sounds great, and near the town would be good as we are also looking to start up a business.

I appreciate all the effort everyone has gone to in replying to my post. Thank You!!