Balbriggan Pros and Cons

Petrina

Hi everyone. Myself and my OH are looking to move from Wicklow town closer to dublin. For our price range the best place seems to be Balbriggan. I have heard alot of mixed things about it. With such good transport links to dublin it seems like the best option of us. Could you tell me the Pros and Cons of Balbriggan. We don't drive, we're looking for a place in the 200k or lower market and we have 3+ dogs so apartments are a no go! Thank so much in Advance

Michael D Not Higgins

Pro: cheap
Con: far away

These are the two main ones. You already know them. It's just a case of whether you'll be happy living somewhere that distance from where you're used to. Do you have kids/plan to have kids? Are your family in Wicklow? Presumably you work in Dublin since you want to move closer, have you considered Bray or Greystones to stay close to your location but nearer to town?

ThatFatGal

I had close friends in both of those towns

Pro: Definitely cheap and it's actually not a bad place to live especially if you have dogs - loads of places to walk/ run your dogs

In my opinion, the public commute is probably better than Wicklow Town - there are buses leaving Abbey street once an hour or so if you're stuck in town and have to come back to Balbriggan

Shopping's quite handy, couple nice shopping centres and close to Swords and Santry - definitely much less driving than you do in Wicklow Town for day to day stuff

Con: FAR! But Wicklow Town is even further I think or somewhat feels that way.

Some areas in Balbriggan are quite nice and scenic but others are a bit ugly looking - this is me being a Gal now.

I think, generally, if you're not too bothered to go into city centre and you're happy to shop locally (as in Swords etc), there's no bother living there. Not having a car might be a bit of a hindrance but if you're living in Wicklow town, I'd say it is pretty similar in regards to that issue.

Petrina

Is Balbriggan full of hills? we live on top of a hill on top of another hill, or so it seems Trying to get shopping is such a pain in the ... There is a bus every hour or else the train at very random times from here. it takes 2hrs on the bus to Dublin City. In laws are in Wicklow town but some distance would be nice My other half is hoping to study veterinary nursing in UCD or Dundalk but we won't know which one till July and we moved into this house a couple of weeks before college started and it was way too stressful. We want to be in an settled before college starts. I will be going to college in Blackrock or Dun laoghaire or hoping to get a job in or near the area we will be living in.

ThatFatGal

I think Balbriggan is quite flat - not like Wicklow town definitely. Also, most of the developments are on flat lands - kinda boring looking but I suppose all commuter towns looks very similar these days.

Depending on where you live, you will be able to actually walk to shops to do groceries - good 10 min walk will get you to Lidl, Dunnes, Tesco and Supervalu.

Petrina

ThatFatGal wrote: »

I think Balbriggan is quite flat - not like Wicklow town definitely.

Sounds good to me! Not driving and hills does not make weekly shopping fun haha!

P_1

Petrina wrote: »

Is Balbriggan full of hills? we live on top of a hill on top of another hill, or so it seems Trying to get shopping is such a pain in the ... There is a bus every hour or else the train at very random times from here. it takes 2hrs on the bus to Dublin City. In laws are in Wicklow town but some distance would be nice My other half is hoping to study veterinary nursing in UCD or Dundalk but we won't know which one till July and we moved into this house a couple of weeks before college started and it was way too stressful. We want to be in an settled before college starts. I will be going to college in Blackrock or Dun laoghaire or hoping to get a job in or near the area we will be living in.

Do either of you drive? Commute wise, I did Balbriggan-UCD by public transport for 3 years and it is a long 2 hour slog each way which can become quite the drain. Balbriggan-Dundalk is maybe a 45 min drive each way.

Facilities wise, Balbriggan is well stocked when it comes to supermarkets, takeaways and pubs.

You do have the beach and Ardgillan nearby if you are into your walks or cycling.

My own thoughts on Balbriggan are that it'd ba a delightful place to live if someone could pick it up and move it about 20 miles to the south :cool:

Millem

Petrina wrote: »

Hi everyone. Myself and my OH are looking to move from Wicklow town closer to dublin. For our price range the best place seems to be Balbriggan. I have heard alot of mixed things about it. With such good transport links to dublin it seems like the best option of us. Could you tell me the Pros and Cons of Balbriggan. We don't drive, we're looking for a place in the 200k or lower market and we have 3+ dogs so apartments are a no go! Thank so much in Advance

I would pick balbriggan wicklow town is too far out and there is no comparison with transport. skerries is also nice but I think maybe more expensive? Nice beach for dogs. The train is brilliant but you mightn't get a seat but flies into city centre also you have the m1. You could also look further out eg laytown and bettystown as they have the train and matthrews bus (which is amazing) and also m1. (Beach to walk dogs). If your OH went to college in DKIT you might even consider parts of drogheda (it also has matthews bus, train and m1).

zef

Would you consider renting for 6-12 months before you commit to buying in the area?
I know its harder to rent with pets, but it can be done, something i'd look into anyway.
It would give you a better feel for the place and perspective of exactly what estate/ area you'd like to buy in.

Petrina

zef wrote: »

Would you consider renting for 6-12 months before you commit to buying in the area?
I know its harder to rent with pets, but it can be done, something i'd look into anyway.
It would give you a better feel for the place and perspective of exactly what estate/ area you'd like to buy in.

Trying to find somewhere that allows dogs and is in our price range seems impossible It is the better option of course.

zef

Yeah, I had a look for you , 6 or so houses in balbriggan to rent atm on daft.
Rent 825 varied from 2,000 pm, and NONE accept pets.
I have 3 cats, want to live in Maynooth and rent out my D.15 house for 3 years because the commute takes allmost 2 hours each way but it's difficult with pets. And I wouldn't dream of giving them up.

handlemaster

Have y ou looked at Dublin 15 ? Has everything you could want. Check out dublin 15 forum

Moonbeam

I bought a house a house in Balbriggan many years ago, but we decided to leave Balbriggan for Maynooth.
There is no comparison between the towns Maynooth is a way better place to live.
Balbriggan has the beach and for me was near enough to Newry (45 minutes) There is a train to Dublin City and it is fairly regular.
I met some lovely people in the town and was involved with the local youth club and other organisations but the town looks very run down.
The commute is way easier then from Wicklow town,I did both.
As far as house prices go you don't get much better then Balbriggan but buy in one of the old parts and not the new houses,there were a lot of pyrite issues and 9 years later some of them are only coming to light.
There are some nice parts of Dublin 15 that are worth a look too,Roselawn,Hartstown and if you like it even Ongar.

jsabina

I am in the same boat.
I have two dogs and I am househunting same price range!
I am considering Balbriggan, that's why I found this thread.

Renting is hard and Ongar is not that easy for commuting, bus takes long and train you have to change!

Following the thread to have more info on balbriggan!

ted1

Petrina wrote: »

Hi everyone. Myself and my OH are looking to move from Wicklow town closer to dublin.

Not being smart but is ballbriggan really closer to Dublin that wicklow town?

borderlinemeath

ted1 wrote: »

Not being smart but is ballbriggan really closer to Dublin that wicklow town?

20km closer actually. And driving you don't hit a set of traffic lights on the Motorway until Whitehall church, whereas the multitude of lights on the Stillorgan Dual Carriageway would do your head in. Both on the train line so no difference there.

https://www.google.ie/maps/dir/Wicklow/James+Joyce+Centre/@53.1671126,-6.4270486,10z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x4867b0b5d9502859:0x284e79fbf541a3e7!2m2!1d-6.044589!2d52.9808207!1m5!1m1!1s0x48670e8704286b57:0x84fb6f6c66bf03c!2m2!1d-6.26004!2d53.354176!3e0

https://www.google.ie/maps/dir/Balbriggan,+Co.+Dublin/James+Joyce+Centre/@53.4811986,-6.3593113,11z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x486722c374970fb3:0xa00c7a99731d490!2m2!1d-6.1820798!2d53.6083194!1m5!1m1!1s0x48670e8704286b57:0x84fb6f6c66bf03c!2m2!1d-6.26004!2d53.354176!3e0

ted1

borderlinemeath wrote: »

20km closer actually. And driving you don't hit a set of traffic lights on the Motorway until Whitehall church, whereas the multitude of lights on the Stillorgan Dual Carriageway would do your head in. Both on the train line so no difference there.

https://www.google.ie/maps/dir/Wicklow/James+Joyce+Centre/@53.1671126,-6.4270486,10z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x4867b0b5d9502859:0x284e79fbf541a3e7!2m2!1d-6.044589!2d52.9808207!1m5!1m1!1s0x48670e8704286b57:0x84fb6f6c66bf03c!2m2!1d-6.26004!2d53.354176!3e0

https://www.google.ie/maps/dir/Balbriggan,+Co.+Dublin/James+Joyce+Centre/@53.4811986,-6.3593113,11z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x486722c374970fb3:0xa00c7a99731d490!2m2!1d-6.1820798!2d53.6083194!1m5!1m1!1s0x48670e8704286b57:0x84fb6f6c66bf03c!2m2!1d-6.26004!2d53.354176!3e0

So not much closer, if your going to be driving in to the city each day, you would be better off moving to the city, the savings you make on fuel would cover difference in accomodation costs

borderlinemeath

ted1 wrote: »

So not much closer, if your going to be driving in to the city each day, you would be better off moving to the city, the savings you make on fuel would cover difference in accomodation costs

20km is a fair distance.

The OP is looking at Balbriggan from a purchasing point of view, if they could afford to live closer to Dublin City Centre I'm sure they would have stated it, given that they will be commuting to college. From a commuting point of view, the distance is certainly more evident when you look at train fares, Balbriggan to Dublin Connolly is €5.75 (todays purchase price) but Wicklow town to Connolly is €12.20.

kandoola

borderlinemeath wrote: »

20km closer actually. And driving you don't hit a set of traffic lights on the Motorway until Whitehall church, whereas the multitude of lights on the Stillorgan Dual Carriageway would do your head in. Both on the train line so no difference there.

Huge difference in the time it takes the train to get in though.
That Wicklow train journey is soul destroying.

Moonbeam

Balbriggan is also in the DUblin area commuter belt for tax saver tickets.