Loreto Abbey Rathfarnham - opinions?

jayjay2010 · 03-02-2016 11:33pm #1

Hi

Does anyone have any experience living in one of the apartment blocks at Loreto Abbey?

I think the area is pretty mature and safe but I think the transport into city centre might be a bit limited....

Are they nice apartments/well built? Is the area nice? 2 bed apartments are going in around 250k-280k which seems reasonable for the area.

Any opinions welcome!

McGrath5 · 04-02-2016 11:02am

Had a friend who used to live there, never had any complaints.

It's not to far from Holylands in Nutgrove, I know there used to be a troublesome element living around there, but I am not sure what it is like these days.

The 16 goes down Nutgrove Avenue, also if you walk down to Rathfarnham village, the 15B goes straight into the city centre from there.

Theboinkmaster · 04-02-2016 11:05am

jayjay2010 wrote: »

Hi

Does anyone have any experience living in one of the apartment blocks at Loreto Abbey?

I think the area is pretty mature and safe but I think the transport into city centre might be a bit limited....

Are they nice apartments/well built? Is the area nice? 2 bed apartments are going in around 250k-280k which seems reasonable for the area.

Any opinions welcome!

I rented in Moore House for 7 years and absolutely loved it. That block was the first built and much higher standard than the later ones but it was extremely well built. Location is brilliant and no16 bus just outside is very regular.

Our apartment was a corner one south west facing on first floor and sold for about that and I think that's a fair price.

I wouldn't buy on the ground floor.

john kinsella · 04-02-2016 11:10am

Theboinkmaster is 100% right about the first block being the best built.

There has been numerous issues with the plumbing in a good few of the blocks which have lead to water damage to floors etc.

SarahMollie · 04-02-2016 11:30am

I viewed a 2 bed apt here about a year ago, but thought it was too small and not in great condition - this could be down to it being previously rented (I don't know) or if the fixtures just hadnt aged well.

Either way, it wasnt for me.

The things I noticed overall were that there is a Giraffe creche in the grounds of the development - traffic congestion at certain times?

Also, there is a girls secondary school right across the road, so this would also give me worries about trying to get in and out when school is starting/finishing.

Area is fine though. As previous posters have said, there is a bit of an 'element' down towards the Nutgrove direction, but the Grange Road is mostly middle class housing estates.

I ultimately blew my budget and bought in Stillorgan *whelp*

Theboinkmaster · 04-02-2016 3:19pm

SarahMollie wrote: »

The things I noticed overall were that there is a Giraffe creche in the grounds of the development - traffic congestion at certain times?

Also, there is a girls secondary school right across the road, so this would also give me worries about trying to get in and out when school is starting/finishing.

Area is fine though. As previous posters have said, there is a bit of an 'element' down towards the Nutgrove direction, but the Grange Road is mostly middle class housing estates.

I ultimately blew my budget and bought in Stillorgan *whelp*

Creche is absolutely fine - it was just outside our apartment and I didn't mind it at all. A bit busy 5-6 each evening but nothing major.

Loreto secondary school just outside but I worked normal office hours so never bothered me.

No knackers anywhere by and I'd be snobby enough so I think the area is really nice and would recommend it completely.

Theboinkmaster · 04-02-2016 3:22pm

By the way OP I would only buy one of the corner units and that's it, wouldn't recommend the ones in the middle due to lack of light.

We had a corner one in Moore house so large corner bay window in living room and main bedroom and windows in en suite and kitchen. Only places with no windows was main bathroom and hall.

We then had to rent a middle unit in same block for a year and there were only windows one side of it so lack of light was really bad and depressing, no windows in either bathroom or kichen and only one side of living room, with other 3 walls without.

SarahMollie · 04-02-2016 3:31pm

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

Creche is absolutely fine - it was just outside our apartment and I didn't mind it at all. A bit busy 5-6 each evening but nothing major.

Loreto secondary school just outside but I worked normal office hours so never bothered me.

No knackers anywhere by and I'd be snobby enough so I think the area is really nice and would recommend it completely.

Fair enough, as I said, I didnt like the particular unit I viewed (I'm guessing it wasn't in the original block as other posters mention thats better) so I didnt actually put much effort into investigating it after that. Those were just my impressions based on 1 viewing. If the apartment itself had been a better lay out/slightly bigger, none of the above would really have put me off.

Having rented in that area for quite some time before buying though, I stand by saying that there is a bit of an element around Nutgrove, and also Whitechurch up the other end of the Grange Road.

Its not a perfect area but there probably is no such thing.

Theboinkmaster · 04-02-2016 3:53pm

SarahMollie wrote: »

Fair enough, as I said, I didnt like the particular unit I viewed (I'm guessing it wasn't in the original block as other posters mention thats better) so I didnt actually put much effort into investigating it after that. Those were just my impressions based on 1 viewing. If the apartment itself had been a better lay out/slightly bigger, none of the above would really have put me off.

Having rented in that area for quite some time before buying though, I stand by saying that there is a bit of an element around Nutgrove, and also Whitechurch up the other end of the Grange Road.

Its not a perfect area but there probably is no such thing.

agreed about whitechurch and nutgrove but they're sufficiently far away, in 7 years living in loreto abbey I never saw as much as teenagers throwing litter. You have bad elements near everywhere as you say yourself.

each apartment generally has 1 space in underground but there are loads of spare ones - yellow bollards by mgt company to try to rent them didn't work out and there's loads of other "unofficial" spaces, as we had 2 cars parked underground the entire time we were there.

hochnie · 04-02-2016 4:29pm

I agree with boinkmasters sentiment that it is quite a pleasant place to live in a pretty setting. I would say that it had been subject to a few burgalries in the area around moore house while I lived there. My Car was also broken into and vandalised while parked outside the creche and I have seen others with smashed windows.It maybe that area is particularly accessible to get in and out quickly.
If you are working from home or spending anytime at home during the day, the area facing onto the creche is quite noisy (makes conference calls interesting).
Also with the new Gael scoill opening up the available parking near the creche is a lot busier.
The concrete paths(matcrete)have broken up quite badly due to ice the last few years without being repaired and the lower floor of Moore house was up to quite recently subject to leaks due to what appeared to be dodgy window seals.
Other than that. The finest.

SarahMollie · 04-02-2016 4:35pm

Actually one last thing that I almost forgot about, was that when I was there on a viewing, there was a family of ducks and some baby ducklings that were just about the most adorable things I've ever seen. I was a bit worried about them because they were walking around the place and there were loads of cars moving about, so I hope they're still there, having a lovely life!

jayjay2010 · 05-02-2016 8:18pm

Thanks for all the replies guys!

If you could choose between Loreto Abbey and Rockfield/Riversdale in Dundrum, which would you choose?

I think Dundrum is a better location especially having the Luas stop there but the apartments were disappointing in terms of size

Theboinkmaster · 06-02-2016 8:26pm

jayjay2010 wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies guys!

If you could choose between Loreto Abbey and Rockfield/Riversdale in Dundrum, which would you choose?

I think Dundrum is a better location especially having the Luas stop there but the apartments were disappointing in terms of size

Loreto abbey easily, far superior apartment but location depends on your needs, you might prefer to be at luas & dundrum town centre whereas I wanted to be away from business of dundrum and closer to parks etc

IRE60 · 07-02-2016 10:41am

I'm was rared in 'Nam! The 'Holylands' thing is something for the past - completely changed from when I was in my teens.

Loretto Abbey is a great complex - well maintained and quiet.

Transport: It's just too far from the Luas - but the 16 is a great service, 15B to John Goge, 17, 61 to Dundrum (luas link) and beyond 75 to god knows where!

In terms of amenities the village is good, parks- Marley and Endas.

Dundrum or 'Nam - the latter in Lorett - positively

RAIMEIS · 11-02-2016 4:33am

I knew a lady who bought a ground floor flat in front of the creche. She complained about the noises and the 5-6pm crowd.

The flat was nice inside but the general looking when you get into the building is quite cheap. To be honest, it looked like a social building in France... And I am not dramatising it.

Also I noticed some drunks in the flats around. Noisy, vulgar and all you can expect from these people.

You will be better off in a house, believe me.

Theboinkmaster · 11-02-2016 12:22pm

RAIMEIS wrote: »

I knew a lady who bought a ground floor flat in front of the creche. She complained about the noises and the 5-6pm crowd.

The flat was nice inside but the general looking when you get into the building is quite cheap. To be honest, it looked like a social building in France... And I am not dramatising it.

Also I noticed some drunks in the flats around. Noisy, vulgar and all you can expect from these people.

You will be better off in a house, believe me.

I lived in the block opposite the crèche for 7 years and can categorically state this as absolute boll!x.

They're apartments not flats.

Moore house excellent build quality and probably some of the best apartments I've ever been in in Dublin.

Never saw or heard a "drunk" in 7 years. Never heard any noisy neighbours or any trouble the place is very settled and quiet. I knew a lot of the neighbours in the block and they were all really nice.

Your friend bought a ground floor apartment in the entrance to a development what else do you expect but noise when everyone getting into the development has to drive/walk past your apartment - what else did she expect.

You don't have a clue what you're talking about.

CaoimheSquee · 11-02-2016 12:51pm

I had friends that lived in a ground floor apartment for about 3 years and I have to say it was a really lovely place.
Quiet, well kept grounds that felt safe, good sized apartments and you rarely heard anything from neighbouring apartments at all.

Mellowbird · 12-02-2016 8:33pm

RAIMEIS wrote: »

I knew a lady who bought a ground floor flat in front of the creche. She complained about the noises and the 5-6pm crowd.

The flat was nice inside but the general looking when you get into the building is quite cheap. To be honest, it looked like a social building in France... And I am not dramatising it.

Also I noticed some drunks in the flats around. Noisy, vulgar and all you can expect from these people.

You will be better off in a house, believe me.

My friend lived in one of these apartments for years. You are definitely getting it mixed up with another location.

SLR22 · 28-03-2016 3:05pm

Other than Moore house, would you recommend any of the other buildings there? Thanks

IRE60 · 29-03-2016 6:26pm

SLR22 wrote: »

Other than Moore house, would you recommend any of the other buildings there? Thanks

All of the apartments are of the same style/finish depending on the number of rooms - the building really doesn't matter.

The Apartments at the back of the complex - overlooking Loreto Primary (Mother Theresa house) are south facing and the higher ones unobscured views of Dublin Mountains - nice!

Theboinkmaster · 29-03-2016 7:50pm

IRE60 wrote: »

All of the apartments are of the same style/finish depending on the number of rooms - the building really doesn't matter.

That's not true the first blocks including Moore house are of a much higher standard and bigger than the later blocks.

SLR22 · 29-03-2016 10:28pm

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

That's not true the first blocks including Moore house are of a much higher standard and bigger than the later blocks.

Do you know what other blocks were part of the first phase? Thanks

Theboinkmaster · 30-03-2016 2:16pm

SLR22 wrote: »

Do you know what other blocks were part of the first phase? Thanks

I'm not sure but if you're walking into the development all the first ones are on the left so as you go deeper into the development your hitting the newer ones ie less quality. Moore house is the first block on the left and they used that as the showhouse to sell the other units.

Look up ones to rent on daft in the different blocks and go see them and you'll soon start to see the difference between the blocks.