Best place to buy in Dublin for 300K?

willbeuptuesday

Hi all,

My brother is in the process of moving home from Dubai with his wife and kids, he is hoping to commence work in the Docklands area in March 2017. He was doing some research on line and recons that Adamstown/Lucan is the best value for his money because of the new rail link (Adamstown), established schools, shops etc.. and both him and the wife are close to both N4 and N7 for travelling home to see grandparents. I know Lucan is a decent place to live and the new rail line will certainly help his potential commute but I am wondering for that money is there a better alternative for them?

maximum12

Swords maybe ? The buses go through the port tunnel to docklands.

machalla

There are not going to be a huge number of services to GCD from Adamstown for the moment. Details on times are here for what services are in place.

I believe there are also some decent bus routes gone in there so it does cover transport fairly well.

A more established train route with buses would be Leixlip or possibly Maynooth.

Lumen

Clonsilla to Docklands is less than 25 minutes on the train.

PhoenixParker

Ashtown/Royal canal park is slightly more for a three bed but on train line & close to m50 and new Luas line.

Ongar/Hansfield are also worth a look. On the train line, m3 & again close to the m50.

antoinolachtnai

Swords is good for reason mentioned. Anywhere on the rail lines is ok or good.

But really the issue is schools. Your friend needs to really look at that issue carefully. It will probably drive where he wants to purchase.

daheff

would he move slightly further out? If he were to move to Celbridge hes still on the same train line as adamstown and it would be slightly cheaper. Travel times might be a little longer than adamstown, but not much more...plus i believe there is a slightly better service to Celbridge than adamstown

Idbatterim

those express buses from swords through tunnel potentially best option...

goz83

Baldoyle, or Clongriffin (D13) area. Decent schools locally. Right beside the train stations and plenty of amenities, as well as being close to the seaside and the M50. 3 bed houses coming in at 300k and under.

newacc2015

You would get a house in Drumcondra for about 300k. It isnt going to be mint condition or massive, but the area will be great. You will have no shortage of good schools and services. It will be about 10 mins to GCD on the commuter train

johnnyskeleton

willbeuptuesday wrote: »

Hi all,

My brother is in the process of moving home from Dubai with his wife and kids, he is hoping to commence work in the Docklands area in March 2017. He was doing some research on line and recons that Adamstown/Lucan is the best value for his money because of the new rail link (Adamstown), established schools, shops etc.. and both him and the wife are close to both N4 and N7 for travelling home to see grandparents. I know Lucan is a decent place to live and the new rail line will certainly help his potential commute but I am wondering for that money is there a better alternative for them?

So just to be clear, your brother is out in Dubai at the moment. He's probably built up a nice nest egg of savings from the tax free work but as his kids get older he wants to move them back to Ireland. And he has a job lined up here as well.

So far so good, and he is in an enviable position as far as a lot of people are concerned.

The thing I don't understand though is this:

Why is he looking to buy as soon as he comes back?

If he needs to get a mortgage, they will want him to be permanent and have worked at least 3 months before they will consider a mortgage. So realistically it could take a year to get a mortgage.

I'm guessing, however, that he has 300k in cash and wants to avoid the messing of a mortgage. Would he not consider renting in Adamstown/Lucan first to see if he likes them? He's taking a pretty big risk putting all or most of his savings into buying a house in an area that he is not familiar with.

In my view, it would be worth renting for a year or two in these areas before he makes his mind up. Maybe he will decide he does want a mortgage to buy somewhere a bit more expensive. Or even that he wants to get somewhere cheaper but further out.

Theboinkmaster

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

In my view, it would be worth renting for a year or two in these areas before he makes his mind up.

Good advice imo.

goz83

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

Good advice imo.

It might be, but if he rents somewhere for 2 years, he is looking at the guts of 50k spent in rent. Plus, if the kids are of school going age, uprooting them could be a problem. Also, prices continue to rise, which may then add a need to get a mortgage if the cash budget is 300k. Prices could also crash, so who knows.

Choosing well known, settled areas could also be the best option. I doubt the OP hadn't already considered renting though.

Idbatterim

in terms of a cash buyer, I am really not sure I agree, be done on a year or twos rent and then be done again with what I EXPECT will be further price rises? you could be doing yourself out of lets say 10% a year house price inflation, renting what? E1500 a month sound reasonable?

If going down that route, how long does it take to find out if you like the area, maybe do a 3 or max 6 month let. The areas compared arent exactly comparing blackrock with baldoyle or clongriffin, probably much of a muchness. Schools and the sham that is transport here, would be top of my priorities...

Prices could also crash, so who knows.

yeah they absolutely could, but he wouldnt be in negative equity and will be in a house, i.e. a long term property... while far from ideal, its not being trapped in an unsuitable property...

Rent... the dead money. Until its not

no its not dead money, but I wouldnt always call it the best option either, multiple factors need to be taken into account...

listermint

goz83 wrote: »

It might be, but if he rents somewhere for 2 years, he is looking at the guts of 50k spent in rent. Plus, if the kids are of school going age, uprooting them could be a problem. Also, prices continue to rise, which may then add a need to get a mortgage if the cash budget is 300k. Prices could also crash, so who knows.

Choosing well known, settled areas could also be the best option. I doubt the OP hadn't already considered renting though.

Or could get locked into a house he doesnt want.

Rent... the dead money. Until its not

handlemaster

Dublin 15 area you would get a nice three bed for 300k. As someone said 25 mins approx from clonsilla into town

thierry14

handlemaster wrote: »

Dublin 15 area you would get a nice three bed for 300k. As someone said 25 mins approx from clonsilla into town

Yeah lot of action there now

Companies popping up all over the place too

Rental potential is massive too

Stheno

I live in swords.

The question option to get to grand canal for me is to drive to malahide and get the dart.

Swords express at 725 two weeks ago got into Merrion square at 840

730 dart from malachite is in grand canal by 8am