Tell me why I don’t buy

dr.dundrum

Hello Everyone!

newbie here. I’m browsing houses in Dublin. I work at the airport and my husband works in the city center. We are on rent right now paying 2300 for 2 br.

looking for a house/ apartment to buy. I found these two apartments attractive, planning to go on with one of them.

if you were in my shoes, why wouldn’t you go forward with one of these apartments?

https://www.daft.ie/for-sale/apartment-43-botanic-hall-addison-park-glasnevin-dublin-11/5524036

https://www.daft.ie/for-sale/apartment-apartment-28-addison-hall-addison-avenue-glasnevin-dublin-11/5453811

dkRulez

Few reasons as a newbie who is completing the buying process.

1:- Finglas

2:- Apartment probably occupied by lot of renters, less family and kids, kids forced to stay indoors because of this.

3:- Before rushing into an apartment purchase, I'd prefer to explore options for houses or duplexes first. Buying a home is a significant decision, and I want to be confident I'm choosing the right property, not just settling for the price.

4. If you are buying an apartment, then why not avail HTB, FHS and go for new builds. They maybe bit in outskirts but could less burden financially.

Both house are beautiful and would definitely have lot of landlords interested. Asking price seems 5%+ to the similar apartments sold in past few months.

herbalplants

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058331866/tell-me-why-i-don-t-buy

I think they are quite high priced my opinion. I think you can get a 2 bedroom apartment at a lower price than this in a good area.

J_1980

Only downside I could see is the area. Would check the pobal maps and visit at different times at night.

https://www.johnsiskandson.com/no/case-studies/addison-park-dublin-ireland

these were built by a very well regarded builder Park homes (also done mount st annes, Hanover riverside etc), so build quality should be ok.

SharkMX

Would you like your teenagers going around that area at night when they reach that age?

Would a female be happy walking home at night?

Dont go living in a place where you will be worried about the safety of yourself or your loved ones. Thats not living.

That aside. Ive seen council flats from the 70s that look better than those.

Wouldnt be for me tbh.

JohnnyChimpo

I think it's a good location - right adjacent to a park and the Botanic Gardens, decent transport connections. The location will almost certainly rise in value as the Dublin Industrial Estate just to the west gets redeveloped into a new suburb, and the Metrolink station at Griffith Park being built immediately to the East (with the Glasnevin Station - which will be the most connected interchange in Ireland? - being built 1km to the South).

I much prefer #43 personally.

For me, we looked at a bunch of apartments at the start and I eventually went off the idea for reasons listed above plus management fees and extra hassle with upkeep. Not that houses dont have their own unique hassles but I'm happy with the end-of-terrace we ended up buying.

herbalplants

It is near Botanic Gardens, hardly a bad area.

The Phantom Jipper

The price seems silly to me. I'm familiar with the area and I like it but 375k doesn't feel like great value. I'd rather be living in Northwood in Santry and save the 100k, especially with working in the airport.

retalivity

375k and 2.4k in monthly management fees for 74sqm, there is far better value out there even in dublin.

listermint

Glasnevin is a bad area now.... ah lads. This is the edge of finglas the older part. People commenting don't even know the place clearly.

As for apartments they suit some people and make sense for them. Depends on size of family or no family. If it is for couple I think it's a nice buy. Pricewise maybe the market is that way at the moment. No getting past that

Kurooi

At 380K you'd find bigger houses down the road. Good parts of Finglas, Santry, Whitehall are not bad areas.

Also consider that you might not necessarily be best served by a location mid-way between city center and the airport. If you drive, what about just sticking around the M50. Keying in that apartment to Dublin airport right now it's a 21 minute drive, through m50. To the airport - from Blanch it's 16 minutes. Castleknock 22 minutes, Lucan 22 minutes, Palmerstown 17 minutes, Clondalkin 23 minutes.

Expands your search quite a lot huh? If by car anyway, either way you're hitting the m50. You can find houses, bigger , cheaper, in good areas and your husband might get an easier commute too because that whole area up to Glasnevin the traffic in the morning is awful. I wouldn't plan on taking the car up to the city anyhow.

herbalplants

Penthouse in Smithfield cheaper than those apartments.

https://www.myhome.ie/residential/brochure/apt-28-block-f-smithfield-village-smithfield-dublin-7/4768861

dambarude

What would be the likely medium/long-term price change on an apartment like that in Glasnevin?

rowantree18

I looked at these when they were originally built. One parent had died and the surviving one was thinking of moving.

Firstly, they aren't really near the Botanic Gardens, they're kind of at Glasnevin Cemetery and you'd access the Bots buy walking through the Graveyard. They're up the road (towards the Old Finglas Road) past the Holy Faith Schools which I think sold the land for them. They are definitely Glasnevin, not Finglas. Houses around them are a fortune.

They were OK inside as I recall but the building layout turned me off them. The corridors inside were really long and you got the impression people would just hang around. From where the lift or stairs left you, there could be a long walk to your actual apartment. I don't know how they've stood the test of time. My parent didn't go for it.

dr.dundrum

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121631176#Comment_121631176

Yes I heard Finglas has a bad reputation. We currently have no children and living in an apartment so that is totally ok. Thank you so much for the honest reviews and I'll double check the prices.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121631540#Comment_121631540

Yes correct. The prices at other areas are way less then these two but this place is the perfect place for our needs. And as far as I review, the area is a good one.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121632562#Comment_121632562

I actually checked the pobal map and it is marked as a affluent area. I still not been there personally and check this area yet. But I'll do that.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121633153#Comment_121633153

You are correct buddy. I'm actually worried about myself walking in this area. We are from another country and we are easy to point a finger :( Do you think this area has a bad reputation for racism?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121633507#Comment_121633507

Yes, management fees are like a nightmare! Do you think running a house would cost 100-150 Euro per month?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121637957#Comment_121637957

Unfortunately Santr is still far from the city center.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121639411#Comment_121639411

Is whitehall a good area? How about Beaumont?

GUYS YOU ARE JUST GREAT! Great recommendations and honest reviews! All the best!

The Phantom Jipper

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121662467#Comment_121662467

Not to be harping on about Santry, but it's not overly far from the city centre. It's served by many of the buses that go to and from the airport so has good transport links, and is a reasonably short cycle aswell.

dr.dundrum

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121662889#Comment_121662889

Definitely it is a good choice

duffmann

Nice area. It's a celtic tiger development so check the sinking fund.

SharkMX

I wont quote your questions but i'll answer the question you asked me. There are definitely worse areas. About 2 km up the road is Finglas which is a total dump. But where these apartments are is fine. I would have no problems walking there at night. But I think you could get nicer.

noodler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121635898#Comment_121635898

Thank you!

Wtf is going on in this thread, is it just a bunch of ignorant D4s or do people really have no sense of geography

JohnnyChimpo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121662467#Comment_121662467

"do you think running a house would cosr 100-150 Euro per month?"

Yes... and then some more :D . Imagine, you buy a house and then 2 months later the old boiler breaks down beyond repair. You're probably 6k in the hole once you have a couple of plumber callouts and labour and boiler replacement. Then rinse and repeat that with leaking roofs, electrical faults, plumbing, heating, groundskeeping, bin charges, etc.

Ultimately, I'd rather roll the dice on house expenses, but there's no guarantee that it'll work out any cheaper than management fees.

Cristianc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121637975#Comment_121637975

375 is a lot? Have you seen the price of an apartment in Milltown or Dundrum? You need 500k for a similar one.

earlyevening

Its a very good area. Houses just outside that development cost around a million. There are absolutely no safety issues.

Roberto_gas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121662999#Comment_121662999

what are the pros and cons of sinking funds?

duffmann

The sinking fund is used to pay for big jobs. Usually unforseen jobs. If the sinking funds looks depleted, it may mean that there are problems with the development. A solicitor will advise if the sinking fund is healthy.

dr.dundrum

The first listing is gone by the way

herbalplants

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121755528#Comment_121755528

Well yes you see this a good bit. The listing is gone sale agreed and may come back in 2 months.

dr.dundrum

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121757778#Comment_121757778

Is it sale agreed? When I click on daft it says no listing found. Where do you see it as sale agreed?

herbalplants

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121757786#Comment_121757786

I presumed it was sale agreed but you say listing is gone. So it was withdrawn then

Roberto_gas

Anyone knows how to find builder of a property online? Or u have to ask the auctioneer?)

I personally would not go near apartments, management fees are a joke... Ive heard of people paying the 2000+ per year and then also getting a bill of 5k or more to repair roof or something like that..

Go for a house further north county dublin.. express bus to city is great...

Padre_Pio

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121758666#Comment_121758666

Planning permission on the county council website.

JVince

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121758739#Comment_121758739

People need to understand management fees and there has to be an easier way to get the money from those who delay paying.

They are not a "joke". If you had a house you'd be paying similar type of money.

Bin Charges, (av €300 a year) Insurance premium (excluding contents) (av €450/year), maintenance of common areas including decoration of hallways, garden maintenance etc, and then a "sinking fund" for larger expenditure from time to time. EG road/pavement repairs.

A well run apartment scheme with a professional management set-up can be very attractive. Hence the absolute importance of seeing the management accounts and the level of non payment and the amount in the sinking fund

dr.dundrum

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121758666#Comment_121758666

Would you mind sharing why so you need to find builders

Roberto_gas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121771108#Comment_121771108

well its good to know who build the apartments in case you are going second hand purchase and there are some issues which builder has promised to fix ! Also gives a sense of quality(not a main parameter).

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121771013#Comment_121771013

I do NOT agree at all... definitely do not pay the same amount of money, in any case I would trust myself better to spend my money than a 3rd party. you have only come up with abt 750 there, mgmt fees are 2k - 4k a year!

BTW I dont pay 300 a yr on bin charges, pay about half that (158 to be exact, fixed charge for all waste). Again insurance, my renewal quote was 450, but got that down to abt 350 by ringing around! I did not spend anywhere near 2000 on actual 'repairs' to my house last year, now improvements thats a different story, but they are not covered by mgmt fees :)

This 'magical' sinking fun lol heard so many stories about ppl being charged thousands to get the 'larger' things fixed !!

The only thing I would agree on is IF (couldnt increase that size of that, because its a big IF) they were managed correctly, they might be good, but unfortunately in the real world as it is not there money they are spending they dont care..

JVince

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121774363#Comment_121774363

That you don't have a proper understanding of managing an apartment block, is your own issue.

There are certainly improvements that can be made especially on errant payers which are very costly to chase, but well run management company is beneficial to all owners.

You may have been involved with a poorly run one (and there are many), but don't tar them all with your singular experience.

I've 2 pension properties in two different schemes. Both have very strong management (I checked before i bought), both have sinking funds well in excess of 100k and annual fees are €1650 & €1850 respectively. The huge advantage is the OMC directors are professional in their approach whereas in some schemes you get petty people who see it as their fiefdom and that causes major problems.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121774466#Comment_121774466

Good for you... but see below, as I said I would never buy an apt, so its not my personal experience but other ppl's misery (plural)..

again I would not have spent any where near 1650 on my house last year on repairs or other such costs.. I definitely did not have to worry about / or pay anything towards "There are certainly improvements that can be made especially on errant payers which are very costly to chase," lol I assume a large portion of your 1650 - 1850 is spent on that - good for you :)

As you quoted 300 for waste and 450 on ins, is that what you pay - maybe look into this as your mgmt company are not as efficient as you think :)

lbunnae

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121774466#Comment_121774466

Yeah so you pay shag all on mgt fees. Come back to me when that’s 4 and 5K. Clueless.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121774537#Comment_121774537

I wouldnt say 1650 - 1850 is shag all - especially for what your getting. And this increases all the time, plus the large payouts that are requested for repairs etc, its a complete joke. Again a large portion of the fee is to pay the mgmt company as well for the 'service', I would prefer to do myself, definitely trust myself more

But yeah he is pretty clueless alright, probably gullible is more appropriate :)

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121663471#Comment_121663471

I wouldn’t rule out the entire township or whatever it’s called, of Finglas.

Yes I’m aware of past history of the place but a few things to consider:

1. population of Dublin is going to continue to rise - location location location
2. 2nd and 3rd generations of Finglas people are now firmly there- so it’s a world away from what it was albeit it will never be Foxrock obviously
3. Many of the houses (council) built were built to last - they would also have some gardens and outside parking

If purchased at the right price, even a doer upper would likely save you money compared to this apartment along with - no yearly fees or concerns for demands for payment for big repairs etc

The OP currently has no kids- even if a couple came along a house is usually much better for parents than an apartment - unless there’s a total property crash like we saw in 2008 I don’t see prices of houses in Finglas going down - it’s too close to the city so it will always be in demand.

Given the current housing market, it’s only a matter of time before Finglas becomes a desirable location - any community who’s population is slowly gentrifying will only see houses prices in that area going one way- and that’s up.

If I were limited by the income threashold the OP has and was looking around the north side I’d pick Finglas any day over this place

JVince

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121774537#Comment_121774537

Another who has little understanding that there are many variables.

The average is €1500 - €2500 on low rise apartment blocks which many are. One of mine are in 3 story blocks with no lift and the other is in a 2 story block.

It increases if more services are supplied eg lifts, concierge, large grounds etc.

For the two omc's mine are in they have near 100% payment and a decent sinking fund. But frankly it makes no difference to me whether its €1850 or €3850 once I know the money is properly accounted for.

The reply is in relation to a previous post - maybe read replies in the context they were written. Its not difficult

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121774944#Comment_121774944

man oh man you really like throwing money away :) Makes no difference to you "whether its €1850 or €3850" WOW! I think you will piss alot of ppl off with that statement :)

See you have no response to my points?

Can you show us a typical breakdown of what your management fees were spent on last year i.e. how much you paid and breakdown etc So we can see for ourselves if it is being spent wisely?

Roberto_gas

Good debate... i know people who have bought houses paying 800 management fees ! Depends on what is the setup. You cannot assume if you buy a house you wont have management fees :) !

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121775411#Comment_121775411

Well of course but you can make a decision not to buy a property with mgmt fees, I never would..

Get Real

Debate to be had over management fees maybe etc. But anyone saying location, might be D11 but it is nowhere near finglas in reality.

You're about a 12min walk to the Botanic Gardens, Met Eireann office down the roads and several restaurants/pubs around there.

Cremore/glasnevin would be much more a mature and quiet residential area with bus routes, and commuteable to the City centre.

It's not as if it's some new build in Finglas west. And look, there's good parts of Finglas too. But it isn't that end at all.

o1s1n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121775411#Comment_121775411

You can very much assume the house you are buying has no management fees as it will be stated in the property listing, any searching you do about the development and the contracts you sign when you buy the property.

Literally every step of the way.

Roberto_gas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121776009#Comment_121776009

dont see any fees mentioned in any of the apartments on daft ? yes once u view/query they will tell you ! New builds including houses have management fees afaik !

dr.dundrum

As the OP, I find the debate around mngmt fees useful. However, I like to hear more about which areas in Finglas or Glasnevin is good, better, average etc. I know there are other threads discussing this but still some insight from people living/lived over there would be great. Thanks everyone in advance

...Ghost...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121776672#Comment_121776672

Finglas is mostly a shít hole. Plenty of lovely people live there, but a higher than average percentage of scumbags make it a very undesirable place to buy a home. Luckily, the apartments you are looking at are not Finglas. However, they are expensive. Would you consider the one posted in this thread in Smithfield? Looks lovely and whoever works at the airport would be driving in the opposite direction of traffic to get to work. Personally I wouldn't buy an apartment because of fees, restrictions and in most cases, no way to charge an EV.

SharkMX

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121776672#Comment_121776672

I have a friend who was in a 2 bed own door apartment in a development of about 150 mixed (Block apartments, 3 beds, 1 beds, some with own doors, some in block with hallways).

He was paying €2500 as was every other apartment. He didnt get the use of the fire alarms, corridor cleaning, lifts, corridor heating, lighting etc etc so he felt his portion of the fees was far too high for the services he was getting compared to other types of apartments.

He got himself voted on to the MC and discovered that the others on MC were paying the same fee for much more use of the services. He raised this and looked into a fair way to delegate fees based on the use a property was getting from them. After a bit of pushback he eventually pushed through an amendment that everyone was happy with. His fees dropped to €1500. The 1 bed own door apartments dropped to €800. The ones that required the lifts and corridor maintenance inside the blocks were weighted according to size for those services they used too.

It was a much fairer way to operate the charging structure. So get yourself onto the committee and look out for yourself.