New home sale in Belmont, Stepaside, Dublin 18

Jolisa94 · 08-01-2014 2:17pm

Hi Chakan, I kept the price list from the first launch in August, so here you go:

Avoca (2bed) 265 - 270
Powerscourt (3 bed) 335 - 345
Laragh (4 bed with garage) 365 (this was redesigned in phase 2 and is now a 3 bed, which was selling for 355)
Glencullen (4 bed) 370 - 395

Prices did go up slightly in the subsequent launches, but not dramatically, I think by the end all the Powerscourts were 345 and, of course, the new 4 bed was added at 395. The double fronted house I'm not sure, it wasn't on offer in the first phase, but I think it was around 425.

As regards how many people have signed, we haven't, and I know of another family who haven't signed yet either, with Lilian and Nakom that makes at least 4, and probably a lot more, given that we only got our contract the week before Christmas.

Shedzafew · 08-01-2014 2:50pm

Jared20130204 wrote: »

Hi Nakom,

I think Shedzafew must be talking about phase one buyers. Maybe bully tactics were employed before this thread kicked off but I don't think they're trying anything like that now. Thank god for boards.ie, otherwise We'd all have zero transparency on this.
I take everything agents say with a pinch of salt in general.

Family member bought in phase 2 and was told that it was only them and another party (out of everyone who had put deposits down in phase 2) left to sign. They signed a few weeks ago as both them and their solicitor were happy to proceed. The only reason I brought this up was that for the phase 3 advertsing they claim to have sold 70 homes since August. http://www.myhome.ie/residential/brochure/belmont-4-bed-homes-stepaside-dublin-18/2698664

Jared20130204 · 08-01-2014 2:55pm

Hi Shedzafew,

I have not signed either and I am phase 2 so along with Jolisa94's post above that is 5 people today that haven't, so like I said earlier I would take the agents advice with a pinch of salt....It's so misleading when agents do that to put pressure on people and completely unfair.
How annoying..Anyway threads like these keep things clear. Good luck with phase 3. Hope all the issues are ironed out by then and it goes smoothly for you!

trveller72 · 08-01-2014 4:43pm

Jared20130204 wrote: »

Hi Chakan,

The properties sold are now available to view on propertypriceregister.ie...Just agree to terms on RHS of home page and search belmont stepaside. THere are about 9 up so far.

Hi other Phase 2 people,

The vendors solicitor has come back saying they are awaiting more info. on queries regarding title deeds. All seems to be in "mapping" phase on land registry, which may mean We'll all get clean title on the re-issued contracts. Fingers crossed!
Great re. the Electricity being brought into the house..that was another question my solicitor had. On 10% purchase price deposit... they seem to want that paid directly to the developer, which is unusual. Normally it's held in trust with vendors solicitor until closing.
Did anyone else come across that issue?

Hi Jared,
I put down €5000 deposit for Phase 3.

I also noticed this issue on the contract plus a few more:
- 4 years completion period!!!
- clause related to loan approval was removed
- the plans I received are different from the plans I got from Sherry Fitz, etc.
The contract I received looks like a joke to me (markups and stroked out words, etc.), but I am not a solicitor so I can't say more about this.
All these issues, though, are minor compared to the title issue:
- they do not own (yet) the land that they are selling.
Until this issue is solved my solicitor advised me not to sign.

Hope this helps and thank all of you for keeping this thread updated.

Jared20130204 · 08-01-2014 5:19pm

Hi trveller72,

Sounds like you got a copy of original contract I got.... However they came back with answers to those issues as follows:
-They came back reducing 4 yr completion to 3 mths.
-The plans were revised to match what I had looked at and put deposit down for.
-THey inserted a subject to loan condition,

On the title issue, they are trying to expedite this and will revert on that point...which is the most important one as you know.
I think the majority of solicitors are advising not to sign until the title deed issue is sorted. It's down to the land registry speeding this along I think!

In fairness to the vendors solicitor they cleaned up alot of the issues when queried by my solicitor....

We shall see what happens. I'll keep you posted on any news I receive.

Jolisa94 · 08-01-2014 7:42pm

We have the same issues on our contract:

48 month period for completion

Subject to loan approval clause crossed out

Wrong floor plans

As to the title issues, in the special conditions section, there is a lot of 'the employer shall not raise further objection, requisition or enquiry' in relation the the deeds of transfer. Not at all comfortable with this.

Finally, there is nothing in the 'document schedule' section, book of title, deed of transfer draft, homebond & BER cert - not sure if they should be there at this stage or not.

Going back to the solicitor with our comments tomorrow - have we missed anything?

Whole thing does not inspire confidence, but we are committed now!

Shedzafew · 08-01-2014 7:49pm

Jolisa if you have only paid your 5k deposit you can walk away from it and get your money back as it is refundable up until the 10% is paid upon signing of the contracts

Jolisa94 · 08-01-2014 8:12pm

I know, but we think it's worth pursuing and don't plan to step down unless we have no choice.

We are not in any hurry and it will take as long as it needs to take, just want to be sure everything is in order to avoid any issues in the future.

I know others have completed and some have already moved in, so I'm sure we'll get there too in the end.

chakan · 08-01-2014 11:42pm

Hi Jolisa, thanks for this info. We were looking at the Powerscourt and the Laragh so this info is really helpful. I hope everything gets sorted for phase 3, especially with the Title Deeds issues. Good luck to everyone who has put a deposit down. I trust the other contract issues get resolved in due course.:)

M2014 · 09-01-2014 12:41am

Hi Jared20130204,

We are phase 2 also and have not yet signed either...so make that 6..

Jared20130204 · 09-01-2014 8:18am

Hi,

Talking to my solicitor yesterday re all this lying to get people to sign and he said that he's seen it before. He reckons vendor solicitors won't want to cancel contracts as they've done so much work so far so only people that actually are under pressure are the agents...unfortunately they are are only contact...so I am hanging tough and letting solicitors do their jobs....

Enduro · 09-01-2014 11:06am

Make that 7 not signed for phase 2.

Jolisa94 · 09-01-2014 5:50pm

Stopped talking to SF a while ago, now going directly to the builder for queries regarding progress on completion.

SF had said the first houses in phase 2 would be ready the first week of Jan, clearly they haven't been anywhere near the site .....

Lillian123 · 09-01-2014 8:26pm

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for all the updates on this thread. You can add us to the list as not having signed yet, so that makes 7! We only received contracts very recently so still need to check issues etc. We have been advised that our house in phase 2 will be ready in April.

I hope these issues with the contracts are ironed out very soon.

For the people who have moved in, can you tell us did the house come with carpet and/or tiles etc?

Looking at the property price register, the prices seem to be quite varying for similar type of properties, has anyone looked at this?

Jolisa94 · 09-01-2014 9:10pm

Hi Lilian,

Tiling:
checked this with the builder the other day, they are providing tiling in the kitchen, hallway and bathrooms (floor only in the downstairs one) rest is up to the buyer.

Prices:
These varied according to the position and orientation of the house, I found the October price list at home, if I remember to bring them into work with me tomorrow I'll scan both that and the August one and upload to this thread.

x_Dave_Gels · 11-01-2014 2:14am

hi, have booked in phase 1 but not yet closed; bit concerned about the quality of the building and snag work. Did anyone experienced any issues with cracks appearing in door areas , first floor or ceiling ? is sufficient power plugs , data points available to both floors ?

Jolisa94 · 13-01-2014 3:56pm

Hi all,

as promised, here are the price lists from August and October.

It will be intersting to see how the prices look for the upcoming launch of phase 3 ...

M2014 · 13-01-2014 5:13pm

Hi x_Dave_Gels,

Have you had the above defects checked by your surveyor? Has anyone else noticed such defects as highlighted by x_Dave_Gels above?

Raymond1234 · 13-01-2014 6:01pm

Just wondering if purchasers are aware that there will be an annual management fee of €300-600 depending on size of property purchased. sherry fitz had mentioned it would only be €100 annually....

Enduro · 13-01-2014 6:06pm

Hi Raymond, that's a very interesting piece of information. Do you have a source for that?

Raymond1234 · 13-01-2014 7:47pm

Enduro wrote: »

Hi Raymond, that's a very interesting piece of information. Do you have a source for that?

My solicitor said its in the contract as a provisional budget. The €100 is only an initial contribution. The annual fee is subject to change and will be in the 300-600 range. Very disappointing given SF said it would be €100 max.

x_Dave_Gels · 13-01-2014 9:25pm

Jolisa94 wrote: »

Hi all,

as promised, here are the price lists from August and October.

It will be intersting to see how the prices look for the upcoming launch of phase 3 ...

Thanks for this list.

I could see belmont properties are on property register but most of the houses are gone less than 30-40 K euros especially 2 and 3 bed rooms.

Shedzafew · 13-01-2014 9:31pm

The 30-40k difference is the 13.5% VAT. I'm pretty sure all homes have got the asking price to date

x_Dave_Gels · 13-01-2014 9:57pm

Shedzafew wrote: »

The 30-40k difference is the 13.5% VAT. I'm pretty sure all homes have got the asking price to date

Oh, i see, did not realise that. Thanks for letting me know.

camo · 14-01-2014 12:24am

Anyone actually manage to get UPC in? I'm having no end of trouble trying to get them to send someone out.

nakom · 14-01-2014 10:31am

Raymond1234 wrote: »

My solicitor said its in the contract as a provisional budget. The €100 is only an initial contribution. The annual fee is subject to change and will be in the 300-600 range. Very disappointing given SF said it would be €100 max.

Hi Raymond,
There's going to be a park within belmont development and someone has to take care of it so the 300/600 range was to be expected

nakom · 14-01-2014 10:32am

camo wrote: »

Anyone actually manage to get UPC in? I'm having no end of trouble trying to get them to send someone out.

Hi Camo,

which services will you get? AFAIK only TV is available, do you know if anything else is available?

Jolisa94 · 14-01-2014 1:09pm

Proposed traveller site on Enniskerry Road, saw this article today, anybody know about it?

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/traveller-sites-for-some-of-dublins-wealthiest-areas-29915160.html

The site has been earmarked for years, didn't know they are actually going ahead with it.

Lillian123 · 14-01-2014 1:36pm

Hi Jolisa,

Thanks for the information regarding the tiling etc. I just can't believe that about the halting site which will be very near the Belmont development, does anyone have exact google maps co-ordinates so we can see where the site is, that sort of changes things for us and is a real disappointment, what do you think? You could have anti-social behaviour and if you have children walking to school etc.

Also I am very annoyed about that maintenance charge of between €300-€600, SF never mentioned this and said it was a low fee of only €100 per house, never said it was based on sq.m. That is another cost we would have to factor in as it would be approx €42 per month for our style house. Over 35 years that is €17,500, which is less money you will have to pay off the mortgage and that will be subject to increase which we will have little control over.

Does anyone feel like this development is looking less and less favourable as the days go on??

NinjaTruncs · 14-01-2014 1:56pm

The halting site will be in the big bank of land that is to the right as you enter Aiken Village/Belmont, it's up towards Park View and the entrance to Rosemont, if you use Google Street view along Enniskerry Road you will see a sign for where the site will be. Plans may have changed in recent years but I believe the rest of that land bank was designated for Social and Affordable housing.

Maintenance of ~600 is pricy imo for a house seeing as you will still be paying for Bins and insurance yourself. I currently pay 800 for an apartment as a point of reference, houses in my development pay about 350.

I also fully believe there is going to be a lot of issues with parking in the development. When I was looking at it the roads seemed very narrow and all it will take is a few extra cars with nowhere to park to cause obstructions, allowing for two cars spaces in a 3/4 bed house isn't enough imo, unless they have some overflow spaces planned that I didn't see.

Shedzafew · 14-01-2014 2:11pm

I spoke with the department within the DLRCC that houses travellers on the halting site issue less than a month ago they said that it was almost certainly not going ahead as the council didn't own the land and that the travellers objected as the site was too overlooked. I don't know how so much has changed in the last few weeks. I will try and contact them again today and see what the story is.

Lillian123 · 14-01-2014 2:16pm

Thanks NinjaTruncs for the reply, think I will take a drive up there this evening to see where it is, as can't seem to locate the sign on google street view. Thanks Shedzafew for chasing up with the DLRCC, I was thinking of ringing them to find out more information etc but if you could update here when you get some more feedback on the development that would be great!

nakom · 14-01-2014 2:16pm

Lillian123 wrote: »

Hi Jolisa,

Thanks for the information regarding the tiling etc. I just can't believe that about the halting site which will be very near the Belmont development, does anyone have exact google maps co-ordinates so we can see where the site is, that sort of changes things for us and is a real disappointment, what do you think? You could have anti-social behaviour and if you have children walking to school etc.

the one on the right:
https://maps.google.com/maps?client=ubuntu&channel=fs&oe=utf-8&q=53.262075,-6.227124&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x48670999ecd6d59d:0x6df95462ec428bde,53.262075,-6.227124&ei=zTfVUvzwIM2w7Aa-sIFg&ved=0CCkQ8gEwAA

Jorg_East · 14-01-2014 2:17pm

Check the Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Development Plan 2010-2016 map: http://46.137.120.35/DLRDevelopmentPlan/DevPlanViewer.aspx. Unfortunately I cannot get a permalink to the exact location so you'll have to zoom in to the land that is exactly at the right as you enter in Aiken Village / Belmont from Enniskerry Road. You'll see that at the south side of that big piece of land there is a green triangle marked with TA, that's suppose to be the Traveller Accommodation site. The remaining of the land is marked with H which is Council Housing site.

So yes, the fact that they've approved the construction of the halting site is not very encouraging for future Belmont residents... me included.

ta.jpg?psid=1

Lillian123 · 14-01-2014 2:18pm

Hi Nakom,

Thanks for that, I thought it was that site but wasnt sure whether it was further up the Enniskerry road. God that is so close to the development, how do people feel about it?

NinjaTruncs · 14-01-2014 2:19pm

Zoom in to this point and the sign should just be on your left

Lillian123 · 14-01-2014 2:21pm

Thanks NinjaTruncs I see it now! What does a "4 bay site" mean is it 4 houses or room for caravans or what?

Jared20130204 · 14-01-2014 2:47pm

HI All,

Thanks for all this.... That is quite a concern!! Reselling these houses down the line just go a whole lot harder! How disappointing. Haven't checked with solicitor on that annual management fee, but I was told by agent circa €100.....

nakom · 14-01-2014 2:53pm

Lillian123 wrote: »

Thanks NinjaTruncs I see it now! What does a "4 bay site" mean is it 4 houses or room for caravans or what?

Hi Lillian,

they're talking about houses

here is a document that explains a bit further.

2.4. Constraints on implementing the Traveller Accommodation Programme 2005-2008
2.4.1 Site ownership
A number of proposed sites identified in the Traveller Accommodation Programme 2005-2008 are not in the ownership of the Council. Many of these sites have been the subject of extensive negotiations over the years e.g. Enniskerry Road, Bird Avenue, UCD.
In the case of those sites which are in the Council’s ownership there were other constraints which have given rise to delays in developing them e.g. the location of Council depots at Mount Anville, awaiting infrastructure etc.

Enniskerry Road – negotiations are ongoing in relation to the acquisition of this site under a Part V agreement.

Jared20130204 · 14-01-2014 3:15pm

Hi All,

Just on the Management fee. I checked with my solicitor and in the contract it mentions the first annual fee being €100, so it's bizarre that they're quoting others differently. My solicitor said it shouldn't be anymore than €100 for a housing estate. Apartment block management fees tend to be higher.

Lillian123 · 14-01-2014 3:22pm

I think all of this changes the appeal of the Belmont estate as a safe place to raise a family, there is just so many issues with the development; difficulties dealing with SF, delay in getting the contract (which I am delighted about now as we can pull out with no penalty), problems with the contracts, the deeds, structural issues cited by some on here, no change policy, no proper front garden, annual maintenance fee higher than anticipated, social housing across the road, a halting site which will affect resale value in the future. The list goes on. I think this is the last straw for us and its time to walk away from owning a house here.

So disappointing.

Bells 1978 · 14-01-2014 10:57pm

That's a pity - I don't think it is a halting site that is being constructed it is a small number of houses.

There is lots of traveller accommodation in and around many residential areas in Dublin. I am confused is the management fee €100 per annum or just for the first year?

Any idea when phase 3 is ready ??

camo · 14-01-2014 11:00pm

nakom wrote: »

Hi Camo,

which services will you get? AFAIK only TV is available, do you know if anything else is available?

I received a call from UPC today to tell me that their engineer visited the site and was told that Sky Conway 'had the contract for the area'. I told them that this was not the case as I live in a privately owned house and not an apartment block. I will be talking to my solicitor about this tomorrow.

Incidentally from talking to a few friends of the family I have heard nothing but negative reports about Sky Conway.

The Bishop Basher · 14-01-2014 11:06pm

As disappointing as it may be, it's a decision your likely to look back favourably on for many years and thank your lucky stars you dodged the bullet.

This thread is like a microcosm of the boom years all rolled up into 12 short pages.

When you make the largest purchase of your life, you should have absolute and complete reassurance regarding every single aspect of what you spend that money on.

If this thread is an example of the general willingness of people to part with cash regardless of the risks, unknowns and numerous red flags, then developers are in for another ride of their lives.

It really is incredibly concerning that we appear to have learned so little.

Bells 1978 · 14-01-2014 11:51pm

Just wondering has anyone been informed that the house they purchased in brick is now going to be rendered?????????

PS building works look like they are full speed ahead up there - snag for phase 3 is planned for mid March which will more than likely be April!

Congrats to all who have moved in - how are the houses???

Jared20130204 · 15-01-2014 10:03am

Swanner wrote: »

As disappointing as it may be, it's a decision your likely to look back favourably on for many years and thank your lucky stars you dodged the bullet.

This thread is like a microcosm of the boom years all rolled up into 12 short pages.

When you make the largest purchase of your life, you should have absolute and complete reassurance regarding every single aspect of what you spend that money on.

If this thread is an example of the general willingness of people to part with cash regardless of the risks, unknowns and numerous red flags, then developers are in for another ride of their lives.

It really is incredibly concerning that we appear to have learned so little.

Hi Swanner,

YOu most definitely have a point on a house being the biggest purchase of ones life. I think the thread shows that alot of people do have real concerns and are trying to get all of these addressed before actually purchasing. I suspect most people on here will walk away if there is any pressure to sign without title deeds sorted.
As for all these other issues, well...if they get sorted it could still have value. With regard to a reminder of boom times....I can see your point. That's how my solicitor described the contract....."like one that had just stepped out of 2006!" To be honest, I have started the search all over for a new house, as I am unsure whether We'll go ahead.... Problem is there's just very little coming on the market in South County Dublin.
I'm amazed a journalist hasn't picked up on this thread though.... Because it really does look like We're heading back to those crazy days as you read through!

I do have confidence in my solicitor though. He has raised so many queries and seems to be getting somewhere with having them agree to resolve.
But it all boils down to the title deeds.... Until that ridiculously important point is sorted I don;t think my solicitor would give me a pen to sign, but boot me out his front door instead!

Lillian,

So sorry you've decided to walk away, but as Swanner says, you may have dodged a bullet. I grew up in the area and have family living very close by. Although it's changed drastically, I still have a nice feeling about it.

Best of luck with your hunt. I may well pass by you at viewings in the near future if this goes belly up.

Shedzafew · 15-01-2014 11:07am

Well put Jared. I don't think this can realistically be compared to the boom times as during this era there was;
Banks willing to lend money to people who could not afford it (no longer happens)
Solicitors were willing to sign off on substandard/unclear contracts. (this no doubt still happens but has drastically decreased)
Purchasers willing to put their name to anything just to get a foot on the property ladder. (IMHO today's first time buyers are a lot more sophisticated and informed than they were in the past. The vast majority I know who have bought recently/looking to buy have been renting for a minimum of 2/3 years looking at the housing market and potential areas who have spent endless weekends attending viewings with a lot of familiar places).
I like Belmont, to me it represents great value for well built homes. I intend to purchase here when the land registration issue is resolved which I am told that the completion of this process is merely an admin exercise and should be sorted in the coming weeks. In relation to the other potential red flags I am going in with my eyes wide open. Here is my thought process for the major ones;
The contract issues can be ironed out by my solicitor until we are both satisfied. The vendor’s solicitors seem to be complete armatures. I would like to see New Generation spend the extra money to get one of the big firms in for the next phases.
The service charge was always going to be a factor. I was told it was going to be €100 for the 1st year and that it would more than likely increase to a few hundred euro in subsequent years. If this money is to be used to keep the area well lit, clean and tidy whilst maintaining the park to a good standard I am happy to pay it. I have young children and having a park like the one proposed on my doorstep would be invaluable.
The proposed traveller site. I was told by the DLRCC that this will more than likely not be going ahead. The council do not own the land and the travellers no not want the site as it is too exposed and overlooked. If the site was to go ahead it will not be for a number of years and at the end of the day it’s 4 housing bays going in, that will have one access point and will be more than likely walled off like the one opposite Bewleys Hotel on Sandyford road.
TV/ Broadband provider. If it is true that Sky Conway have exclusive rights to the development I will be annoyed. I can’t see this sticking. The last two places I have lived started off where there was only one provider and within a few months all UPC and Sky were both in the area.
The purpose of the above is not to justify my decision to buy in Belmont but to take people through my thought process. People need to make their own decisions, at the end of the day this thread is a bunch of strangers writing anything they like, true or false.
Finally, I think Sherry Fitz need to chime in here. I am 100% they are monitoring this thread and an official account being opened by them would offer transparency.

The Bishop Basher · 15-01-2014 11:19am

Hi Jared20130204,

I think the main concern here is the shoddiness with which the developer appears to have approached all aspects of this development. If they're cutting corners and taking a lazy approach to the things you can see, what about the things you can't see and i'm particularly thinking of the build quality. No amount of discussion on here can resolve that and as with boom times, it's very often 6 months to a year down the road when the cracks appear and by then it's too late for the buyer.

I took a spin up there at the weekend and it appears to be the old school mentality of cramming as many units into 1 small space as possible with no regard for living space, parking etc.

I apppreciate that their are a lack of good properties available in South Dublin at the moment but it's seems clear that the developer knows this and is capitalising on the demand. In short, people are so anxious to buy that they'll overlook some "issues" and the developer knows this.

Call me an old cynic but i'm not buying the hamper either. That seems like a cynical ploy to keep current buyers quiet and onside.

Personally, if I was in the market, i would be walking away and waiting for something safer to come along, even if it meant spending a little more to have that peace of mind.

I hate the thought that developers can continue to get away with this kind of shoddiness but even moreso I hate seeing honest people ripped off.

I hope i'm wrong. I really do. But this thread is screaming red flags and the lack of a response to some of the more probing questions would indicate a lack of willingness for potential buyers to face up to the realities for fear of being put off. In otherwords, the hearts in some cases appear to be ruling the heads.

Best of luck to everyone already in and I sincerely hope it works out for everyone but please take an objective view of all the issues before committing to anything.

Shedzafew · 15-01-2014 11:33am

Hi Swanner, can you elaborate on the "bad build quality". I have been in a number of the show houses up there and they seemed to be very well finished. A family member who is a QS has bought up here. He has had a number of parties inspect the property and they all said that they were built to a high standard. After moving in you also have 12 months to get the builders to repair and cracks/defects that may arise- this is bound to happen with 99% of new homes.

I know it sounds like I am going to great lengths to defend the development but this is not my intension. I want people to make up their own minds. In doing this I would prefer to stick to facts rather than offering their 2 cent on something that they may not know a huge amount about.

Lillian123 · 15-01-2014 1:42pm

Ya I wondered that aswell why the papers haven't picked up on this thread and the return to the boom in SCD. Thanks Shedzafew for outlining your thought processes to do with the issues, maybe I am over reacting to the Social housing and traveller site. My partner thinks there is not many alternatives if we decide to walk away, even in North Dublin. We really want to live in an energy efficient house aswell. Do you know if the houses are covered by a 10 year structural bond?

Jared - can I ask you how long has it been since you received the contracts, to raise the issues and wait for updates etc?

Can anyone who has moved in update us on what the houses are like? Did you have to pay for any extras or could you make any changes to the choice of tiling etc (e.g. in the upstairs bathroom).

Thanks!

New home sale in Belmont, Stepaside, Dublin 18

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