Whether you are looking for a city townhouse or a suburban semidetached, there are fewer options out there as the year draws to an end and supply begins to wane.
The following houses are new to the market in well-regarded locations, and could offer good value for prospective purchasers with a budget of more than €400,000.
17 Wilfield, Sandymount Avenue, Dublin 4
€425,000, Sherry FitzGerald, 95sq m (1,023sq ft)
Developed in 1984 by Hora Construction, Wilfield is a small development comprising 25 townhouses, situated just off Sandymount Avenue.
Number 17 is a redbrick mid-terrace home. To the front there is a compact lawn and off-street parking for one car. Once inside, there is a small porch leading to a large living room that interconnects through a set of double doors with the kitchen-cum-dining room to the rear. This layout works well, with a good open-plan flow when the doors are open. A separate utility room and under- stairs storage complete the downstairs accommodation.
Upstairs, there is a good-sized master bedroom, which opens out to its own southwesterly terrace, in addition to two other bedrooms, both roughly equal in size, a family bathroom and a hot press. The lack of a second bathroom is not ideal and may deter some buyers. To the rear of the house is a low-maintenance garden, which abuts the Dart line. The house has been well maintained but would clearly benefit from redecoration throughout.
The location is extremely convenient - two minutes’ stroll from Sandymount Dart station, and about 10 minutes from both Sandymount and Ballsbridge villages.
With an asking price of €425,000, prices at Wilfield are back to their 2001 levels, when one neighbouring house was for sale for the same price. Number 17 offers good value given that it is the largest house by far for sale at this price level and numerous tiny two-bed houses in the locale are seeking higher prices. The last house to have sold in Wilfield was No 20, a few doors down, which achieved €417,500 in May 2015.
17 The Maples, Clonskeagh, Dublin 14
€460,000, Savills, 92sq m (990sq ft)
The Maples arrived to Clonskeagh’s Bird Avenue in 1991, following developer Dwyer Nolan’s acquisition and development of the vast 15-acre site, which was formerly RSCI’s sports grounds.
The home’s front garden is open to its neighbours’ and contains an area of lawn and a redbrick driveway. Its ground floor comprises an entrance hall, WC, sitting room and kitchen-cum-dining room with a small sunroom area, which is original. The first floor features a master bedroom with en-suite bathroom, two further bedrooms and a family bathroom. The agent advises that the bathrooms have both recently been upgraded, which is a positive. However, buyers are likely to consider a rethink of the flooring choice as the bright red carpet, which covers most of the house, is unlikely to appeal to everyone.
The Maples is ideal for families, with an expansive green area to be found towards the back of the estate and residents-only tennis courts situated near the entrance. In addition to the estate’s features, the area is home to a host of amenities. The local shops are just a few minutes away, as is the 330-acre UCD campus, and there is an array of schools in the vicinity.
At their 1991 launch, three-beds of this size commanded prices of €108,000 and asking prices climbed to a lofty €800,000 by 2007. More recently No 64, a very similar three-bed in more dated condition but with a slightly longer garden, sold for €480,000 in September 2015 and as such No 17’s asking price is competitive.
87 Sandyford Downs, Sandyford, Dublin 18
€420,000, Lisney, 107sq m (1,152sq ft)
Sandyford Downs is one of a number of estates developed in Dublin 18 during the late 1980s and early 1990s by Sorohan Builders in a mock-Tudor style. The distinctive style has remained attractive and, with over two decades to mature, Sandyford Downs looks better than ever.
Downstairs comprises an entrance hall, WC, reception room and kitchen-cum- dining room. The kitchen opens to a conservatory that provides access to the utility room. Originally this was detached from the house, however the owners have cleverly used a conservatory to fill the gap. Upstairs there is a master bedroom with en-suite bathroom, two more bedrooms to the rear and a family bathroom.
The rear garden faces east and is rather narrow due to the conservatory and utility room. The front of the house is well planted, with shrubbery on both sides, and enjoys a pleasant outlook over a landscaped green area. Around the corner is a much larger green area for residents.
The house offers quick access to the nearby M50 and is just a short drive from Dundrum Town Centre and Sandyford Industrial Estate.
Originally three-bed mid-terrace houses cost about €95,000 off-plan in 1991, rising to about €650,000 by the end of 2007. Last year No 47, a 92sq m three- bedroom house across the road, sold for €472,000 – considerably higher than its initial €425,000 asking price.
aidanmurphyproperty@gmail.com
