New homes and apartments are continuing to sell strongly on most sites in the greater Dublin area, partially because of the reduced number of schemes and the expectation that supply will remain tight over the coming months because of the fall-off in new housing starts.
Agents Hooke and MacDonald have logged sales of £35 million (€44.44m) on three schemes launched last weekend and another one which has been on the market for two weeks.
Meanwhile Ross McParland took bookings last weekend for 61 apartments and houses in the Rosedale scheme near Clonee, with a total value of £9 million (€11.43m).
Most of the sales were accounted for by two-bedroom apartments which sold from £135,000 to £138,000 (€171,410-€175,220). Two-bedroom townhouses made £145,000 (€184,110) while three-bedroom terraced houses fetched from £163,000 to £169,000 (€206,970-€214,590).
Because of this success, developer Menolly is to release a further 50 homes this weekend at similar prices.
The extremely low level of apartment developments in Dublin city since the Government removed mortgage relief for investors helped to ensure strong interest among first-time buyers in two schemes launched last weekend near Heuston Station. Hooke and MacDonald took bookings for 54 apartments in Danninger Ltd's Long Meadow development on Conyngham Road, and a further 40 bookings for Dunloe Ewart's scheme at Collins Square on Benburb Street.
At Long Meadow, prices ranged from £139,000 (€176,490) for one-bedroom apartments, £155,000 (€196,810) for two-bed units and £179,000 (€227,280) for three-bed homes.
Dunloe Ewart will also have been well pleased with the sale of its apartments, at prices from £141,000 (€179,030) for one-beds, £162,950 (€206,900) for two-beds and £185,000 (€234,900) for two-bed duplex units.
In Portarlington, the same agent, along with local auctioneer Tom McDonald, sold 23 three and four-bedroom houses on a new scheme being developed by McGarrell Reilly. Prices ranged from £103,000 to £155,000 (€130,780E 196,810). Half the sales were to Dublin-based couples.
In the meantime, Hooke and MacDonald has taken bookings for 48 two and three-bed apartments to be developed at the former Premier Dairies site on the Finglas Road, Dublin 11. The Premier Square scheme is to be developed by Woodgreen Builders who are also involved in a housing scheme in Dunshaughlin.
In Co Wicklow, Ross McParland sold 20 four-bedroom detached homes in Delgany Woods at prices from £285,000 to £400,000 (€361,880-€507,900).
