Millionaire houses will come and go - sometimes unbelievably fast - but a nice ordinary two, three or four bedroom semi on a more modest development is what the average buyer wants. In recent weeks, some developments coming on the market were sold out to people on waiting lists before the launch date. Virtually all 70 houses on MKN's Ridgewood development at Swords were sold before the first official viewing last Thursday and another waiting list has started for the next phase in late summer.
At Saltan's St John's scheme, 200 apartments and houses at Ashbourne, Co Meath, sold off the plans within three weeks, through agents Hamilton Osborne King. The evidence is, however, that panic buying is not justified and the supply of new houses is far from limited. Not all of the current schemes have sold out. Homes in several new developments will be coming on the market between now and the end of the summer and more are still at the planning stage. One agent has at least seven new developments coming up before September.
The sale of more institutional land around Dublin, combined with widespread rezoning, has also freed up pockets of land on the outskirts of Dublin, something that is expected to help ease the housing crisis in the longer term.
For anxious buyers, there are "tail ends" of this year's new housing developments still for sale in the greater Dublin area. Although selling agent Gerry Leahy predicts no sign of this demand easing and says that queues "are as bad as ever again", he has more than 700 new houses coming up for sale in May, June and July.
Among these will be 98 four-bed semis at Ballydowd, Lucan, and 132 three-bedroom and four-bed semis at St John's Wood, Lucan, in May; 187 three-bed semis at Stonebridge, Lucan, and 90 three-bed and four- bed houses at Clonsilla. Three-bedroom and four-bedroom semis will be available in Riverwood, Castleknock by mid-July. With the exception of Castleknock, all the schemes will have a good percentage of houses costing £130,000, according to Mr Leahy. Another 116 houses will be for sale at Edenderry, Co Offaly, and at Athy, Co Kildare, with prices starting at £90,000 for a three-bed semi. These houses have often suited first-time buyers working on the outskirts of the city.
Currently for sale with Leahy Properties are 20 four-bedroom semis at Grange Manor, Lucan, at £150,000; four-bed semis at Rinawade, Leixlip, at £155,000; four three-bed semis at Brookwood, Lucan, at £120,000; and five three-bed semis at Coolmine, Clonsilla, costing £126,000. There has been little movement so far on higher densities and not many chances being taken with new house design. Most developers are currently playing safe with tried-and-tested three-bedroom and four bedroom semi-detached houses and a few sought-after two-bedroom mid-terrace units.
Agents are slow to talk about future developments, which are now at the planning stage but hint there are changes coming in the future should these get the go-ahead. Prices, they say, will be commensurate with the smaller square-footage and aimed at the first-time buyer market.
Sherry FitzGerald's Druid Valley development at Cabinteely, Co Dublin, will account for 600 extra units, many of them at affordable prices if the planners approve of plans to alter the house type. Five four-bedroom duplexes are still for sale at Druid's Glen at £255,000 and 30 three-bed, four-bed and five-bedroom semis are to be released next month at prices starting at £190,000.
Sherry FitzGerald also has 15 three-bedroom semis at Blanchardstown Heath for sale at £119,500 and one four-bedroom semi at Castlefield, Clonsilla, at £162,500. Another 40 houses at Castlefield will be released next month. Eight of the Malahide Marina apartments are still for sale from £220,000, two penthouses on Main Street, Swords, at £205,000 and three houses at Middle Lane, Naas, from £340,000. Six three-bed semis are left from last week's launch at Woodstown Village, Ballycullen, at £158,000 and four apartments and townhouses at the Strand, Baldoyle, are still on sale from £170,000.
New launches through the Sherry FitzGerald agency this year include next month's sale of 40 loft-style apartments at The Warehouse, Clanbrassil Street. Prices have not yet been fixed. A further nine four-bedroom semis at Manor Grove, Terenure, will go on sale in June at around £260,000. Only five of the Ashbourne units brought to the market through Hamilton Osborne King last week are still for sale, starting at £98,000 for a two bed apartment. HOK also has 48 houses at Riverview, Castleknock, due to be launched in May.
One of the most important developments this summer, a new scheme of apartments and townhouses at St Anne's, Milltown, is likely to hit the market in July. Next September, 60 three-bed and four-bed semis at Luttrellstown Glen, Castleknock, are due to be launched at prices from £135,000. Hamilton Osborne King has a development of large detached houses (price still to be decided) on the Vevay Road, Bray, coming on the market in late July. Next month, it also has the final phase of 125 three-bed and four-bedroom semis at Beaumont Woods in the north city suburbs. These are likely to be priced from £160,000.
The agency also has on its books six apartments at King's Hall, Phibsboro, costing from £110,000; four furnished four-bedroom apartments at Rathfarnham Gate at £299,000; 20 two-bed units at Linden Grove, Blackrock, from £290,000; and three apartments at Riverpark, Islandbridge, from £139,000. A couple of penthouses at Merrion Woods, behind the St Helen's Radisson Hotel, are for sale at £500,000.
Hooke & MacDonald have six launches this summer. In June, West End Village, close to the new Blanchardstown shopping centre, will offer 150 two-bedroom and three-bedroom apartments; Larkfield, a development of four-bedroom and five bed detached houses off the M50 will cost from £150,000; 19 apartments at Granville, in Rathgar village, will come up for sale in June, and 120 apartments and houses will also go for sale at St Gabriel's in Cabinteely next June.
Hooke & MacDonald, along with joint agents Coonan, have another 16 detached four-bedroom and five-bedroom houses coming on the market at Johnstown Manor, Johnstown, near Naas, costing from £200,000. In Dublin's Temple Bar area, building work is progressing on 40 two-bedroom apartments which will carry tax benefits for both owner-occupiers and investors. Prices have not yet been fixed.
Gunne is handling several new developments. Four-bedroom semi-detached houses at Gainsborough, Malahide, are available from £220,000 and four-bedroom semis at Alderbrook, in Ashbourne, are priced between £150,000 to £175,000. A small scheme of 12 three-bed terraced houses near the M50 at St Margaret's Court, Finglas, will be priced from £145,000.
Gunne will also have starter homes at Collon, Co Louth, from £95,000 and bungalows at Clogherhead with sea views for £135,000. There are 16 detached bungalows at Bettystown on Golf Links Road from £160,000. Currently on the market with Gunne are six four-bed detached houses at Oldbridge, near Drogheda, from £127,000; six four-bedroom detached houses at Beamore Road, Drogheda, from £135,000; and one large five bedroom detached house at Stamullen at £260,000. Agent GPK still has 12 three-bedroom semis for sale at Liffey Valley, in Lucan for £126,950 and four large four-bedroom houses at Ballycullen Park, Firhouse, for £169,950. Several schemes at the planning stage are expected to come on the market later in the year.
And for anyone who can afford them, £1 million houses in Malahide are expected for sale in early summer through Gunne.
