Navan or Arklow for €317.5k for FTBs

H

Headachecity

Registered User
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Hi all,
Just a bit head wrecked at the moment, ready to buy a house but we want to stay under the €317.5k as FTB's to avoid stamp duty and to have an affordable mortgage. Anyway, up until Monday, we were happy with our descision to move to Navan (johnstown area) had deposit paid and wheels in motion. Then hubbie tells me he is not to happy about moving there as he works on the southside and would be going from a current 15 minute commute to 1.30hrs each way. Here are our pros and cons:
Pro's Navan- family there to mind our 2 kids therefore saving over €1,500 per month on childcare. Lovely bungalow bought for €317.5k in Johnstown which seems like a lovely place to live for a young family.
Con's Navan- I work in town,hubbie is in Sandyford. I have a good chance of jobs up there so not worried about me having to commute as it won't happen if we do go. Son loves the school he is in and hate the thoughts of moving him, daughter in excellent (but expensive) creche & she will miss it. The N3 up to the Clonee bypass is dreadful. M50 toll bridge will cost €900 per year.
Pros Arklow- We can both stay in our current jobs, kids can stay in their school and creche and the N11 is a great road.
Cons Arklow-It's your normal 3 bed semi in Arklow amv €317.5k but estate agent said they have being going for €330k...I think that's too much for down there. I have never really liked the town but I would just get on with it for the sake of our happiness etc.
Any advice???
 
http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showpost.php?p=312315&postcount=2

Make sure you are aware of all the current risks with regard to interest rate rises etc.

Do not believe what the estate agent tells you,if you choose arklow make a bid that you think the house is worth,start low.

If you choose Navan there is currently 200 properties on Daft,you may have a little wriggle room with regard to price.

Whatever you choose to do good luck.
 
Thing is the EA told us the last 2 properties in the estate we are looking at in Arklow went for €330k with an AMV of €317.5k and that the vendor knows this!. If this is the case why is the house not on for €330k then, are they just trying to fool us?.
The house in Navan was on for €310k and we got it for €317.5k got into a bidding war with people who were in a chain but hubbie thinks we are being conned there but deep down I think he just does not want to go to Navan coz of the commute to Sandyford for him and not seeing the kids awake Mon-Fri and I can understand that BUT I don't want to pay over the odds in Arklow, there is nothing special about the place imho.
 
We moved from Arklow last May up to Gormanston Co. Meath and it was the best decision we ever made.
My hubby works in Bray and commutes to Bray from Gormaston each morning. Yes some days the commute is mad, but luckily for him he can start work at 7.30am so he leaves at 6am - 6.10am and gets in on time usually around 7.05 the latest.

We lived in Arklow for over 2 years and i couldn't wait to get out of it. The town has nothing going for it and even the locals wouldnt send their children to the town schools cause they are kips. Arklow has always had a bad rep and it hasnt changed, its just getting worse. Dont get me wrong we made some great friends there but personally its not a town to raise a family in.

I understand about your pros and cons. We sold a lovely house 3bed semi in Arklow for 317,500 and we bought a new build 4 bed semi with garage for 355,000 in gormanston last May. No matter where you choose Navan, Gormanston, Bray, Arklow etc they are all commuter towns and prices will hopefully stay good. The only descision you have to make or rather your hubby has to make is weather he wants the commute long term. Maybe a compromise - commute for a year or so and then switch jobs.
Thats my hubbys plan. I have my own business from home. At the end of the day family first, job second!
(All above are my personal opinions - please don't take offence)
 
My bhubby works from 8am to 4.30pm in Sandyford so I think it's very doable and I did suggest to him to put up with it for a year and see what happens. I personally think the kids would be better off in Navan with my family nearby and I will get a job no problem up around there.
Sabrina, thanks for the reply esp that your hubbie does the Bray commute it really helps and I feel the exact same way about Arklow as you do. I worked down there years ago helping set up a new business and I hated the place, it was miserable and two people I know from there have told me not to do it!. Hubbie is being very stubborn about the house in Navan, even put a stop on the deposit cheque yesterday so i am very upset.
 
yes mate the EA always looking for more which in return boost up their commission..buying a house always some element of luck..but again the EA should able to tell you other bidder is bidding at, maybe i am wrong on this. i think drving up the Navan isn't a great idea..the M50/toll and the M3 bypass will drive u up the wall.if i were u i will go for Arklow.the town is definitly nicer.
but do u really have to tie down to these 2 place only? i knwo the stamp duty thershold maybe you can consider something around that price in Dublin which can save u all the hassle.
thats just my opinion.good luck in ur house hunting
 
Headachecity said:
Thing is the EA told us the last 2 properties in the estate we are looking at in Arklow went for €330k with an AMV of €317.5k and that the vendor knows this!. If this is the case why is the house not on for €330k then, are they just trying to fool us?.
Click to expand...

What a property achieved in April,May,June is irrelevant IMHO to what it should expect to achieved today.Interest rates will have risen 3 times by the time you come to sign.The vendors will simply have to readjust their expectations.There is nothing to stop you putting bids on more than 1 property,but do not let yourself be forced to pay over the odds just because of what a house achieved in May.


sabrina said:
We moved from Arklow last May up to Gormanston Co. Meath and it was the best decision we ever made.
My hubby works in Bray and commutes to Bray from Gormaston each morning. Yes some days the commute is mad, but luckily for him he can start work at 7.30am so he leaves at 6am - 6.10am and gets in on time usually around 7.05 the latest.
Click to expand...

There's no way you'd get from Gormanstown to Bray in 55mins unless he has a motorbike.
 
We have loan approval up to €404,800 and I would like to buy a place in Wicklow or Bray for €381k but he won't budge coz he thinkg the stamp duty will kill us when it won't. We could manage, the first year would be tough but then we would be fine.
I just can't rent anymore, miserable paying rent to a nasty landlord in a rotten aul house where my kids don't even have a back garden to play in and I can't even do up their bedrooms. It's very depressing.
 
yep..the rent is dead money....man is sometimes very stubborn indeed..as i am one stubborn too..need a big kick in the ass by the wife...i think u are right there regarding the Stamp duty..ur hubby probably thinking that they might scrap it which holding him back...think again this will be ur first house and years tiime u will have the money for a even bigger huse..so not to think too far...as long as money wise is okay then go for it..
 
Yep...he is afraid of going for it now and getting done with stamp duty and having negative equity in a place where we don't want to live...with me it's Arklow...with him it's Navan. At least if we do strech it to Bray we will def stay put so nomatter what happens we will be staying in our home. We both have good jobs take home over €5k per month between us and that's before I include child benefit and the early childcare supplement but he always pulls the brakes on it and it's really upsetting me. There is a house in Bray that was €435k...now down to €415k so I was trying to get him to come and see it and we could show them we are mortgage approved and haggle the price down as much as we can. It's also on the market for months now, the EA selling that has a reputation as bleeding buyers dry and playing games and the house is vacant at the moment so no chance of leaving a "note" in the door so it's still the Arklow or Navan argument. Our son goes to school in Bray and our daughter is in a great creche, they are happy and stable and I don't want to upset them.
 
yep...man is the most stubborn animal on this planet..i think if u get ur hubby to drive to navan after work and see how he feels, then do a trip to Bray..maybe pick a evening where the traffic is less likely to be bad..

in my opinion the stamp duty won't change as well as the current house price..no way they will abolish stamp duty...
i think drag him down to see the area after work can chane his view..
good luck!
 
Hi thewatecher -

my hubby has a car and even he is suprised that he makes it to bray so quick. He use to gt up and get a shower and then head off and he would be constantly late for work. Now he gets up, hops in car, gets to bray, has a shower in work and has time for a cuppa before clocking in at 7.30am!!! Obvioulsy there are time that delays happen due to crashes etc but thats life.... honestly Bray in 55mins and within the speed limits!!!
 
there you go mate..
Bray/Arklow definitly is worth it..in long run its good for you and for your children...and less driving for ur hubby too...he will do the little scarifice at the end trust me on that
 
In my humble opinion, I would place living near family very high on my list of desirables...when living in a 'commuter' town it is becoming increasingly difficult to make friends with your new neighbours. Even if you yourself are not a commuter a large proportion of your neighbours will be!

It is such an advantage to have a dependable and supportive person(s) in close proximity...
 
so have u chat to ur hubby last nite..has he changed his mind yet?
 
ask your hubby to reconsider his decision about buying a house in Bray. It is a great place for children. We also have 2 kids and had no garden for our children to play in the apartment we rented. We bought a house in Bray 6 months ago and the children love it. It takes about 20 mins to reach work in Dun laoire and my wife goes to work in Sandyford in about the same time. We reach home by 6.30 in the evenings. Can't ask for more! I drop & pickup the kids in a creche in Glasthule. No problems. I hate to commute & with young children we would like to spend more time with them so I bought a house which was over 400K at that time but you could probably buy a similar one for less. My choice would be Bray if you can afford stamp duty!
 
Am I the only one who has noticed that Headachecity has already paid a deposit on a place in Navan? What about the vendor there? If actual contracts are signed they may force the poster to proceed with sale.
 
I have paid a deposit on the house in Navan allright but the contracts are not even with our solicitor yet and I am not happy not to buy this house.
I really don't want to live in Arklow, serioulsy I don't like it and I will have to drive to Bray everyday to drop son to school and daughter to creche and then hop on a dart to work in town while hubbie has his handy drive to Sandyford. I don't see ANY advantage in living in Arklow. I have my sister in Navan who I am very close to and they are all so excited about us moving there. He won't budge on paying over €381k + stamp duty for a house in Bray coz he thinks we will be financially crippled and that the way the housing market is going it's too risky. I'm just sick of it!
 
I'd also be fair with the vendor in Navan and make your decision as quickly as possible.- Totally agree that is why I am trying to sort this out.

This was all discussed at length for months before we started looking at houses in Navan and he was fine about it even was looking forward to it. He let me drive from bray to Navan at weekends and in the evenings to look at houses and went along with putting the deposit down and was up there last Sat on his own to have one last look before we would have to sign contracts. He then landed the bombshell that the road to the N3 bypass was the worst he was ever on and he said he will be hours on the N3/M50 coming and going to work and I was devastated. He should never have let me put a deposit down if he had any doubts at all. I think he should stick the commute out for a while afterall it will be better for the kids to be near family that adore them and I will be away from them for less working hours as I will be working in the town where we live.
 
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