Collins Avenue - Good area?

J

joeo

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Hi there,
Looking at property on collins avenue, DCU end. Is this a good area? - it is quite close to ballymun so wondering if its safe around here.

Price 480k, 3 bed, needs alot of work - good investment?
 
Very settled. I would say it's a grand area. Yes, it is quite close to Ballymun, but that doesn't pose any safety issues. FYI, I used to live down near the junction of Ballymun Rd and Griffith Avenue and attended DCU for a year.
 
I lived in Collins Park for a few years and found it to be very quite and settled. My only complaint at the time was the lack of pubs, shops restauraunts around there at the time- Beaumount House does lose its appeal rather quickly.
 
Lived in estate just behind that area of Collins Ave, called Shanard. Area is okay, you get your share of break-ins same as anywhere else. The only other thing is consider which route you are taking to work...traffic is frigging mental there if you're going into town... it's single lane traffic most of way in through Phibsboro and Drumcondra is same due to bus lanes. Plenty of schools around too so you can imagine the congestion.

And I agree re facilities...there's not much choice of where to go for a drink. Omniplex cinema and crappy shopping centre nearby. One of the worst Tescos as regards service to be found there! Go anywhere else!
 
Thanks for all the replies.
Micamaca i don't particulary like the sound of 'you get your fair share of break-ins....'
This turns me right off the area to be honest, i think there are alot of safe areas around and if this isn't one of them then i definitely don't want to live there.
 
In fairness there isn't a single place in Dublin that doesn't have breakin's. In fact the "nicer" areas, quite often have more robberies as thieves often travel to such areas to specifically target more well off homes.

I've rented close to this area, just off Griffith Ave, couldn't ask for a nicer more settled area, never any trouble and very close to the city.

In fact I like it so much, I'm buying an apartment just around the corner on Grace Park Road.
 
Joeo - I echo brian1's views. You're picking on the one negative point (bar Tesco, which is true!) that was made. Obviously security is a concern for you, so why don't you drive around the area at night and see what it's like? Micamaca was just telling it like it is - some "nicer" areas, like Blessington and Clontarf, have also experienced break-ins that I know of.

Also wrt trafffic, I agree that it's bad. However, the public transport system here is actually very good. There are a number of regular buses that go from Ballymun (they've introduced a new route since I moved out) and these will generally get into town fairly quickly.
 
I think it's a great area. Extremely settled. My sister lived on Collins Avenue for 3 years and never had a single bit of bother. The cinema in the Omni is good and there's a new thai restaurant there called Zao which I would highly recommend. The Omni is also getting loads of new shops, Elverys, New Look, Hughes & Hughes, it's no Dundrum but it's grand for doing your weekly shop.

Pubs aren't great but personally I go into town to drink. The bar in the crowne Plaza gets a decent crowd though it's pricey. The Ivy house in Drumcondra is good too, and the Porter House in Glasnevin. McGowans in Phibsboro too can be good fun.

The new 4 bus route from Ballymun is really frequent and is a good option for commuting, hope this is of some help.
 
I agree, every area has break-ins...I just moved to Skerries which is a nice area too, and I hear from someone that there has been a spate of break-ins.. you do get that everywhere. Best thing to do, is befriend your neighbour so if your alarm rings, they may go in and check it. Our neighbour did this one evening and disturbed a burglar...I don't think she realised it at the time!

But someone in Skerries was broken into recently while they were at home... no difference there.

I would still be skeptical of bus into town, for the simple reason of O'Connell St. The bus may make its way relatively quickly, although not really, into town but when it's gets to the horror of roadworks that has been O'Connell St for so long...honestly, as soon as they fix some part, they tear it up again...I don't understand it. That is where you really get into trouble and the lights at O'Connell St Bridge don't help either. But if you work in a flexible office, who don't mind you being 5 or 10 mins late due to traffic, and let you work up the time during the day, then that's not so bad. Trouble is, mine did!

You're right The Ivy House isn't so bad, and I think the Porter House is nice too, music at weekend, good food and good selection of beers:)... McGowans...I wouldn't go near it!Dodgy characters in there, or at least there used to be!
 
Again thanks for all replies. Don't mean to pick on the negative point just want to have a realistic impression of the area.
I agree though, no house is impenetrable.
My office is probably changing location in the coming months/year so I'm not letting that be a deciding factor. Also i have a moped so hopefully getting around won't be too much of a problem.
 
Hi there - I also live around this area and judging by the previous posts I must be bumping into a lot of AAMers when I shop and go to the flix in Omni, get my takeaway from Zao and then go for a pint in the Ivy House! I have to say I love the area - I would agree with a lot of the other comments re: Omni - the Tesco is a disaster but the rest of the place is really coming on, the Hughes and Hughes in particular has releived me of a lot of cash of late. The only thing I want to add is - we bought a 'fixer upper' in this area and although it took a lot of work to get it right, we did add huge value to it and we ended up with just the house we wanted. So if you're in a position to do the same I'd say go for it.
 
A bit strange really to hear all these comments as they sound like people who stayed in the area but never lived there. Artane Castle is also around the corner and has a much better Tesco if really needed. Their is also the Beaumont Drive in which is a bit like a farmers market and the newly opened Lidl in the area too. As the price you are talking is only €480k I am guessing it is actually the small houses close to Whitehall. Strangely if you moved further down the road towards Kilester you would get similar space and be closer to a DART, pubs and shops for a little less. The Vicount is another close pub. I live off Collins Avenue after living on it. The end close to DCU is actually a load of hasle due to students and is a lot rougher than the east end. THe high student rental in the area means many neighbours are students away from their parents being loud. I always associatae the area up that way more dangerous and crime like. Students do mess around things and people close by do come around .

All the talk about the Luas going out that way could mean a purcash there may be really good in the future.
 
Fillspectre

I'm looking at places on Collins Avenue East /DonneyCarney - You think that they are decent area's to buy in?
 
Rookieinvest said:
Fillspectre

I'm looking at places on Collins Avenue East /DonneyCarney - You think that they are decent area's to buy in?
Click to expand...

I lived there near the church and my mother actually grew up in the area. Collins Avenue East is grand as it is close to the Dart and Kilester "vllage" and major bus routes too.. There are a lot of proffessionals living there now and I have seen some of the houses go for sale with major improvements provoing the houses have potential.
Donneycarney is not the greatest of areas but it is also not much of a problem. Once the locals get to see you about the tend to be friendly. I would not live in the main estate myself as it is a little rough around the edges but the main road is different. Some estate agents will tell you that it is Killester in parts but that is a lie. All the corpo houses are Donneycarney. Closest to the Dart would be where I would go. Beachcombre is OK but just down the Howth road there are two nicer bars with restraunts about too. We managed without a car as everything is close I can't think of anything missing in the immediate area. The houses on the Howth road in a new build behind Kilester College were selling for twice the money yet were smaller. A huge differnce for very little distance. As they say if you can't afford a the are you want buy beside it as the area may come up and you can always enjoy the area anyway. I think it is the better end of Collins Avenue for the money although I think there are nicer bigger houses on the road.
 
Bought there recently, love the area and have seen the prices skyrocket. If you've a major problem with students (I don't), a combination of rising house values and loads of purpose-built accommodation will probably push them out soon.
I'm honestly baffled by the misgivings posted here, given all the pluses of an area that's so close to town with so few of the compromises you'd expect. I'd say under €500k is a great investment on this road.
 
Since I last posted Drew that property price has risen substantially - well over 500k and its not sale agreed yet.
Obviously its a popular area, there are a few people bidding and its jumping higher each day. Eek!
 
Guide prices can be very misleading. I read an article where the estate agents admitted their guide prices are undervaluations. The range is 10-20% below what they want to sell for. GWD are 20% below as a standard according to the article I read. THe other agents sait 5-10% as standard but I think it is closer to 15% in reality. That is Dublin.
 
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