Odd-shaped house

Hi all,

We found a very very odd-shaped townhouse at the weekend. It's basically a triangle with the front area (if you can even call it that) at the point and it expands backward. This means that you have three windows at the back but only one tiny one and the door at the front. You can barely see it from the road!! Mind, you get a big garden with it.

Has anyone every seen anything like this? It's 3-bed, and €350,000 (but it's in Lucan, and compared to semi's elsewhere in Lucan that's steep! Maybe not compared to the semis in the immediate area though.

Our other problem is that it's not yet built, so we're working off just the plans. Plus the EA won't give us the dimensions of the rooms (just the total sq ft of 1,000).

I like the idea, but am nervous that it could go badly wrong.

What do you think? Have you bought/looked at anything that shape (I heard rumour of similar properties in Grange Rath??)? What would you think about buying something "different"??

2 things would concern me:
- most people (including me) find it hard to visualise how a living space will work from plans. This would be even more difficult for a non-traditional design, so you could end up with something you didn't expect.
- selling on may be more difficult. Some people will be put off so this may reduce your potential market. On the other hand all it takes is one person to fall in love with its uniqueness & they may be willing to pay over the odds.

Yeah I've had similar concerns.

Aside entirely from the design though, the price seems at odds with what's available in Lucan. Immediately surrounding this estate (Esker Manor) are quite expensive estates with 3-bed semis fetching €360k+. However, just down the road in estates like Moy Glas and Griffeen, semis are going for €330,000. This makes a 2nd hand 3-bed semi cheaper than this 3-bed funny-shaped townhouse even when you pay stamp duty!

Argh!

I think I would feel much much more excited if I could see the house as it will be when it's built!!!

I think it is very risky buying a house without knowint the dimensions of the individual rooms - you may end up with a very unergonomic living space. What do you mean by the EA ? Whoever they are go back and ask again for the dimensions and floor plans. Then maybe you could get a computer aided image of the house.

Sorry EA= Estate Agent

They keep saying that they simply don't know and haven't got them from the builders yet. I'll keep pushing.

sun_sparks said:

....It's basically a triangle with the front area (if you can even call it that)...... You can barely see it from the road!!....
...and €350,000 (but it's in Lucan, and compared to semi's elsewhere in Lucan that's steep! ...
.... problem is that it's not yet built, so we're working off just the plans....
... EA won't give us the dimensions of the rooms ...

.... Mind, you get a big garden with it.

Click to expand...

Hi Sun Sparks.
I have cut above some points you made in your initial post, and you are listing mostly "bad" things about this property rather than "good" ones (being the big garden)
This does not look like the right house for you....

I think it's rare to get room dimensions when buying off the plans but I think this house sounds great because it's so unusual. Any online link to the floor plans?

Can you check the planning? Surely there must be details there?

Bacchus, you're right. I guess I was. I suppose I'm more excited about it than my boyf, who's being all practical and thinking in terms of resale (I know, we shouldn't do this) and cost compared to the locality. We're both FTB, so it's scary enough at the moment, so I guess doubts become magnified in your head when this happens.

I have a jpg picture of the plans, but can't see it on the internet at all. Any ideas how I could put it up?

Yeah have checked the sdublincoco site - it's great but has the documentation for the apartments in the complex but not the houses. Weird

You shouldn't even consider buying this property without seeing and confirming exact plans and dimensions - if your solicitor is any good, he/she won't let you proceed anyway.

I know someone who lives in a "triangular" house like this. The shape works really well, and you do got a larger than average garden. BUT if its in a courtyard setting, parking may be a big problem.

Your buying a house. Your thinking of paying in excess of 350 thousand euros. Most couples know within a few minutes of looking at a house whether they BOTH want it and both will be happy there. It's a mad great feeling like love at first sight or similar. If you both didn't get that, my suggestion is that you keep looking. If your heart wasn't beating like mad for a day or two thinking about it don't go for it. It's your life, forget about that investment, reselling stuff, cost versus value, versus area. If you buy it, love it and paid €20,000 too much what the hell your happy.