I looked at a couple of houses in Royal Oak and thought they were lovely - it also looked like a settled/family area, people had been investing money in doing up their houses and there was a good atmosphere. I like Santry - the Omni Centre is getting a major face lift, and there's a nice new hotel/bar/ restaurant in the Northwood development. The only drawback with Royal Oak is that you are near the M50 roundabout and you might feel a little bit isolated without a car - but if that doesn't bother you I'd say go for it! There are also some decently priced houses around the Shanowen area - closer to DCU - they'd be dearer than Royal Oak, and older, and would need more work, but I'd consider them a better investment if you have the money to spend. But certainly, I saw a three bed in Royal Oak a while ago for 330,000 and it was a very nice property.