Tallaght

Hi Petal, the best advice I can give you is to decide either where you want to live, or what you want to live in, and then base your search on those criteria, as it sounds like you are currently hoping to find a certain sized house in a certain place for a certain price, which is just not realistic.

I am very much from the school of thought that you should decide where you want to live, and then see what your budget can afford you in that area (e.g. for the price of my 3 bed end of terrace house I could have got a 4 bed detached house with a massive garden somewhere in the commuter counties, but as a twentysomething who values having a social life, what use would that be?).

When you decide on your chosen area, become an expert on it, know what the future plans are (check planning office etc), how old are the houses, whats the difference between the different parts of the area (i.e. in a place like crumlin one street might be private built, the next a council estate, which gives a suprisingly large difference to the square footage, build quality, back when these were built it did anyway, and also the "tone" of the street). Knowing all this will help you spot what is a bargain, and where the owner is trying to offload a house for a certain unattractive reason.

I would not be so dismissive of Drimnagh. Take a compass and draw a circle from the city centre, with the radius reaching out to rathmines. You'll find Crumlin and Drimnagh are pretty much on that same radius, but prices in both areas, though currently rocketing, are lower than anywhere else on that radius on the south side. This is because they were previously regarded as dodgy areas. Drimnagh, and the edges of Crumlin, have come a long way in this regard, and the addition of the Luas obviously makes Drimnagh more attractive than before. Assuming these areas continue to mature in a positive way, and the current influx of young professionals should influence this, I regard both areas as having excellent growth potential as there will always be a demand for decent housing with decent amenities close to the city centre.

Have you been inside any 3 bed Housing Associates house in Drimnagh (i.e. ones with two upper windows)? These are lovely houses and are way bigger than you would expect on walking in. Last March these were going for 340-350k, though I don't see any on MyHome.ie these days, they're probably being snapped up too early for that. If you could get one of these for under 381.5k I would strongly recommend it.
 
Pinchy, if I could get a 3bed in Drimnagh under 381.5 K I would jump at it! But as I said most of the ex-council 2 beds that are tiny (65sqm at most) and come with a backyard go up to 380K at the moment. I looked there last year in August and the prices were like you said, but since then they've gone up by a good 40K. Drimnagh or Walkinstown would be my preferred areas, but I'd like a decent garden. So I keep looking there in case something I can afford and like comes up and as a back-up plan I'm looking in Tallaght, because you get a bit more space and a decent garden out there. So i have a fair idea and I'm just hoping for that lucky purchase!
 
You'll get a 3 bed with a decent front and back garden in Kingswood for under 380K is you keep looking. I moved their from Drimnagh six years ago and don't regret it. Drimnagh has gone way dodgy, even the locals are afraid to go out at night. The luas is a great bonus in Kingswood and it there are plenty of green area and a good primary school and things for kids to do
 
Petal said:
Pinchy, if I could get a 3bed in Drimnagh under 381.5 K I would jump at it! But as I said most of the ex-council 2 beds that are tiny (65sqm at most) and come with a backyard go up to 380K at the moment. I looked there last year in August and the prices were like you said, but since then they've gone up by a good 40K. Drimnagh or Walkinstown would be my preferred areas, but I'd like a decent garden. So I keep looking there in case something I can afford and like comes up and as a back-up plan I'm looking in Tallaght, because you get a bit more space and a decent garden out there. So i have a fair idea and I'm just hoping for that lucky purchase!
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Wow, that's unbelievable about 3 beds in Drimnagh. When I started looking in November 2004 you could easily pick one of these up for under the 300k mark, so in less than a year and a half theyve gone up over 80 grand, now that's a return on investment!

My personal experience is that most parts of Drimnagh are very quiet, and the people I know that live there have absolutely no problems walking around at night, nor do they know anyone that does.

Sounds like Kingswood is the place for you so Petal, or what about trying your luck to get a place like [broken link removed]for under 381k in Firhouse?
 
Yeah i've seen this pinchy. My bet though is that this will go way up... But I'll keep trying.
Thanks for all your help guys, I really appreciate it.
 
I agree with Donkey that Kingswood is a very nice estate but the only thing I have reservations about is the pub and crowd loitering around the shops so much so that a security guard has been employed in the past few years. See that they are now also building apartments over the pub which should be interesting from a noise point of view.

Kilnamanagh and Belgard Heights could come into your shopping list as they are also a similar distance from the Luas. Kilnamanagh has the advantage of Dunnes Stores.

The only problem with these three estates is that there are many rented houses in each of them. Some of these are not looked after so this is something to watch out for when you are viewing.

With a bit of updating one would not be too bad.
 
Petal said:
Any opinions on the various parts of Tallaght? I know that Jobstown etc have a bad reputation, but I don't know too much about the rest. What about around the village or by the square? Or any recommendations on where is nice and safe?
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Having lived in the Tallaght area for thirty years I would recommend Springfield,five mins to the Square, five mins to the Luas and safe for mom and dad. It also has a sense of community which is hard to come by nowadays. Some of the areas mentioned are council estates and by their nature the tenents (some) don't give a fiddlers **** about the place. On the other hand, the private estates also have a problem with tenents, (Health board ) who also don't give a ****. Belgard, Aylesbury, Kingswood and Springfield all come into this equation ; the choice is yours.
 
Guys, thanks so much for all the info. I've checked out the one in Kilnamanagh, I doubt it would stay at this price though.... But I'll see, no harm in ringing.
And Mightyquinn, are there any particular streets in Springfield that are to be avoided? There's a house for sale on Maplewood Lawns and it's going reasonably cheap, so I'm wondering...
 
There are one or two particular roads in Springfield that look bad, being nearly all rented out and shabby looking, Alderwood Green would be one, Maplewood Lawns is nice though, I've just had a look at Myhome.ie and that house is great value.
 
There's also one on Alderwood Close, what would that be like? it's a bit more expensive though.
 
Thats a nice quiet road, people are quite friendly, it is around a 5 minute walk(if even) to the Luas stop outside Tallaght Hospital, and a two minute walk to the shops (Centra, Chemist, Hairdressers and Launderette)
 
One more road to enquire about Marie... Fernwood avenue, I saw something there... Thanks for all your help, it is so useful!
 
Hi Petal, this road is as nice if not nicer that the last, its just as close to the shops school (and Church if interested). Itlooks in great conditition in the brochure.
 
Hi Petal

Aylesbury. Springfield, Old Bawn, most of Seskin View, around the Sqaure Kingswood, Belgard, De Selby are all fine. I wouldnt recommend any other areas (no offence meant, i'm was brought up in Killinarden and my mum still lives there).
 
I agree.

If those areas are all you can afford, thats OK but you should avoid them for now if possible. I was brought up in Killinarden and i agree that its much much improved since the 80s. Also its a given - like anywhere - that 90% of your neighbours will be great people (my mum and dad's neighbours are a case in point) but i know personally how it can go pear shaped living in the wrong cul-de-sac, road etc. I personally feel that the rise in property prices in Tallaght is going to have an increasingly positive affect on places like Killinarden (and is doing so now) but to say those places have no social problems is absurd.

I would recommend that you avoid places like fettercairn, jobstown, Killinarden (Killinarden estate, cushlawn, killinarden heights etc), Avonbeg, Homelawns, Ballycragh and Tymon.

OhPinchy said:
Thats a bit of a rose-tinted view now in all fairness :). Killinarden, Fettercairn, and Jobstown, are all still a long, long way off being safe, quiet neighbourhoods. When a friend looked six months ago you could get a 3 bed semi-d in jobstown for €200k - there is a reason for that.

They are making every effort to improve those areas and provide more facilities, which is all good, but any objective view has to conclude that those areas are still very, very rough. Like Ballycragh, it will take the best part of a decade before any noticeable difference is evident.

E.g. I was in Fettercairn recently, and was shocked by it - I was there for 30 minutes collecting equipment and saw a window being smashed in broad daylight and 2 separate drug deals (actually saw the gear changing hands) in a housing estate. While in Killinarden last year I saw a horse being led out the front door of a house! Just wanted to give a tone of those areas.

I'll grant you that Springfield is not in the same category as these areas though.
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I would just like to saysomething about Ballycragh. The big difference in Killanarden & Jobstown and Ballycragh is that Ballycragh is just a small council estate in a private housing area. Killanarden & Jobstown are large council estates set in a huge council area.
I lived in Ballycragh for 20 years and there is no way you can put it in the same catagory as Killanarden or Jobstown. You dont see burnt out cars, horses walking around, drug deals going down, smashed windows everywhere. Myself or anyone I know that has lived there has never had a break in, window smashed or car robbed. Out of all of my brothers and sisters none of us have ever had any trouble. The schools in the area are not so bad either. Everyone in my family is in university at the moment so that has to say something about them. Granted it mightn't look that great and there might be a few dodgy looking kids hanging about but thats it. I live in Woodstown in Knocklyon now and there are gangs hanging around the streets drinking, spraying the walls, leaving rubbish, fighting etc there also signs in the local shops warning people about break ins and car theft, but none of that seems to effect the 550k price range of a 3 bed house.
I would say there were about 4 main families in ballycragh that has given it its bad rep in the past and the general fact that it is council estate. But most of those families have moved out and those trouble makers are all older now with families of their own.
A mid terrace 3 bedroom house in Ballycragh around the corner from my mams was sold 6 months ago for 340k ! that was nearly in the same price range as firhouse & ballycullen at the time. Ballycragh is a perfectly safe neighbourhood. Put it this way how many shootings and murders have there been in Firhouse or West Tallaght in the past few years? LOTS! How many in Ballycragh? NONE. Sure someone was shot in their house last year across the road from me in Woodstown.
Now my point is made...sorry to rant on :)
 
Sorry mate, wasnt running down Ballycragh. (although by the sounds of it, you could save yourself a few 100k if you move back there ?:0) The four families that you mention are nearly definitely the ones I have in mind. (My best mate grew up in Ballycragh). Was just trying to give honest advice, no offence meant.

ljd said:
I would just like to saysomething about Ballycragh. The big difference in Killanarden & Jobstown and Ballycragh is that Ballycragh is just a small council estate in a private housing area. Killanarden & Jobstown are large council estates set in a huge council area.
I lived in Ballycragh for 20 years and there is no way you can put it in the same catagory as Killanarden or Jobstown. You dont see burnt out cars, horses walking around, drug deals going down, smashed windows everywhere. Myself or anyone I know that has lived there has never had a break in, window smashed or car robbed. Out of all of my brothers and sisters none of us have ever had any trouble. The schools in the area are not so bad either. Everyone in my family is in university at the moment so that has to say something about them. Granted it mightn't look that great and there might be a few dodgy looking kids hanging about but thats it. I live in Woodstown in Knocklyon now and there are gangs hanging around the streets drinking, spraying the walls, leaving rubbish, fighting etc there also signs in the local shops warning people about break ins and car theft, but none of that seems to effect the 550k price range of a 3 bed house.
I would say there were about 4 main families in ballycragh that has given it its bad rep in the past and the general fact that it is council estate. But most of those families have moved out and those trouble makers are all older now with families of their own.
A mid terrace 3 bedroom house in Ballycragh around the corner from my mams was sold 6 months ago for 340k ! that was nearly in the same price range as firhouse & ballycullen at the time. Ballycragh is a perfectly safe neighbourhood. Put it this way how many shootings and murders have there been in Firhouse or West Tallaght in the past few years? LOTS! How many in Ballycragh? NONE. Sure someone was shot in their house last year across the road from me in Woodstown.
Now my point is made...sorry to rant on :)
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Hi,

I am actually trying to find a couple who my family and I met on holidays in Turkey about 15 years ago. We lost their contact details and of course to make it more impposible we can't remember their second names! All we know is their first names...Mathew and Mairead from Ayelsbury in Tallaght..they would prob be in their late 40's maybe early 50's now! Does anyone have any suggestions of how we would find them?
 
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