Where to live in Athlone

TJRC

Hi,

My wife and I are looking into moving to Athlone and we've started to look at myhome.ie and daft.ie and other property websites but are finding it hard to get a feel for good spots in Athlone.

We would like to live close to town and would ideally like various amenities nearby.

How is the market down there - is there much activity?

Regards,

TJRC

paraicr

Drumaconn, The orchard, Woodville are in a nice spot on the ballymahon road about 1-2 miles from town centre. They're also close to good primary schools and the sports centre. Theres probably lots of houses to let out near monksland/bealnamulla, but thats a bit further out and just has lots and lots of housing estates. To be honest though its a fairly small town so unless its peak times everywhere is reachable in ten mins or so.

athlonelad

Id recommend trying to stay the east side of town and avoid monkstown and river village. not that there is anything wrong with these houses they just seem to have overcrowded this area with houses, ive a friend who bought a house in that area and he's sorry he did now. there is alot of them on the market at the moment which is not a good sign for re-sale or investment purposes. ya can afford to be picky in this market!!! id say have a look at the orchard 3 bedroom houses semi-d going for about 150k i think

mr_edge_to_you

Ye, I'd agree on sticking on the Ballymahon Road. It's much nearer to town than the likes of Bealnamulla. If I was buying in Athlone I'd def go for Drumaconn, or Retreat if the budget allows!! Retreat is a super location.

tubos

There's some great value to be had in Woodville. Trust me, I bought at the very height of the market. It's a mature estate, newly formed residents committee, plenty of young families. It's still a drive from town, although only takes a few minutes.

Rent is also cheap for what you get.

AckwelFoley

Willow Park. . plenty of activities there..

Im personally favoring the east side of te town - i grew up and live there and like it. There is good value in a place called "fairlands" its a small new estate beside mulligans shop out the roscommon road -1 mile from the town centre

TJRC

Hi all and thanks for the replies,

We came across a house we like in an estate called Moreno, Arcadia - http://www.myhome.ie/residential/search/brochure/11-moreno-athlone-east-westmeath-co/EOPAM392520 .

Does anyone else know about this estate and what the prices are like there. Is this close to the areas you have all been talking about?

Regards,

TJRC

veryangryman

TJRC wrote: »

Hi all and thanks for the replies,

We came across a house we like in an estate called Moreno, Arcadia - http://www.myhome.ie/residential/search/brochure/11-moreno-athlone-east-westmeath-co/EOPAM392520 .

Does anyone else know about this estate and what the prices are like there. Is this close to the areas you have all been talking about?

Regards,

TJRC

Morenos nice. Only 15 mins walk from town and right beside bypass. I know a few from the area - the neighbours are nice. Mary O Rourke has a gaff across from it but dont let that put you off!

TJRC

Haha, thanks veryangryman - I'll keep that in mind:D.

I like the houses in that estate and also the fact that its walking distance to town.

We're ideally looking for a 4 bed so this might be a runner - are prices holding up in this area as it seems a bit more expensive than other areas?

Regards,

TJRC

athlonelad

in todays market id put a value of about 230k- 250k on the house. they are in dream land looking for 379k.
This time last year itwould of fetched over 300k but not today.
Shop around and you will find a similar house or even better for WAY less. did yo try churchwoods or coolevin park or the glen? they all in that general area and are better priced.

Fiffy

Yes Mareno good area - very near Regional Sports Centre, large dunnes in montree about 3 mins drive and about 3 decent pubs within walking distance - check out Highfield Court also about 1mins walk from mareno - there was a lovely 4 bedroomed semi for sale there recently---dunno what u budget is buy there is a fab house in cluain eala - originally looking for 690 - now about 450 and maybe less Daft Property Shortcode: www.daft.ie/1344394 well worth a look---try churchfields also beside coosan church--may be bit expensive---and yes I echo the stay away from bealnamulla area--lived there for 2 years---way too many houses, very busy road, impossible to find nice walk in area and not a hope of walking to town from there---good luck and welcome to Athlone

TJRC

Thanks athlonelad for the advice and thanks Fiffy for the link - that's a nice house alright - very big.

We've dropped down to Athlone over the last couple of weekends and have looked around Moreno and some of the areas listed below. My wife and I are both very taken with Moreno and its location. In particular, there are 2 very big dormer bungalows on the corners of the entrance to the estate which an estate agent told us were completed in the last year but haven't come on the market yet.

Does anyone know anything about these houses?

Regards,

TJRC

Fiffy

Yea - those houses were originally to go on Market for €500K, dunno what happened since or how a builder can afford to sit on them but they never did go for sale-why not call to the shop at head of road "The Cova", Eamonn Greene there may know something - he's been the local shopkeeper there for years and years - eitherway Moreno is an excellent choice in Athlone.

athlonelad

yeah its a really nice area alright. seen a sign on those houses on the corner "site open to public" must go in for a nose about. they look like fine houses but very close to the dual carraigeway wonder what they would be like for noise. sliabh aifreann is another place you could look at in that area. the other side of the green olive pub. nice estate with mostly families. older houses but well built

tubos

athlonelad wrote: »

yeah its a really nice area alright. seen a sign on those houses on the corner "site open to public" must go in for a nose about. they look like fine houses but very close to the dual carraigeway wonder what they would be like for noise. sliabh aifreann is another place you could look at in that area. the other side of the green olive pub. nice estate with mostly families. older houses but well built

I can't see those houses ever selling!! Way too close to the main road, and everyone from the overpass can see right into them. A few very large trees would have to be planted to ensure privacy!!. I believe these houses were initially going for HUGE money.

That area between the ballymahon road and B&Q seems a good location to live alright, mature are and close enough to everything but yet quiet enough.

Houses have some fine specs all the same..
http://www.downesauctioneers.ie/Cloghanboy%20Court,%20Arcadia,%20Athlone.htm

RizzoJR

TJRC wrote: »

Hi all and thanks for the replies,

We came across a house we like in an estate called Moreno, Arcadia - http://www.myhome.ie/residential/search/brochure/11-moreno-athlone-east-westmeath-co/EOPAM392520 .

Does anyone else know about this estate and what the prices are like there. Is this close to the areas you have all been talking about?

Regards,

TJRC

Has anyone ever actually been INSIDE these Moreno houses??

Bedrooms are shaped very unusally, like some sci-fi spaceship
and this shaped gives a more cramped feeling.

I dunno what architect was thinking, and what buyers were too.

As other posters say, they are still way over valued,
decent location, but for that money you could get bigger detached just
outside the town.

JR

RizzoJR

tubos wrote: »

I can't see those houses ever selling!! Way too close to the main road, and everyone from the overpass can see right into them. A few very large trees would have to be planted to ensure privacy!!. I believe these houses were initially going for HUGE money.

That area between the ballymahon road and B&Q seems a good location to live alright, mature are and close enough to everything but yet quiet enough.

agreed, there is some noise off that main dual carriage way,
surely this will effect long-term value of any nearby houses.

These 2 detached houses were merly bad products of the building boom
-> build anywhere!!! charge crazy price!!!

http://www.daft.ie/searchsale.daft?id=410330
The nearby Cloghanboy estate looks nice on OUTSIDE
but unfortunately the builders went CHEAP on the materials
and the walls are like cardboard (they really are!)
can hear EVERYTHING that goes on in neighbours, let alone in same house
and the heating insulation is hence also awful.

Part of the estate backs right on to N6 road,
I dunno how anyone gets any sleep.

JR.

tubos

when you take everything into account, I think Woodville is the best place to live in athlone, especially if you have a young family. The only downsides are that it's not within walking distance of the town and the nearest shop/spar is about 20 minute walk away.

athlonelad

also try the orchard right next door to woodville

http://www.kamerconstruction.com/residential_orchard.htm

or drummacon

veryangryman

athlonelad wrote: »

also try the orchard right next door to woodville

http://www.kamerconstruction.com/residential_orchard.htm

or drummacon

Again nowwhere is within walking distance. Moreno FTW!

coylemj

athlonelad wrote: »

also try the orchard right next door to woodville

http://www.kamerconstruction.com/residential_orchard.htm

Even by auctioneers standards the description of this development stretches credibility to the limits, here is an extract from the website quoted above...

The Orchard (“An Oulart”) is another beautiful and contemporary development by Kamer Construction and is situated on the outskirts of Athlone. The area itself, Glasson, on the Ballymahon Road, is probably the most sought after address in Athlone and has its own local school.

Now the only problem with this is that Glasson village is over 5 kms away and to get to it from the Orchard development you'd have to drive through another village called Ballykeeran. And while Glasson does indeed have it's own school, the flowery description above conveniently ignores the fact that the Orchard is built right beside another school called Cornamaddy but they obviously reckoned that calling it Glasson would attract more punters.

athlonelad

I was merely indicating to the gentleman other options in that general area. The orchard although outside of town is well priced. didnt cop that on the website i posted about it being near Glasson. sure its feckin miles from it!

Saint_Mel

athlonelad wrote: »

I was merely indicating to the gentleman other options in that general area. The orchard although outside of town is well priced. didnt cop that on the website i posted about it being near Glasson. sure its feckin miles from it!

It was origonally advertised as Glasson ... but also had a picture of the Shannon on the brochure!!! Neither of which are visible from the area!
Suppose its kind of a half way marker!

RizzoJR

athlonelad wrote: »

I was merely indicating to the gentleman other options in that general area. The orchard although outside of town is well priced. didnt cop that on the website i posted about it being near Glasson. sure its feckin miles from it!

please define "well priced"?
- it may appear cheaper than other nearby mature estates, but for sure
you could bid down a 2nd hand house to near/below these new orchard prices.

Have you actually been in "the orchard"??
its horrible terracing cramped layout worthy of a Dublin city subrub,
with un-finished sites galore for kids to play in

another prime example of irish property bubble

ghetto potential

builders and estate agents at it yet again

JR.

tubos

The houses in the Orchard look small, they're basically terraced houses and with a small laneway running down along the back gardens for putting the bin out!

The estate is unfinished also, the builders started on a number of houses and never finished.

athlonelad

it is well priced compared to the house that the original poster was looking at in moreno which i think was something like over 360k which is crazy. yes the orchard houses are small and i have been in them. not my cup of tea. ive bought elsewhere recently.

I was only giving the original poster something to go on price wise. I think the houses in the orchard are 'well priced'. they are less than half the price of the guideline price of that house in moreno. I wouldnt like the estate myself but it is a good area to be fair. someone suggested woodville and this is beside woodville. not as nice a house but as i say you pay for what you get. :P

L.Jenkins

snyper wrote: »

Willow Park. . plenty of activities there..

Im personally favoring the east side of te town - i grew up and live there and like it. There is good value in a place called "fairlands" its a small new estate beside mulligans shop out the roscommon road -1 mile from the town centre

Ya'll get a cheap house there, plenty of activity and the occastional murder if your lucky and its in the east of Athlone! The luxury of living in the west of Athlone!

AckwelFoley

djhunter30 wrote: »

Ya'll get a cheap house there, plenty of activity and the occastional murder if your lucky and its in the east of Athlone! The luxury of living in the west of Athlone!

perhaps i was drinking when i wrote im from the east of the town.. im not..

im from baylough.. rather west of the shannon.. still in westmeath though!

L.Jenkins

Baylough is actually in Roscommon! Many people believe its in Westmeath, because the town council moved the town boundry lines for administrative reasons!!! If this didn't happen, Baylough, like Monksland would still be considered villages independant of the town. I will leave myself open to correction though.

Fiffy

TJRC wrote: »

Hi,

My wife and I are looking into moving to Athlone and we've started to look at myhome.ie and daft.ie and other property websites but are finding it hard to get a feel for good spots in Athlone.

We would like to live close to town and would ideally like various amenities nearby.

How is the market down there - is there much activity?

Regards,

TJRC

Well TJRC any luck with the house hunting - did u go ahead with Marino? Keep us updated

Seaneh

Monksland was never a village, it was a townland.

Also, Baylough is in Westmeath, as is everything before Ganlys and Shines pub and just before McCarthy Park. Baylough would only have the potential to be considered a village because it has a post office.