Renting in Ballymun/Santry?

Monife

Hi guys,

Looking for new place to rent by the end of next month and can't help getting tempted from the prices of apartments in Ballymun/Santry Cross.

On Daft, apartments are showing as about 700-800 for a decent 2 bedroom apartment.

My question, what is it like to live in the Ballymun area nowadays?

Is it safe, regarding walking at night (I walk every night after work) and for parking?

I have heard conflicting things, that is a new and improved area and not as bad as it used to be, and others sayings the situation is still as bad theres just some new buildings there now.

Any help or advice is much appreciated.

dory

It depends where you're living. There's a big area between one end of Santry and the other end of Ballymun. I lived on DCU campus, so in the general area and never had a problem. I really liked the area. Occasionally there were gangs of teenagers hanging around but that happens everywhere.

Bluetonic

dory wrote: »

Occasionally there were gangs of teenagers hanging around but that happens everywhere.

Thats generally what happens in college alright.

January

I lived in Santry Cross for the guts of two years, in two different apartments (had to move to a bigger one because we were expecting a baby).

The side of the road where the hotel is better in general, cleaner, more quiet, more secure.

The apartments on the other side of the road were a nightmare, kids regularly hanging out outside my kitchen window (i lived on the top floor) in the night time, lift was always out of order, people left their bins in the hallway rather than bring them down to the basement where the big bins were, car park was always being broken into. Kids abseiling down the side of the building with rope. Notified the management company several times and nothing was done about it (this was the Turnpike).

Ballymun itself was fine, never any bother.

magneticimpulse

Hi
I have to say it is really fine in these areas. I myself am from Finglas but I currently live in Bordeaux, France studying a PhD in Chemistry and lived in Cambridge before that. I would have no hasitation to move back to Finglas. My brother did Astrophysics...yes and we are all from Finglas. 2 of my friends from school in Finglas studied in Havard, 1 in Havard Medical School and the other again in Astro Physics at Havard.

So I really dont see what the issue is. Finglas area mingles with Ballymun/Glasanevin. In fact when my Grandparents moved to Finglas in the 1940's it was all Finglas and then parts came under the name Glasanevin North or Ballymun.

Where my parents live in Finglas, the neighbours are quite old, in their late 70s and 80s. The neighbours have worked in the US and one even helped build the Empire State Building. They are really friendly.

Each time I meet up with my school friends work colleagues, they ask us where we are from...I say Finglas...and they say...oh you as well? But you dont have a Finglas accent???? I mean as if im meant to have 10 kids and be on crack cocaine or something??

Off course certain parts have a bad reputation, but even then its just a few bad apples. In school everybody was from really nice families...they were all human at the end of the day (shock horror). Ive never had any problems and its only 10 minute drive into the city centre. Taxi's are only about 12 euro home after a night out. The 40N nightlink is about 4 euro home from town. The Botanic Gardens is close by which is really nice. The Autoban pub is quite nice. Its not so far to the Phoenix Park which is brillant for jogging in and I really love it there.

You have Charlestown Shopping Centre, Lidl, Aldi, Tesco and Superquinn in Finglas. You then have IKEA in Ballymun and the the Omni Centre in Santry.

The only time crime is involved, is if people personally get involved in Drugs issues etc...which if your a normal person will never ever involve you, and therefore you will not see it at all. I have to say the people I know from the Northside, are the most down to earth people I have ever met (and I have recently lived in Cornwall, Cambridge, Bordeaux and San Francisco). I personally cant wait to move back to Finglas (I know you asked about Ballymun/Santry...but Finglas had alot of development around the back of Ballymun, around St.Margarets road/Charlestown SC....it also has the M50 and Dublin Airport on its doorstep as well as DCU).

Oh just to add...im female and never had any problems walking home from the bus stop to my home late at night in Finglas. In fact i recently had to change my hair colour from Blonde to Black in Bordeaux, France because I was getting so much hassle from the Arabs and Muslim men...I never felt safer then I did in Finglas.
You really cannot go wrong

magneticimpulse

Are you a student in DCU? Well if you would consider...I recommend Jamestown Road, Ballygall Road West direction in Finglas East. You have access to the 17A bus outside Superquinn, the Finglas East Post Office or across from St. Canice's Boys School on Ballygal Road East.

You also have quite a few buses into the city centre...104, 83, 40s and 19s. You can also get the 220 out to Blanchardstown SC (but this is not so regular). If you have a car or bicycle you can get around easily too. Finglas Village also has lots of great Chinese take-aways and Tesco's/Lidl/Aldi stock lots of cheap alcohol, which is brillant coming up to Christmas if you want to invite friends around for Raclette or Fondue and Wine evening

Cranky Mc Funhouse

Its actually extremely common for PhDs from across the globe to end up homeless in the Ballymun/Finglas area. I can't count the times I've been stopped by some homeless guy trying to sell me some lab. notes in exchange for crack money.

magneticimpulse

Cranky Mc Funhouse wrote: »

Its actually extremely common for PhDs from across the globe to end up homeless in the Ballymun/Finglas area. I can't count the times I've been stopped by some homeless guy trying to sell me some lab. notes in exchange for crack money.

Hmmm well Ive been out of Ireland too long to get your humour...but I can tell you all my friends from Finglas have gone on to get Masters and PhDs and have really successful jobs in Irish Embasy's, UN etc across the world. Its just like any other place in Ireland to live and about 15 minute drive to Malahide, Howth etc...but also close to town. Its a great place to live and Im very happy to have worked for high paid European Schlorship PhD and not only represented Ireland...but Finglas on a Global level.

I really love it and cant wait to go back to Finglas for Christmas...oh how its so lucky to live there. Sure the view of the Chateau and Vineyard is brillant everyday in Bordeaux...but Finglas is the best place to live.

magneticimpulse

Oh and just to add...the houses are nearly the same price to rent as appartments. So I think you would benefit more with a house. There alot of older estabiblished houses with large gardens (100 m long) in these areas. The reason being, if you are in an appartment, you have neighbours below, above, left, right and in front of you!!! Thats so much potential for things to go wrong. At least in a semi detached house you just have 1 real neighbour joining to the wall of your house. Not to mention the older houses are usually well built and therefore the walls are not paper tin or shoe box quality. There are many old nice houses around Finglas East, Ballygal Road West and Santry area.

They also have the benefit of nice old trees in the gardens. If you have a car...you can live anywhere in these area's. If you are depending on a bus, just check around 5 minutes walk from the villages so you can get the bus quickly into the city centre. Come on, realistic, you will prob spend most of your time socialising in the city centre as its only 10 mins away. Or even in Phisboro/Drumcondra in the Porterhouse/John McGowans. So the pubs in these area's are not so important. All you want is good access to shops, take-away and bus/motorway/city/taxi's and these area's are perfect!!!

Monife

magneticimpulse wrote: »

Are you a student in DCU?

Hiya, no i'm not a student. Working in Swords, currently living in Rathgar and just want somewhere a bit closer to work that is decent and a decent price and still near the city (but not centre).

Also, needs to be near bus routes as my partner doesn't own a car, yet.

Just generally want a nice, clean, bright 2 bed apartment, near tesco/lidl and the like in a nice area that I can walk in at night after work. Also somewhere with a secure car park.

The apartments in Ballymun are enticing me because there are some really decent looking 2 bed apartments going for 750, I was just wondering is it a safe area now.

Thanks for the comments guys.

Monife

adrieanne__x wrote: »

The apartments on the other side of the road were a nightmare, kids regularly hanging out outside my kitchen window (i lived on the top floor) in the night time, lift was always out of order, people left their bins in the hallway rather than bring them down to the basement where the big bins were, car park was always being broken into. Kids abseiling down the side of the building with rope. Notified the management company several times and nothing was done about it (this was the Turnpike).

Ballymun itself was fine, never any bother.

Hi Adrieanne,

Can you please tell me a little bit more about the terrible apartments so I know what to steer clear from? I have noticed a few nice apts on Santry Cross which I am interested in viewing but don't want to waste my time going to the nightmare ones.

Thanks

magneticimpulse

Monife wrote: »

Hiya, no i'm not a student. Working in Swords, currently living in Rathgar and just want somewhere a bit closer to work that is decent and a decent price and still near the city (but not centre).

Also, needs to be near bus routes as my partner doesn't own a car, yet.

Just generally want a nice, clean, bright 2 bed apartment, near tesco/lidl and the like in a nice area that I can walk in at night after work. Also somewhere with a secure car park.

The apartments in Ballymun are enticing me because there are some really decent looking 2 bed apartments going for 750, I was just wondering is it a safe area now.

Thanks for the comments guys.

I dont know if you would get everything you ask for no matter what area of Dublin you were looking into!!! I mean NEW appartments will mean young couples, maybe students having parties, or young families with the walls being paper tin.

Whereas if your willing to look at older more established houses in the area you will have a really quite life.

I am not sure exactly where you are talking about? Is it near Santry Lane? In the old Santry Woods area?? Santry Woods and the new development looks nice inside there. I have to say i have used the 17A bus alot from Omni Shopping Centre/Santry Lane to Finglas Village and standing around that particular bus stop has been abit scary for me on Santry Lane at night. Thou ive never had any trouble it has been scary and ive never been scared around Finglas....

Whereas walking around Finglas Village home has been really safe as it there are quite alot of elderly people around that area. Glasnevin Avenue has some really great fine houses and not so far from where you are talking about. Griffith Avenue is also nice. I do not know what bus routes are like but they are on the main road. The 19s service DCU and all the students, so I think around Ballymun Ave etc in the older houses is quite nice to live in.

I would say Finglas, Glasnevin, Santry are definitely quiter then Ballymun. Theres alot of houses built around the 1930s that in those areas, similar to Rathgar which are quite nice. I would avoid anything too new that is going to have lots of kids hanging around.

Since my gym was out in Swords, I used to get the 41s, 16s etc to Santry Lane and then switch to the 17A bus. I dont live in that area and never had any problems, but that junction is not so great. Its a bit isolated if you are waiting for a bus alone at night. Whereas I was always used to being in Finglas Village where its not very far from the Garda Station, so it feels safer.

Monife

Are the Glasnevin, Finglas, Santry areas diverse?

By that I mean, is there a wide range of nationalities and is there more (than usual) discrimination there?

I ask this, because my partner is non-national, I am Irish.

magneticimpulse

Oh yes, I dont want to give away too much details as to exactly where im from online. But there is a nice mix of people around Finglas East down to Tolka Valley/Ballygal Road East up to around Willowpark (where Bono is from), be it Dublin people, people from the country (my grandparents were from Westmeath and settled in Finglas), and Europeans and other nationalities. There is definitely not many Europeans in these area's now because of the countries situation compared to what there used to be.

I tried looking on Daft.ie to see where this "Santry Cross" is. It is basically off Ballymun village by the looks of things? I think they were built when the flats were knocked down and to move people from the old Ballymun Flats into these new houses/appartments, so I would avoid those type of developments. Balbutcher Lane I found was to be not the most pleasent and its closeby. Thou again nothing has ever happened to me. And now there is the huge IKEA nearby, things might have changed but its still a place I would not like to live full time.

In that area, I think the Northwood area was private and in the old Santry woods...which seems ok. But again, if your going to get buses, I dunno. I only got the 17A bus and its not the nicest.

You are better off sticking a bit closer to where the DCU campus is as its really well serviced with buses. Or around Glasnevin Ave area in the older districts. Also N2 is well serviced with buses and a quick hop onto M50 in the back way on 1 stop pass IKEA.

You also want to think about mornings etc and traffic. All these developments were built around what used to be "Country Lane". So stick to the main road areas and you will be fine getting to Swords. My friend was living in Ashtown near Phoenix Park...which is lovely but nightmare to get in and out off.

I dont know where in Swords you work...but Swords is also ok to live in...but I understand it could be a bit more out.

magneticimpulse

I think Charlestown area in Finglas is prob the best for you. Its still near Ballymun area which you were talking about. You have the Shopping centre and the buses, I think 104 go there and onto IKEA?? And maybe the 83?? And the 2 of them go over to southside if you ever need to visit friends again. Its at the M50 Junction 5 exit. Its basically the other side of IKEA, but far enough away from Balbutcher Lane.

It would also be serviced by European people...as anytime im in Dunnes theres a huge Polish Food section and I dont hear much English. Also Lidl and Aldi are next to it as well. And you have 24 hour Tesco's at Clearwater N2 serviced by the same buses. I can tell you the bus 104 is really quick into city centre and its in within 10 to 15 mins

Monife

magneticimpulse wrote: »

I dont know where in Swords you work...but Swords is also ok to live in...but I understand it could be a bit more out.

Ideally, I would love to live in Swords, cheaper better quality accomodation, quiet but still near things.

But its a problem for my partner with the buses as they are not that frequent and he still has to get a 2nd bus once he gets to the city centre.

I like the Finglas/Glasnevin area too but the places we can afford look drab and dated and the ones that have what we are looking for are too expensive for our budget. Looking ideally at a budget of 650-750 as my partner was let go a few months ago and has only been able to get a few hours a week (not even every week, agency work), so I pay the rent and he manages the bills when he can.

Would love to know would anyone know which part of Ballymun is decent?

Never even imagined living there before but the apartments look decent and are a good price.

Max Power1

Monife wrote: »

Ideally, I would love to live in Swords, cheaper better quality accomodation, quiet but still near things.

But its a problem for my partner with the buses as they are not that frequent and he still has to get a 2nd bus once he gets to the city centre.

I like the Finglas/Glasnevin area too but the places we can afford look drab and dated and the ones that have what we are looking for are too expensive for our budget. Looking ideally at a budget of 650-750 as my partner was let go a few months ago and has only been able to get a few hours a week (not even every week, agency work), so I pay the rent and he manages the bills when he can.

Would love to know would anyone know which part of Ballymun is decent?

Never even imagined living there before but the apartments look decent and are a good price.

Id steer well clear. The area is well dodge anywhere off the main road through it. If you are looking in that area, stay the city side of DCU imo

magneticimpulse

I would also agree with the above poster and I am from Finglas near by.

I think Charlestown Place is a good alternative

http://www.charlestowncentre.ie/

Here are the homes:
http://www.charlestownhomes.ie/

There is no nice area in Ballymun!!! Northwood as I mentioned before would be ok, in what is old Santry Woods or City side of Glasnevin Ave...near DCU (Thats it)

Ive grown up in Finglas East for 22 years of my life and all my family still live there. So I know what im talking about.

Look, realistic, I think if you are willing to accept a few things and not fussed by a few teenagers hanging around the shops. You will be grand and will not have problems. If thats whats in your budget I think you will be fine. If its a matter that you dont have a choice. If your happy enough to live there, fair play to you. I would not suggest it to anyone, but you seem up for moving there. Ballymun was created as a place for low cost living and in the 60s the government moved scores of families out there to the ugly flats. They were so ugly, they knocked them down to regenerate the area. The people who lived in the flats moved into these developments. If you dont mind it, and willing to tollerate it, then you will be fine. I still think its far safer then alot of places in big cities like London or Paris. I personally think there are similar alternatives near by. But ive given you all the advice I know.

January

Yes there is! Santry Cross is grand. Honestly, and I'm not from the area.

Look for The Claremont - http://www.daft.ie/searchrental.daft?id=977332

The Hampton - http://www.daft.ie/searchrental.daft?id=905735

The Landey - http://www.daft.ie/searchrental.daft?id=979231

Stay away from the Maiseton and the Turnpike.

Laisurg

Well it depends which part of course, some are alright some are actually pretty good and other parts are hell on earth, stay away from the parts near finglas i lived in finglas for 3 years and i will NEVER go back i didn't even live in the worst part, the closer it is in ballymun to dcu the better it is generally, as for racism, you should be alright in an apartment block area santry aint too bad, theres generally just little knacker teenagers around the place, i would say its better than ballymun, then again it depends on which part, i never went too far into santry but the area around the omni centre seems pretty decent.

magneticimpulse

Laisurg wrote: »

Well it depends which part of course, some are alright some are actually pretty good and other parts are hell on earth, stay away from the parts near finglas i lived in finglas for 3 years and i will NEVER go back i didn't even live in the worst part, the closer it is in ballymun to dcu the better it is generally, as for racism, you should be alright in an apartment block area santry aint too bad, theres generally just little knacker teenagers around the place, i would say its better than ballymun, then again it depends on which part, i never went too far into santry but the area around the omni centre seems pretty decent.

Im from Finglas East and its grand. Ballymun is far worse then Finglas. Ballymun was literally just Social Housing. Finglas East has lots of private house built in the 30s. If your talking about Balbutcher Lane in Ballymun, yes this is well dodge...but then IMO its all very dodge. As it was just to replace Ballymun Flats and even people in North Inner city Dublin flats would not have moved out to Ballymun flats

magneticimpulse

adrieanne__x wrote: »

Yes there is! Santry Cross is grand. Honestly, and I'm not from the area.

Look for The Claremont - http://www.daft.ie/searchrental.daft?id=977332

The Hampton - http://www.daft.ie/searchrental.daft?id=905735

The Landey - http://www.daft.ie/searchrental.daft?id=979231

Stay away from the Maiseton and the Turnpike.

This is a silly name "Santry Cross", its basically Ballymun Village

magneticimpulse

Going with silly names...if you can wait a week or 2 i can imagine with the Bailout that the rent prices will come down to more your budget. Lets face it, the rent prices we see today are little reflection as to what has happened over the past few days!!!

this place looks nice and like i said before the Shopping Centre is really nice and not dodgy

http://www.myhome.ie/lettings/brochure/charlestown-place-finglas-dublin/391605

John Mason

Hi OP,

if you take a wander around ballymun, you can see straight away which are the nicer areas - its pretty obvious.

I know a lot of people working in Swords and living in Santry Wood, so have a look around there.

Monife

magneticimpulse wrote: »

this place looks nice and like i said before the Shopping Centre is really nice and not dodgy

http://www.myhome.ie/lettings/brochure/charlestown-place-finglas-dublin/391605

This is the kinda place I would be looking for, but would defo not pay 800 for a 1 bed. I'm looking at max 650/700 for a 1 bed and hoping for 750 for a 2 bed.

John Mason

magneticimpulse wrote: »

Going with silly names...if you can wait a week or 2 i can imagine with the Bailout that the rent prices will come down to more your budget. Lets face it, the rent prices we see today are little reflection as to what has happened over the past few days!!!

this place looks nice and like i said before the Shopping Centre is really nice and not dodgy

http://www.myhome.ie/lettings/brochure/charlestown-place-finglas-dublin/391605

No offence but you dont live in the country, the shopping centre is dodgy as hell plus he works in Swords which would mean two buses to work and having to rely on the number 17 bus which is a crap service.

the OP never asked about Finglas he asked about Ballymun

magneticimpulse

Monife wrote: »

This is the kinda place I would be looking for, but would defo not pay 800 for a 1 bed. I'm looking at max 650/700 for a 1 bed and hoping for 750 for a 2 bed.

Well can you hold out a few weeks?? Im certain loads of people are in the same boat and when the Budget is passed alot of people will have to leave Ireland which will free up alot more places to rent and therefore decrease the prices of rent even more.

There has to be alot of situations now where there is just 1 income paying towards rent!!

magneticimpulse

irishbird wrote: »

No offence but you dont live in the country, the shopping centre is dodgy as hell plus he works in Swords which would mean two buses to work and having to rely on the number 17 bus which is a crap service.

the OP never asked about Finglas he asked about Ballymun

Haha...well Im on a European exchange, which means the EU pay for my flights back to Ireland. So im actually in Finglas every 2 weeks!! Charlestown SC is not dodgy and I am in the SC every other week shopping in Dunnes Stores, Boots, Heatons.

He or she doesnt have to get 2 buses. They have a car. Which will be easy access onto the M50 one or 2 stops. You can also go via the back roads. Charlestown is literally about 5 minute drive from the area they mentioned and therefore will not take much longer.

Its the partner which needs to get over to the southside and there are 2 buses which go to Southside from Charlestown SC.

Monife

magneticimpulse wrote: »

Well can you hold out a few weeks?? Im certain loads of people are in the same boat and when the Budget is passed alot of people will have to leave Ireland which will free up alot more places to rent and therefore decrease the prices of rent even more.

There has to be alot of situations now where there is just 1 income paying towards rent!!

Yeah we can wait a bit, I was just being organised. Our current lease runs out 29 December. So we have more than month, but I want to start viewing places possibly at the end of the 1st week of December or the 2nd week (want to be completely thorough as my last 2 places looked great and then lots of things were niggling after living there for a while).
Also will have to be weekend or evening viewings which can be awkward.

John Mason

magneticimpulse wrote: »

I am in the SC every other week shopping in Dunnes Stores, Boots, Heatons.

During the day - its not a nice place at night

magneticimpulse

Sorry its the 140 bus which goes from IKEA down N2 and to Leeson St. 83 goes Charlestown/ Harristown to Kimmage via Rathmines and Rathgar Rd....so maybe its an option by time late December comes I think prices will have changed. Or at least offer thats how much you would pay!!! I can see lots more people leaving the country...so it will be a renters market still