Castlepark, Maynooth

washburn73

By the way, just in case there is any misunderstanding regarding my last comment...

I'm not saying that <snip>Castlepark Square is worth €555k. I'm not a buyer so I wouldn't place any value on it. However, if my information is correct, then it does demonstrate that there is a demand for (nice, but not particularly grand) houses at that price in Maynooth, regardless of what some on here want/wish to be the case.

Yes, if you're going to value it based on the highest price paid for this kind of house, it'd be in excess of 500k, plus the price of flooring and other extras that might have been put in.

But, if I remember correctly, prices don't always go up.
You could just as easily look to the price this time last year when it would have been 450k plus extras. You don't have to use the asking price or top sales price as an anchor.

Of course, if there's a bidding war and you really want it, that's a different story. I get that people want to get on with their lives and don't fancy waiting around for new mortgage rules to calm the market.

Definitely ring the agent to find out if there are solid bids on it, maybe arrange a viewing (or second viewing). If there are no other bids on it, maybe wait until tomorrow to decide what you're willing to pay. By then the CSO will have put out the latest property price index and - maybe - the shape of the Central Bank's new mortgage rules will be clearer.

hp1

Maynoothres wrote: »

Reminder @colinmc No <snip > fully floored etc so will be worth more than buying prices of final phase from builder. Just a thought

Best of luck!

The attic is also converted which doesn't come cheap!

The_Morrigan

Folks can you please keep in mind this is a public forum. If you're going to be bidding on a house, don't put the address and your bidding strategy/thoughts/opinion here. Next time I won't edit the posts, I'll delete them.

ColinMc

ColinMc wrote: »

Thanks Ixus for the info on the commute times.

I have decided to put a bid on <snip>Castlepark Square. It's advertised €555k asking price. Is there anybody out there willing to share how much they paid for the last phase of detached houses (ballpark figure)

I know the asking was €495k for the final phase. If the final phase were purchased for somewhere (€490k - 510k) then I probably couldn't justify going any more than that for Nr <snip>

Appreciate any feedback?

I've no insight on any particular property and don't mean to cast aspersions on any agent, seller or bidder. This is just a general opinion:

If bidding on any house from here on, it would be reasonable to ask the agent to confirm that other bidders have formal proof of finance. Some agents do this already and keep a log of verifiable bids.

Might seem a bit mean-spirited but other people might be bidding up prices only to find that the new mortgage lending rules mean the bank won't actually release the funds. (Example: someone trading up to a house for 550k would need a deposit of €88,000. If they have exactly 88k, they would need to borrow €462k. As they can only now borrow 3.5 x income, that implies income of 132k.)

If you 'win' the bidding war, it might be that your competitor wouldn't have been able to raise the funds - you'll never know. If you 'lose', the house will come back to market in a few weeks/months but the agent may be back asking about your highest bid even though you might never have gone to that level if not for the other bidder.

stupidname2013

ColinMc wrote: »

Question to all Castleparkers,

What is the commute time (honestly) from Castlepark to the Dublin city centre in the mornings and vice versa in the evenings

(a) by car
(b) by bus

Hi Colin,

My husband works in IFSC and gets the train (I know you didn't ask train) to Connolly, this is the handiest...in the morning he gets the 6.57 and it's about 40 minutes so door to door about 55 mins. In the evenings however he gets the Sligo train at 17.05 and is in Maynooth (first stop) at 17.35 and travel time then is about 45 mins (he literally works at Connolly so no walking really there).

I get the bus...I get either the 7.10 or the 7.25 (66X) and during the winter it's usually about 55/55 mins, with sort of 12/13 total mins of walking. Last summer however I was getting in door to door well within the hour. At night it's a bit longer, I try get the 5 bus from Westmoreland street (or the 5.20) and it's about an hour on the bus and then about 7/8 mins walk I suppose. So door to door I guess at night about an hour and 10.

Driving in...if you leave before 7, you can get into town around 7.30...leave any later and it's much worse...maybe 8 coz you get stuck on the quays. I tend not to drive home until after 7 if I do drive so it's only about 30 mins. I wouldn't leave before that.

Hope that helps!

starlit

littlediver wrote: »

Well that's the end of my thoughts about buying a Castlepark Home. Live Line today revealed that the builder is the one who is responsible for all the pyrite homes in Leixlip. He transferred his assets and set up Mason Homes. Prime Time were at Castlepark estate today so there is bound to be coverage of it on a future episode.

Its the first time I've ever heard of Pyrite. What is it and what kind of issues can it cause with houses? Are houses with it meant to be avoided for health reasons?

They look like lovely styled houses.

L1011

If you've not heard of pyrite you really shouldn't be looking at new (or near new) houses.

It can cause serious structural damage that is rarely if ever covered by home insurance or even new home assurance policies like Homebond. Builders are known to liquidate companies that built with pyrite-affected material and start again to escape financial responsibility

The impacts will usually be seen within about 8 years so an older house should be unaffected if it hadn't happened already

starlit

Oh right but what about apartments in particular new developments could they be affected by pyrite as well even if well insulated?

It's not really about insulation. I'm not being funny but if you just Google it you'll quickly see why it can be a problem. You can test for it but it's quite invasive (i.e. you have to dig a sample)

FWIW I haven't heard anyone living in Castlepark complain of pyrite. Certainly any problems would be obvious by now in the first phase.

L1011

doovdela wrote: »

Oh right but what about apartments in particular new developments could they be affected by pyrite as well even if well insulated?

Apartments can be, new developments really shouldn't be and insulation has nothing to do with it

Maynoothres

Anyone heard from Masons re info pack status?

crooksling

Maynoothres wrote: »

Anyone heard from Masons re info pack status?

We were talking to Aislinn the other day & she said she's still waiting on a few packs to be signed off by Declan who was away until today. She didn't say that they would be definitely out this week but defo got that impression - hopefully though!!!! ;-)

ColinMc

ColinMc wrote: »

Thanks Ixus for the info on the commute times.

I have decided to put a bid on <snip>Castlepark Square. It's advertised €555k asking price. Is there anybody out there willing to share how much they paid for the last phase of detached houses (ballpark figure)

I know the asking was €495k for the final phase. If the final phase were purchased for somewhere (€490k - 510k) then I probably couldn't justify going any more than that for Nr <snip>

Appreciate any feedback?

I see the house that was on sale in Castlepark is now sale agreed. Anyone any insights on how the bidding went? Did it go above or below the asking.

tigershould

Deleted User wrote: »

I see the house that was on sale in Castlepark is now sale agreed. Anyone any insights on how the bidding went? Did it go above or below the asking.

I wouldn't be surprised if it went for asking or higher. These houses are sought after in a town that's short on good family homes and where there seems to be a bit of money flying around.

washburn73

tigershould wrote: »

I wouldn't be surprised if it went for asking or higher. These houses are sought after in a town that's short on good family homes and where there seems to be a bit of money flying around.

I agree. From what I've heard it went for slightly higher than the asking price.

These are good family homes, nothing more, nothing less - they are somewhat squeezed onto the site, they are overlooked and they aren't exactly 'grand' (indeed the kitchen in no.25 looked a little cheap imho), but they are the best available in Maynooth for that price.

The alternative is a standalone house in a more private location, but equally close to the main street/train station/etc. There was one in Leinster Park last year that came to market at €525k and sold for over €600k (Google: "the willows leinster park maynooth kildare"). And zoned residential sites within the boundary of the town are as rare as hens teeth.

So, it's not surprising that there is so much interest in Castlepark.

Maynoothres

We're beginning to get pretty frustrated. We signed in November and still have not received an info pack. Our house is built with roof and windows etc done. Guttering half done.

Has anyone heard anything from Mason's in the last week or so? We've emailed and not received a response!

Maynoothres

Info pack finally arrived today!

ForEffsSake

Great! At long last :-). It's not like I really needed it yet because our house won't be built for ages but it's still good to get all the details so you can do some planning.
Do they give you an estimated completion date in it? Can't wait to get home now and have a look at it!

Maynoothres

@ForEffsSake:
I'm not at home either but OH called with the details. Ours is 4 bed semi and it outlines paint options, fireplace supplier, kitchen supplier, bathroom supplier, tiling supplier, what sockets and light fittings, coving, smoke & carbon dioxide monitors are included etc.

No estimated completion date. We called a few weeks ago and asked and they could give us a rough estimation (of the month) but our house sounds like it's further along than yours.

ForEffsSake

Oh great, thanks for that. lucky you, I can't wait until we're in but probably won't be until towards end of the year.

More time to save I suppose....

@13

Did we ever establish what kind of money 25 Castlepark Sq went for? Was it +/- the asking?

Property price register showing up a few of last year's sales.

Prices are ex-VAT @13.5%:
- 264k
- 281k
- 281k
- 264k
- 320k
- 264k
- 396k
- 400k
- 400k
- 402k
- 396k
and so on

Presuming these were not the houses sold in autumn? i.e. People haven't yet paid for them.

Looking at those numbers and CSO data saying prices have fallen (moderately) over the past few months, any scope for reverse gazumping if the downward trend continues?

L1011

The estate planned for along the ringroad route between Griffin Rath and Lidl has had a significant new planning application put in. The docs aren't online yet but the vast bulk of them are 4 bed houses (163 units as far as I can see).

I can't access the old plans either but I'm 99% certain there was a lot less planned, at much lower density. Castlepark's success with very crowded together houses must have influenced them - and 163 units of a similar size will hugely dilute the market too.

I suppose it's inevitable given the demand in the greater Dublin area but Maynooth will be a much bigger town 5 years from now.

There's the site beside Castlepark, the one behind Lidl, the big site opposite Tesco and a few more houses in Moyglare and Newtown.

Seems to be a little bit less building in Leixlip and Celbridge but maybe they have already expanded a fair bit. I'd worry about traffic but it's a universal problem, I suppose. Once you're on the motorway it's usually okay apart from rush hour.

Maynoothres

Well future neighbours and fellow CP home owners, how is everyone getting on? Has anyone who purchased in the last phase moved in yet?

L1011

Permission applied for 34 detached 4 bed, 40 semi D 4 bed and 24 semi D 3 bed along the (unbuilt) eastern ring road now.

More and more similar houses will be popping up in the next few years I'm sure.

Kathy22

Maynoothres wrote: »

Well future neighbours and fellow CP home owners, how is everyone getting on? Has anyone who purchased in the last phase moved in yet?

We are due to move in at the end of this month. We have an estimated close date of Friday week. It feels so surreal now as we have been looking at this estate for years! I am dying to see the final result

Snagging this Friday ... as long a the ESB deliver this time round!!!

Any questions to future neighbours feel free to ask.

you2008

L1011 wrote: »

Permission applied for 34 detached 4 bed, 40 semi D 4 bed and 24 semi D 3 bed along the (unbuilt) eastern ring road now.

More and more similar houses will be popping up in the next few years I'm sure.

Where is d eastern ring rd

Giuseppe90

As mentioned it hasn't been built except for the small section between Griffin Rath Hall and Manor (I am currently living in Griffin Rath Hall).

This would be extended as far and come out at the Lidl on the Straffan Road if the current application to build gets the go ahead. There was previous permission to build which would have seen the road extended also.

Maynoothres

Kathy22 wrote: »

We are due to move in at the end of this month. We have an estimated close date of Friday week. It feels so surreal now as we have been looking at this estate for years! I am dying to see the final result

Snagging this Friday ... as long a the ESB deliver this time round!!!

Any questions to future neighbours feel free to ask.

Thanks Kathy22. Delighted your heading for closing stage - at least some progress is being made. We keep getting pushed back for no obvious reasons! We're hoping now for the end of May but you know yourself!!

Have you had any issues in the last few weeks? Would be really interested to hear how your experience has been & how your snagging goes.

We're the same as you - cannot wait to get in now!!