Cork Street/Rialto/Combe Area

letsdothis

Hi,
I'm looking at buying in this area. I'm not too familiar with this part of town but have walked around it at night a couple of times and I thought it was fairly quiet. Basically I'm looking to avoid an area where I don't feel safe to walk home at night and where I'm unlikely to be tormented by neighbours (you can never guarantee this, I know). The house prices are very affordable and rents are high, which indicates to me it must be desirable for renters. Any opinions? Any no go areas? Any advice appreciated.

JuliusCaesar

It goes street by street. There are a few threads on this before. Some roads like St Anthonys (?) are quite bad and the rest are fine. The Luas is good and the Red Line doesn't deserve its reputation at all. I've never had any problems on it. I've only experience attempted pickpocketing on the Green Line. If you are walking home, would you be walking down Cork Street? I've found that lonely enough in the past - not enough walkers, and cars zipping by way too fast if you needed help.

But other people might have different experience to me.

MissFlitworth

I've lived there and loved it and if I was ready to buy a house it's somewhere I'd be looking but found it was a pretty polarising area, you either love it and don't want to leave or you really, really hate it and decamp to Dublin 4 or 6 at the earliest possible opportunity.

- easy walk to town
- great public transport
- close to Lidl
- Urban (I like this)
- Newmarket Co-op, fumbally etc. very close by
- Comparatively cheap rent to the rest of the city at the time

My flatmates who hated it

- easily intimidated by urban kids, especially in groups
- got sick of the local characters
- got sick of seeing garda cars on our road (cul de sac so they weren't just driving by the whole time, they were called fairly regularly for all sorts of reasons)
- Uncomfortable walking home after dark along Cork st
- Found it too urban

We lived near Teresa's Gardens and were burgled once, the gardai who came in said that it was a fairly regular occurrence on the streets surrounding the flats. There's a few bad apples from there. It's not something that would bother me because there are bad apples everywhere but if I lived around there again I'd be very, very careful about having a decent alarm, keeping doors locked etc. etc.

If you haven't lived there before I'd really recommend renting there for a while. Even renting a room for a couple of months to get a feel for whether you fall into the love or hate camp.

Gavin "shels"

As already said you need to be more precise with whereabouts exactly, I've lived off Donore Avenue for 23 years and my mother for just over double that. Minimal problems over the years.

Walking around the place at night for the most part you'd find it dead.

strandroad

From what I know and heard what MissFlitworth says above is pretty much spot on if you're thinking about the area on the east side of Cork St. My friends lived there and I used to visit - it's gritty but not threatening. It gets worse towards Rialto though, another friend moved out of there presto and they witnessed or heard of a number of incidents; they sent me this article last year saying "see, this is what I was talking about":
http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/five-injured-in-spate-of-stabbing-attacks-in-dublin-29504193.html

Looks like an area that can easily dip on either side, depending on what's happening with a generation of locals at any given time. Might quieten down, then flare up etc.

letsdothis

Thought that I responded to this yesterday but maybe it got lost in the downtime. Thanks for all the responses. I was going to ask for specific views on the the area that is surrounded by South Circular/St. James Walk/Rueben Street/Cork street but this area has been highlighted by mhge in the independent.ie article. Is this area no go? I walked through it specifically and I thought it was quite quiet - houses seemed to be well maintained (there was one boarded up alright), the few people that I saw walking or going in and out of houses were decidedly middle class looking. There's a 2-bed house for rent there at the moment for €1650 a month. Am I reading it wrong? Thanks again for the information.

MissFlitworth

I have friends living in apartments around that area who love it and bought a place there, also know people who lived in Maryland until recently and they had no issues. I walk through it really regularly and wouldn't have said it was a no go area at all. There are a couple of roads I wouldn't fancy living on, personally I wouldn't live on St Anthony's road, but that's just personal preference and other people might find it grand. I really do think it's person specific (as in what you yourself like) and road specific.

TheBandicoot

MissFlitworth wrote: »

personally I wouldn't live on St Anthony's road

Lol, just had a look at this street on Google Maps- http://goo.gl/maps/8S5TD

MissFlitworth

Hah! Brilliant! Yes, little dudes like that and their friends and their older, drunker friends and their slightly wild dogs are why I wouldn't personally be buying a house there.

strandroad

letsdothis wrote: »

Thought that I responded to this yesterday but maybe it got lost in the downtime. Thanks for all the responses. I was going to ask for specific views on the the area that is surrounded by South Circular/St. James Walk/Rueben Street/Cork street but this area has been highlighted by mhge in the independent.ie article. Is this area no go? I walked through it specifically and I thought it was quite quiet - houses seemed to be well maintained (there was one boarded up alright), the few people that I saw walking or going in and out of houses were decidedly middle class looking. There's a 2-bed house for rent there at the moment for €1650 a month. Am I reading it wrong? Thanks again for the information.

Why not to visit local garda station and ask them what's going on there exactly and what's the potential of it affecting civilians? That is if you're buying... if you're renting I'd say just go ahead and see how you like it as you're not making any permanent investment.
What my friend witnessed was incidents such as street fights, blood splatters on the footpath one morning, frequent garda presence (as in being called and intervening, not just cruising), yobs winding up kids to throw largish stones at passing cyclists etc. She was not personally threatened, but at the end of her lease she moved over to the Liberties which she finds fine. If you're thinking of an apartment, however, you may be shielded from a lot of the above as the attractions were probably more on the ground level. There's a lot of professionals renting there due to the proximity to St James's and to town, so it just boils down to how much bad apples can spoil it for you.

Birneybau

letsdothis wrote: »

Thought that I responded to this yesterday but maybe it got lost in the downtime. Thanks for all the responses. I was going to ask for specific views on the the area that is surrounded by South Circular/St. James Walk/Rueben Street/Cork street but this area has been highlighted by mhge in the independent.ie article. Is this area no go? I walked through it specifically and I thought it was quite quiet - houses seemed to be well maintained (there was one boarded up alright), the few people that I saw walking or going in and out of houses were decidedly middle class looking. There's a 2-bed house for rent there at the moment for €1650 a month. Am I reading it wrong? Thanks again for the information.

That is shocking if true. Up until recently, I was renting a place, admittedly one bed, off Clanbrassil Street for €800. Also rented 2 bed in Harold's Cross for €950.

letsdothis

Birneybau wrote: »

That is shocking if true. Up until recently, I was renting a place, admittedly one bed, off Clanbrassil Street for €800. Also rented 2 bed in Harold's Cross for €950.

€1400-1600 seems to be standard enough for this area for 2 bed houses.

MissFlitworth

I don't know that the rent in Dublin 8 as it is at the moment can be relied on as a standard. There's been a bit of a crazy explosion in rent prices in central Dublin over the last 4 or 5 months, I don't know enough about trends to know if that's set to continue but I do know that when I lived around there we paid 1450 p/m for a 3 bed house at the absolute height of the boom and that dropped down as far as 1250 p/m for the same 3 bed house 2 years later. Also the last house we lived in went up in rent by 25% for the new tenants when we left in November. Rent just seems a bit odd/mad at the minute €1400 - €1600 a month for a 2 bed around there might not be something to be relying on if you're buying with an eye to renting the place out in future. Unless you have a really fancy house that's going to be desirable to people who earn decent money or you buy very close to the town end of Cork street. Might not be important to you but something to watch out for if you are thinking about buying to potentially rent in the future.

(Our previous letting agent mentioned that there was a swathe of repossessions of investment rental properties by NAMA in the second half of 2013 that's creating an artificial lack of rental property in the city, how true that is I don't know but I've never seen anything like the crowds of people viewing houses when we were looking and I've rented in Dublin for more than 8 years)

letsdothis

MissFlitworth wrote: »

I don't know that the rent in Dublin 8 as it is at the moment can be relied on as a standard. There's been a bit of a crazy explosion in rent prices in central Dublin over the last 4 or 5 months, I don't know enough about trends to know if that's set to continue but I do know that when I lived around there we paid 1450 p/m for a 3 bed house at the absolute height of the boom and that dropped down as far as 1250 p/m for the same 3 bed house 2 years later. Also the last house we lived in went up in rent by 25% for the new tenants when we left in November. Rent just seems a bit odd/mad at the minute €1400 - €1600 a month for a 2 bed around there might not be something to be relying on if you're buying with an eye to renting the place out in future. Unless you have a really fancy house that's going to be desirable to people who earn decent money or you buy very close to the town end of Cork street. Might not be important to you but something to watch out for if you are thinking about buying to potentially rent in the future.

(Our previous letting agent mentioned that there was a swathe of repossessions of investment rental properties by NAMA in the second half of 2013 that's creating an artificial lack of rental property in the city, how true that is I don't know but I've never seen anything like the crowds of people viewing houses when we were looking and I've rented in Dublin for more than 8 years)

Thanks for that. I'm not thinking about long term rental potential more than if people are willing and able to pay that kind of money in the area then it must be a somewhat desirable place to live. Rents have gone absolutely crazy. There is a housing crisis in this country.

tampopo

letsdothis wrote: »

Hi,
I'm looking at buying in this area. I'm not too familiar with this part of town but have walked around it at night a couple of times and I thought it was fairly quiet. Basically I'm looking to avoid an area where I don't feel safe to walk home at night and where I'm unlikely to be tormented by neighbours (you can never guarantee this, I know). The house prices are very affordable and rents are high, which indicates to me it must be desirable for renters. Any opinions? Any no go areas? Any advice appreciated.

I think you'd be fine. I lived adjacent to St. anthony's road for years and it was alright then.
Everything's relative, though, right?!!!

Bit gone downhill now alright and I would also recommend you avoid it.

Stojkovic

€1650 pm rent, I wouldnt pay €400.

I work in the area during the day and make sure Im outta there by sun down.

Full of junkie scrotes.

roweeeeena

It all depends on the street you live on and your own personal preferences. I've been renting for 4 years in the area and don't bat an eyelid. My terrace is sandwiched in between Reuben St, St Anthonys etc but the terrace itself is very quiet with no trouble. I'm female, 20s, walk through Reuben St, Cork St, up Herberton to Luas etc at all hours of the night and day and it's fine. Though I wouldn't go walking up St Anthonys at 3am! Some terraces in Maryland or east of Cork St you could be unlucky, but it mostly all depends on what you are comfortable with, some of my friends get a bit nervous walking through my area, while I am fine with it and nothing close to an incident has ever happened to me in the 4 years I'm here. I never feel threatened or unsafe. There's no random violence for no reason, if you keep your head down and don't get involved there's no reason any gang crime etc should effect you greatly.

RebelButtMunch

roweeeeena wrote: »

It all depends on the street you live on and your own personal preferences. I've been renting for 4 years in the area and don't bat an eyelid. My terrace is sandwiched in between Reuben St, St Anthonys etc but the terrace itself is very quiet with no trouble. I'm female, 20s, walk through Reuben St, Cork St, up Herberton to Luas etc at all hours of the night and day and it's fine. Though I wouldn't go walking up St Anthonys at 3am! Some terraces in Maryland or east of Cork St you could be unlucky, but it mostly all depends on what you are comfortable with, some of my friends get a bit nervous walking through my area, while I am fine with it and nothing close to an incident has ever happened to me in the 4 years I'm here. I never feel threatened or unsafe. There's no random violence for no reason, if you keep your head down and don't get involved there's no reason any gang crime etc should effect you greatly.

Reubens st is like something from shameless

roweeeeena

RebelButtMunch wrote: »

Reubens st is like something from shameless

Haha I don't know what that says about me because I really think it's grand
I suppose there is a difference between people living their lives in certain ways and some...characters, and areas where a stranger might be under threat to walk through, I definitely don't think Reuben Street is one of those areas, I walk through there several times a day. It's very safe, just kids playing, maybe some enthusiastic shouting between neighbours but nothing to worry about! Anything else going on won't impact you if you're not involved in it. But depends on the person, anyone wanting to move anywhere I would advise them to walk around the streets at least ten times at all hours of the day and night to get a feel for the atmosphere of the area.

tampopo

€1650 sounds a bit exhorbitant alright.

I agree with Roweena's points.

Wasn't there a girl attacked in Maryland there about five years ago, she works/worked for TodayFM or Newstalk?

I see there was someone murdered in leafy Castleknock yesterday. You could be just unlucky, regardless to where you live.

banjotradman

Letsdothis - we were also looking at this area to buy a house in. I've always thought it was a reasonable enough area when passing through - nice community look / feel to rialto village at least. Reminds me a bit of phibsborough. There's been some really nice houses that have sold around church avenue and there's one up on reuben street that looks great. cheaper than harolds cross etc.

having been in london for a long time, maybe i'm used to cheek-by-jowl living, so having flats or mouthy kids etc near-by wouldn't bother me. i've lived in rougher parts of dublin (blanch) which have less going for them - miles from town, feic all facilities, transport etc.

My my concern though would be schools (i know, very middle class and dull). we have a small kid, so would like to investigate what the schools are like generally. wouldn't want to send the little fella into a rough as f*ck classroom.

any one have any experience of schools in the area? (sorry - hijacking the post now!)

Gavin "shels"

St. Catherines NS on Donore Avenue.

sawdoubters

why do people want to live in **** holes,your place will be broken into every other week

January

sawdoubters wrote: »

why do people want to live in **** holes,your place will be broken into every other week

Unhelpful posts will not be tolerated.

FloatingVoter

I live off Cork Street - beside the Lidl there. No break-ins that I know of in the immediate area since 2012. Two bikes stolen alright that were left outside someone's house. This will happen in the Vatican.
Is it noisy ? - at times...mainly people passing by on the street. The anti-social / downright criminal antics on Eugene St. stopped with forced evictions this time last year.
Theresa's Gardens is being rejuvenated - Stage 8 (the rebuild, 1 through 7 - being demolition) begins at the start of March. Stages 9 through whatever will be ongoing there until about 2017.
As for Maryland on the other side of the street - excellent for getting to and from the Luas line. Stop off in Centra on the way to pick up a paper. Lidl on the way back to do your shopping.
Am I talking it up - yeah. Would I move if I won the lotto on Wednesday - probably to where I could have a seaview - but I'd keep my house here for rental purposes.
Remember some people will talk an area down to keep prices low, others to up prices. Agendas.
Best way to find out is to walk the streets by day and night. See what you see. You wouldn't buy a computer without shopping around. Treat a house the same way.
Hope that helps, OP.

RebelButtMunch

FloatingVoter wrote: »

I live off Cork Street - beside the Lidl there. No break-ins that I know of in the immediate area since 2012. Two bikes stolen alright that were left outside someone's house. This will happen in the Vatican.
Is it noisy ? - at times...mainly people passing by on the street. The anti-social / downright criminal antics on Eugene St. stopped with forced evictions this time last year.
Theresa's Gardens is being rejuvenated - Stage 8 (the rebuild, 1 through 7 - being demolition) begins at the start of March. Stages 9 through whatever will be ongoing there until about 2017.
As for Maryland on the other side of the street - excellent for getting to and from the Luas line. Stop off in Centra on the way to pick up a paper. Lidl on the way back to do your shopping.
Am I talking it up - yeah. Would I move if I won the lotto on Wednesday - probably to where I could have a seaview - but I'd keep my house here for rental purposes.
Remember some people will talk an area down to keep prices low, others to up prices. Agendas.
Best way to find out is to walk the streets by day and night. See what you see. You wouldn't buy a computer without shopping around. Treat a house the same way.
Hope that helps, OP.

That gave me a good laugh. You must have a tin foil hat on if you think people from that area are on this thread talking the area down to affect property price

FloatingVoter

RebelButtMunch wrote: »

That gave me a good laugh. You must have a tin foil hat on if you think people from that area are on this thread talking the area down to affect property price

Theres a world outside this thread. Grownups with money to buy houses live there. I was giving the OP an informed opinion.

banjotradman

Gavin shels wrote: »

St. Catherines NS on Donore Avenue.

thanks gavinshels. will check this out.

we did our ante-natal classes up on donore ave in the community centre - again, seemed to be a real mix of people living around there and a good community spirit. plenty of young families, older / settled people etc.

would be good to hear any other experiences of schools in the area if people have them.

shame about the disparaging comments on the area generally. you can't paint an entire place as a sh*t hole because of a few scum bags - something which is unavoidable in most parts of dublin.
unless you're living in dalkey. but then you'd have to put up with the likes of bono.

RebelButtMunch

banjotradman wrote: »

you can't paint an entire place as a sh*t hole because of a few scum bags - something which is unavoidable in most parts of dublin.

It's a bit euphemistic talking about painting a whole area, or a few bad apples etc. The point is, would you like to take a chance and end up living next to a load of scum? For me, not. The investment / risk is too large.

Gavin "shels"

banjotradman wrote: »

thanks gavinshels. will check this out.

we did our ante-natal classes up on donore ave in the community centre - again, seemed to be a real mix of people living around there and a good community spirit. plenty of young families, older / settled people etc.

would be good to hear any other experiences of schools in the area if people have them.

Catherines is were I attended up to 11 years ago, the same principal is there too. It's a great school now that it all got done up (we got a raw deal, 6th class I was thought in the Church around the corner while the school got revamped).

The area is a real mix, up until a few years ago it was all locals (elderly people, older families, etc...) but over the past few years the area has become a haven for young families, which obviously isn't good for the lack of schools.

kylith

RebelButtMunch wrote: »

Reubens st is like something from shameless

It really isn't.