€1m for forever home, where to live that's commutable to Dublin?

OhBlaDee5

We're in the very fortunate position to be moving back to Ireland and have a house budget of 1m. We're both Irish but been living in the US for past 10 yrs. Need somewhere that's commutable up to an hour to Dublin city centre. We're looking for the dream house. We have young children, looking for somewhere that has a nice community feel, good schools, reasonable transport links, and is generally a decent area to bring up a family. Would really appreciate suggestions. Looking at South/North Co Dublin, parts of Meath and Wicklow but tbh I feel I've been gone for Ireland for so long that I don't know areas anymore (granted I never really knew Wicklow). Thanks!

Alkers

I would be looking around rather, rathmines, ranelagh if I were you. Lovely position to be in!

morrga

Simona1986 wrote: »

I would be looking around rather, rathmines, ranelagh if I were you. Lovely position to be in!

Depends what OP what wants. City pad with limited space, traffic, noise or a country style mansion with huge gardens, peace and quiet of the countryside.

I would be in the latter category. Not from Wicklow nor lived there but I would say Enniskerry or Roundwood.

Gael23

It really depends what you want, an ordinary house but in a great location or a bit more luxury further from the city. If I was in that position I would go for location and be looking at D4/D6

Slydice

That price will get ya a lovely house.

Here's the daft map for dublin between 950k and 1.25m:
http://www.daft.ie/dublin-city/property-for-sale/?s[mnp]=950000&s[mxp]=1250000&s[advanced]=1&s[map_search]=1&searchSource=sale&zoom=12&lat=53.32862450065882&long=-6.22969631676177

Looka this one at the upper end of that range 1.25m:
http://www.daft.ie/dublin/houses-for-sale/sandymount/23-strand-road-sandymount-dublin-1223397/

I can't believe the estate agent didn't include the view across the road:
https://www.google.ie/maps/place/23+Strand+Road/@53.3310754,-6.2096415,3a,75y,58.07h,80.63t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sCQudNZf6EZph7fu96vN7xg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0xf0a5fe4680747f3a!6m1!1e1

Moonbeam

I would be looking in Maynooth and Greystones and maybe down as far as Ashford.

Stheno

Malahide would tick a lot of boxes.

68 lost souls

Malahide howth and portmarnock going north, killiney, dun Laoighre, grey stones south. Tenpleougue, Terenure going suburbs

DivingDuck

I'd be looking towards Killiney (something like this), Monkstown (fewer newer properties around here, but lots of lovely Georgian stuff in this area), Dalkey (another nice newer build here).

You can get beautiful properties in these lovely areas which have good schools and offer reasonable commutes, and the property is likely to hold its value for retirement/downsizing or passing on to your children, so I'd be more inclined to look there than outside of Dublin, but other opinions will differ.

quadrifoglio verde

Mr.S wrote: »

Commuting every day to Dublin? :eek: you'd go nuts.

I'd go nuts in a poky red brick with feck all parking and a tiny garden
Commuting wouldn't bother me especially if it's from the likes of here

https://www.ganlywalters.ie/600843/The-Stones-Annamoe-Wicklow

DivingDuck

quadrifoglio verde wrote: »

I'd go nuts in a poky red brick with feck all parking and a tiny garden
Commuting wouldn't bother me especially if it's from the likes of here

https://www.ganlywalters.ie/600843/The-Stones-Annamoe-Wicklow

That's stunning. Really, really gorgeous. :eek:

The OP has kids, though, and might prefer something with less land and other houses closer by, so the young uns can visit their friends without having to get someone's parents to ferry them around. That would be a big consideration for me, but I can't deny that house is amazing... Though I don't know that I would want to be there in the winter when the roads are icy, either.

Slydice

Slydice wrote: »

That price will get ya a lovely house.

Here's the daft map for dublin between 950k and 1.25m:
http://www.daft.ie/dublin-city/property-for-sale/?s[mnp]=950000&s[mxp]=1250000&s[advanced]=1&s[map_search]=1&searchSource=sale&zoom=12&lat=53.32862450065882&long=-6.22969631676177

Looka this one at the upper end of that range 1.25m:
http://www.daft.ie/dublin/houses-for-sale/sandymount/23-strand-road-sandymount-dublin-1223397/

I can't believe the estate agent didn't include the view across the road:
https://www.google.ie/maps/place/23+Strand+Road/@53.3310754,-6.2096415,3a,75y,58.07h,80.63t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sCQudNZf6EZph7fu96vN7xg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0xf0a5fe4680747f3a!6m1!1e1

Bloody hell that house is crap for the money, purely buying the view. No thanks. You would get a nicer and much bigger house for 300k outside Dublin.

With that sort of money you can buy one serious mansion with a bit of land outside Dublin, has to be the way to go.

quadrifoglio verde wrote: »

I'd go nuts in a poky red brick with feck all parking and a tiny garden
Commuting wouldn't bother me especially if it's from the likes of here

https://www.ganlywalters.ie/600843/The-Stones-Annamoe-Wicklow

Now that's more like it!! Lovely big house, land and privacy anyway from people and loads of space for kids to play etc.

Hollister11

If I had 1M to spend I'd be buying in Howth, Sutton or Malahide, or Ballsbridge (Actual Malahide,not parts of Kinsealy and Swords, which claim to be Malahide).
I'd go nut's if I had to sit in a car or train for 60-90 minutes twice a day, for a bigger house with land.

pwurple

I'd think coastal myself. Those are my favourite parts of dublin (when I venture out of Cork;) ) It's always lovely to be able to go for a walk near the sea. So many great water sports for families too, sailing, rowing clubs etc. For me, the best part of ireland is the coast. And if you have city amenities on the coastline, win win!

Blackrock, Dun Laoghaire, monkstown, dalkey, and maybe down towards bray would be where I would look in your situation, if I was confined to Dublin and environs. Yea, you will get smaller houses for your money there, because the areas are more desirable.

I think maybe find the job area first, as commuting is such a real life-suck. 2 hours a day stuck in a car, *Shudder*. If jobs are on the northside, there's portmarnock, howth... Sorry, my northside knowledge isn't as good.

The freedom the family experiences when your children can walk to school, walk to sports and friends is just so great. And good for them too. Independence, responsibility, exercise. Children much prefer playing with other children their own age rather than in a field on their own. Unless you live in a decent size village in the country, with children in rural areas you can easily become their unpaid taxi service for 20 years.

quadrifoglio verde

DivingDuck wrote: »

That's stunning. Really, really gorgeous. :eek:

The OP has kids, though, and might prefer something with less land and other houses closer by, so the young uns can visit their friends without having to get someone's parents to ferry them around. That would be a big consideration for me, but I can't deny that house is amazing... Though I don't know that I would want to be there in the winter when the roads are icy, either.

It used to be Paulo tulios house

When you live in a house like that, in that kind of setting, the friends will be ferried to you. That place is a child's dream, well would have been for me when I was a kid
Much better than an estate or road with speeding cars...it's the kind if house that you let the kids out in the morning and they come back covered in mud and scratches from being kids
Growing up I was quite jealous of the guys in my class who had a few acres to roam free and go on adventures in
100K change will buy, run and insure a few years old 4X4
It's not like it's every winter for three months either. I've spent Christmas day on the Sally gap

SmartinMartin

Don't forget Skerries, IMHO one of the finest places in the county, especially if you like the coast, and on a train line e. This might suit:


http://www.myhome.ie/residential/brochure/windermere-milverton-skerries-county-dublin/3488657

DivingDuck

quadrifoglio verde wrote: »

It used to be Paulo tulios house

When you live in a house like that, in that kind of setting, the friends will be ferried to you. That place is a child's dream, well would have been for me when I was a kid
Much better than an estate or road with speeding cars...it's the kind if house that you let the kids out in the morning and they come back covered in mud and scratches from being kids
Growing up I was quite jealous of the guys in my class who had a few acres to roam free and go on adventures in
100K change will buy, run and insure a few years old 4X4
It's not like it's every winter for three months either. I've spent Christmas day on the Sally gap

Wouldn't have suited my family when I was a kid and still wouldn't suit my needs going forward, but it's good to put a range of options on the table for the OP to consider.

amtc

Bit biased...but I'd do castleknock

Marcusm

quadrifoglio verde wrote: »

I'd go nuts in a poky red brick with feck all parking and a tiny garden
Commuting wouldn't bother me especially if it's from the likes of here

https://www.ganlywalters.ie/600843/The-Stones-Annamoe-Wicklow

Paolo Tullio's house. A friend who lived there before splitting with his wife was forever having hassle in winter with effective road closures due to people skidding on ice. Snow was rare enough but ice frequent enough. He never skidded or call Asher but was frequently delayed by those who did. Having recently returned and bought a D6 redbrick it's an easier spot to reconnect with people. That being said I coveted plenty of places in north Wicklow.

The OP hasn't given enough details re commute location and timing. What's an hour at 7am is 2 hours at 8am.

Marcusm

SmartinMartin wrote: »

Don't forget Skerries, IMHO one of the finest places in the county, especially if you like the coast, and on a train line e. This might suit:


http://www.myhome.ie/residential/brochure/windermere-milverton-skerries-county-dublin/3488657

I was up in Skerries recently for the first time in 20 years and thought the Main Street had become desolate and grim. Rush or Lusk (not sure which) seemed to retain charm.

fits

Annamoe really is lovely, but its a fair old distance to commute. If I had that kinda money to buy a place, Id be trying to avoid a commute.

Peregrinus

Google Maps suggests that, at rush hour, Annamoe to Dublin city centre by car is up to 1 hrs 40 mins, which is well outside the max 1 hr that the OP specifies. The OP also specifies "reasonable transport links". I don't think Annamoe is overly-furnished in that department; the nearest bus stop is 15 km away in Newtownmountkennedy, and it only has about 1 service per hour. The OP also specifies "good schools"; there are no schools at all in Annamoe. The nearest primary school would be Roundwood; the nearest secondary school is probably in Wicklow town, which is in completely the opposite direction from the parents' commute to Dublin.

Annamoe is a lovely place, but it does not meet the OP's requirements.

OP, I think if you are looking at convenient and well-regarded schools, transport links, etc, then I think you are looking for somewhere urban or suburban, not somewhere rural.

dev100

Peregrinus wrote:

Google Maps suggests that, at rush hour, Annamoe to Dublin city centre by car is up to 1 hrs 40 mins, which is well outside the max 1 hr that the OP specifies. The OP also specifies "reasonable transport links". I don't think Annamoe is overly-furnished in that department; the nearest bus stop is 15 km away in Newtownmountkennedy, and it only has about 1 service per hour. The OP also specifies "good schools"; there are no schools at all in Annamoe. The nearest primary school would be Roundwood; the nearest secondary school is probably in Wicklow town, which is in completely the opposite direction from the parents' commute to Dublin.

Primary schools: nearest are roundwood and laragh . For secondary schools you are talking Bray/Rathdrum/wicklow. The school bus for rathdrum goes thru Annamoe, for the other schools it may be a commute to Roundwood for pickup and drop off. There is a daily bus service to Dublin that goes thru Annamoe it's the glendalough bus service it's no Dublin bus service though .

4ensic15

I would suggest Mount Merrion. Long established stable community. 4 miles from stephens green. Big open park, plenty of high quality schools in the vicinity as well as the university. Very good transport links. Most frequent bus services on the QBC, Dart nearby, Aircoach. Good shopping. Low crime rate.

PhoenixParker

Given the budget, the best schools in Dublin you're looking at will be the private schools which are primarily on the south side. Commuting wise, jobs in Dublin follow a donut pattern, they're either in the city centre (including dock lands/IFSC) or they're in one of the big industrial estates along the M50. Where you're most likely to be working will depend on what industry you're in.

With your budget, my choice would be Sandymount. On the DART line, nice village, close to the sea and walking distance to the city centre. 1 million won't get you your ultimate dream home in Sandymount but it'll get you something very good, liveable now and that could be done up to dream home standards.

Something like these

http://www.daft.ie/dublin-city/houses-for-sale/sandymount/?s%5Bmnp%5D=700000&s%5Bmxp%5D=1000000&s%5Bsort_by%5D=price&s%5Bsort_type%5D=d

Failing that I would look at houses within walking distance of the green Luas line between Ranelagh and Dundrum.

If your priority is to maximise commutable locations, then I'd look at Royal Canal Park. It's well below your budget but has the M50 in ten minutes, a 15 minute walk to the Maynooth train line (gives you city centre DART stops and Docklands) and will have the end of the green Luas line 15 minutes away in 15 months. Schools wise the city centre private schools are doable for teenagers by public transport.

The other option I came up with in the same vein was the Sandyford area along the green Luas line.

If a huge house with a huge garden is your target then you're probably best to look at employment along the M50 and then to look outwards along the appropriate radial motorway route(s) intersecting with a train line if at all possible.

fletch

http://www.myhome.ie/residential/brochure/bleanaskill-rocky-valley-kilmacanogue-co-wicklow/3618292

http://www.myhome.ie/residential/brochure/10-ferndale-glen-ferndale-road-rathmichael-county-dublin/3576625 - slightly over budget

riclad

Look for somewhere close to good schools, with a large garden ,with trees .not semi detached .maybe close to a beach .
see if theres fast broadband in the area .
4-5 bedroom house maybe.
you can get sky satellitte tv anywhere ,so cable tv is not really important .

4ensic15

It is difficult to recommend a house without knowing if there is income available for maintenance or transport costs. A bigger house with land costs more to insure and maintain. Motoring is considerably more expensive in Ireland than in the States. there is no point in spending €1m only to find the upkeep too expensive. I know a guy who bought a house in the dublin Mountains and then discovered that the exterior lighting system and the internal air condition system installed by the previous owners was costing several hundred a month in electricity costs that he couldn't afford.
Many people who live close to the City Centre are able to manage with a runabout or banger. reliability is not such a big issue nor is fuel economy. Living in a remote area brings a requirement for reliable cars and economy greatly increasing the capital outlay require.

smash

With that budget is be looking at the Dublin 4 or Dublin 6 area.

Anyone remember this one when featured on 'home of he year'? http://touch.daft.ie/dublin/houses-for-sale/ranelagh/25-park-drive-ranelagh-dublin-1212025/

I'm almost certain it was one of the featured houses.

stanley1980

I'd wholeheartedly recommend Greystones, Co. Wicklow. Admittedly as a local and native I'm 100% biased however!
It's a very safe, charming town, perfect for families as it has a very wide variety of sports clubs and other groups with excellent facilities. It's on the Dart line and Wexford-Dublin line. 50 minutes to the city centre. There are plenty of nice restaurants/cafes and shops. You are right beside a Blue Flag beach so it's great for swimming and lovely walks. We're still so close to mountains and countryside- perfect for family excursions at the drop of a hat and all on your doorstep. Beautiful Kilruddery and Powerscourt House & Gardens are less than 15 minutes in the car. There are a variety of excellent schools in the town with a brand-new, extremely modern secondary school recently opened. There is a really cool and relaxed atmosphere here with lots going on....see www.greystonesguide.ie for details. Tonight there's an outdoor screening of the classic comedy 'Some Like it Hot' at the Cove beach in the town!
Pm me if you'd like more info- I'd be happy to show you round!

Marcusm

smash wrote: »

With that budget is be looking at the Dublin 4 or Dublin 6 area.

Anyone remember this one when featured on 'home of he year'? http://touch.daft.ie/dublin/houses-for-sale/ranelagh/25-park-drive-ranelagh-dublin-1212025/

I'm almost certain it was one of the featured houses.

I'm equally certain it wasn't. That house has been on sale off and on a number of times over the last 5 years. The overwhelming mass of the ESB substation next door both makes it much cheaper and less saleable than other houses in the locality!