Buying a 4 bed semi for under €500k in Wicklow - where do you think?

K.Flyer

Chiliconkeni wrote: »

... Having visited few towns that are relatively close to Bray we have thought that we should go further down to Wicklow town for a look instead.

What are people’s thoughts on Wicklow town?
Are there parts to avoid? Where would you recommend buying a 4 bed? Any nice established estates or are there new build developments that you would recommend?
What about the local community - is it young/old or local/blow ins?
Is there much to do in the town or are you always looking towards Dublin?
If you have anything to contribute about living in Wicklow from your experience I’d love to hear it.

I can't answer all of your questions as my circumstances are a bit different.

Spring 2019, like you, after living / working in Dublin started looking southward. Looked at most of the towns and villages you have mentioned. Didn't need as big a house as you, but did prefer to be close to things.
One main criteria was no more than an hours drive to Dublin for work, pref less.
Long story short ended up in Wicklow Town within a few minutes walk of the town centre itself.
Now I have always been a city person, wanted to have everything nearby etc.
And after settling in I find that i have enough of what I need here or a short drive away.
The people I have met here so far are very welcoming and friendly. Yes I have also noticed the odd dubious character, but you get them everywhere.
Lots of little shops, butchers, banks, cafes, pubs etc. There is Super Valu, Tesco, Lidl all within shouting distance of each other and a new Aldi in Rathnew.
If you want takeaway delivered there seems to be the usual varieties available.
I have hi speed broadband and can walk to almost anything I need including down to the harbour or the sea front areas, or a short drive.
As has been said already, recently big new schools built, new developments and in the town itself it seems to be going through a tidy up phase and is becoming more attractive.
Now I won't pretend to know everywhere yet, but from what I have seen so far there are some very nice mature attractive areas all along the Friars Hill road starting at the town end and going towards Rathnew.
There are some really nice large detached properties along that road, so definitely worth looking around there.
The bus service seems to be running quite frequently (133 I think is one of them) and then you have the train, albeit a limited service.
Couple of what may be small negatives to some...
It's hilly, except for a few areas, you are either going up or down a hill, but hey.
Traffic.. pre Covid it could be a bit of a nightmare depending where you work in Dublin and what time you had to be there. I have personally seen the dual carriageway (M11) chock full of Dublin bound traffic at 6.30 - 7.00am as far back as Ashford. But I'm lucky, I rarely would have to be in Dublin very early, I would leave them to it and scoot up when the traffic died down and be there in about 45 -50 mins to say Baggot St. or just over an hour or so to the Airport. During normal time it might take 1.5 hrs each way at very worse during the rush hour peak.
Overall after 19 months here I have to say I really like Wicklow Town, strangers say hello to you as you walk along the road, it feels safe, people seem very pleasant and helpful. I get my Dublin "fix" when I'm up there working, then I wind-down and relax listening to music on the way home.
So, hope that helps, ya never know we could end up being neighbours.. best of luck.

sandyxxx

Chiliconkeni wrote: »

What are people’s thoughts on Wicklow town?
Are there parts to avoid? Where would you recommend buying a 4 bed? Any nice established estates or are there new build developments that you would recommend?

If your looking for a 4/5 bed detached then most estates are grand.....the only places I’d avoid would be some of the council estates,but really you don’t buy houses there, much as get them handed to you!....although be careful with the buy up of the newer estates from the “approved housing bodies”

The main estates providing your desired house type would be seacliff/seapoint on the Dunbur road.....keatingstown,pebblebay/Burkeen on Friarshill....you’ll probably find a few on the Marlton road estates also,.....some of the areas nearer town would include Churchgate and glebemount by the train station but some of the townier estates,rosehill mount Carmel etc wouldn’t interest me personally.
The towns not really big enough to have no-go areas completely!

Chiliconkeni wrote: »

What about the local community - is it young/old or local/blow ins?
Is there much to do in the town or are you always looking towards Dublin?
Is it a total commuter town or is there a good sense of community in the town?

The town has a good mix of established and newer faces, Pre COVID there was more of a pull towards Dublin for work retail etc but since then the retail in the town seems to be on the way up.....people,especially the kids seem to stay local for most things day-to -day!

Chiliconkeni wrote: »

Is Rathnew and Wicklow now becoming one town?

Don’t mention the war!.......

Chiliconkeni

Thanks a lot everyone that’s some great advice and insight.
We went down to Wicklow town on Sunday and it was exactly what we were looking for in terms of it being a decent sized town and seemed more than just a Dublin commuter village. It was a shocking day and the baby was kicking off so couldn’t get out and look around but what we saw of it was beautiful. Lovely sea views from the golf club and the town centre seemed really lovely too with lots of coffee shops. It looks like it would be ideal for us.

We also stopped in Newtown MK on way down and looked in a new estate there. It reminded me of Stepaside village actually. I would be slightly hesitant in believing that the local facilities/town would match the level of housing that is in its surrounds. Could be totally wrong here.

Back to Wicklow town. Few things I wonder about but I think you’ve guided me well with regard location. One new build estate I think it was Marlton hall seemed a bit too vast for us without much green space. Perhaps we went in wrong entrance. I think we will have to keep our eyes peeled for new smaller developments and also an eye on the more traditional estates you have kindly recommended.

Where do people go for a swim in the sea in Wicklow town. Is it within the harbour itself? Or does everyone head down to Brittas?

Anybody been on the glen beach Cliff walk? Would you recommend it for a couple with a baby in a sling and a dog? Or is it very difficult/dangerous

How long would it take to get to Greystones in the morning?

Is the train any use at all for travelling to Greystones or south Dublin? People don’t seem to have much good things to say about it for some reason.

Thanks a lot for all your advice and insight. It really is very helpful to hear of your experiences.

Also finally any crèche that you’d recommend in the town?

sandyxxx

Chiliconkeni wrote: »

Thanks a lot everyone that’s some great advice and insight.
We went down to Wicklow town on Sunday and it was exactly what we were looking for in terms of it being a decent sized town and seemed more than just a Dublin commuter village. It was a shocking day and the baby was kicking off so couldn’t get out and look around but what we saw of it was beautiful. Lovely sea views from the golf club and the town centre seemed really lovely too with lots of coffee shops. It looks like it would be ideal for us.

We also stopped in Newtown MK on way down and looked in a new estate there. It reminded me of Stepaside village actually. I would be slightly hesitant in believing that the local facilities/town would match the level of housing that is in its surrounds. Could be totally wrong here.

Back to Wicklow town. Few things I wonder about but I think you’ve guided me well with regard location. One new build estate I think it was Marlton hall seemed a bit too vast for us without much green space. Perhaps we went in wrong entrance. I think we will have to keep our eyes peeled for new smaller developments and also an eye on the more traditional estates you have kindly recommended.

Where do people go for a swim in the sea in Wicklow town. Is it within the harbour itself? Or does everyone head down to Brittas?

Anybody been on the glen beach Cliff walk? Would you recommend it for a couple with a baby in a sling and a dog? Or is it very difficult/dangerous

How long would it take to get to Greystones in the morning?

Is the train any use at all for travelling to Greystones or south Dublin? People don’t seem to have much good things to say about it for some reason.

Thanks a lot for all your advice and insight. It really is very helpful to hear of your experiences.

Also finally any crèche that you’d recommend in the town?

The newer estates do suffer from a lack of green space, the Redmond built estates ending in Marlton hall have varying degrees of green space with the latest,”the meadows”,ironically,having practically none!

The main swim spots would be the harbour,the black castle and a spot in front of the Glenturn car park at the beginning of the cliffwalk, which is doable but tricky in parts,with a baby in a backpack but I’d go straight to the lighthouse with a dog!

I recommend Ashvale as a Créche,but demand is high.

Train service is sadly token due to lack of investment,you’d make it to Greystones in 30 min on a clear road.....double that on a pre- Covid rush hour.

Baybay

Wicklow town has many good things going for it already & probably like many other places, has a bit to go yet.
The train service is certainly one area that could be improved. Frequency, increased number of carriages etc. But the town does have a station so that’s a positive & perhaps as the town continues to expand, so might the service.
Another swimming option is the pool in the leisure centre, located near the station itself.

sandyxxx

There seems to have a been a surge in transactions since restrictions ended in the area...every Wicklow house I followed on daft has gone sale agreed,2 of them had significant price increases in the last week....one by €100k!

sandyxxx

It seems things are tightening up building wise in the county….I’ve spotted an estate being granted permission in the last months that the 1st phase can only be sold to those from or employed in the locality…..looked into it and came across this article from earlier this month!…..

http://wicklowtimes.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Wicklow_Times_01_06_21.pdf