New build: 3 bed house in bad area vs 2 bed apt in good area?

I should have said that I don't see this as our long term place. More so, taking advantage of the govt schemes currently in place for new builds and looking to get on the property ladder. Move out time of probably 5-10 years.

We are both early in our careers and have some investments coming down the line so shouldn't be an issue to upgrade in a few years.

Also, I am thinking there is a fairly decent chance I could rent a parking spot for 100 quid a month, especially if there was a recession going on.

Thanks again for the replies and Id love some more input based on the below if anyone has anything to add.

We visited the place and the apt we wanted was available, but the layout wasn't great. The second choice apt was actually great but it was gone. Hoping for a cancellation though or getting a place in the next block that should be finished soon, albeit with less apts available.

I wasn't too impressed with the quality of fittings, wooden counter top, some things a bit wonky like electrical gadgets fitted to the walls, doors a bit stiff sometimes, but from what I gather this is normal with new builds and a lot can be fixed in snagging.

Apparently there is concrete floors in each apt which should reduce noise a lot, but I could hear the hallway door slamming from the bedroom, which had a corridor between the outside hallway, so thats not great, but not a guaranteed sign of shoddiness.

The Air to Air system fitted seems to be a very good quality one from what I have read so that is a good sign at least. I am hoping that maybe eleccy bills could be around 100 per month in winter. Is this a pipe dream? This would make the difference to offset the maintenance charges.

Plus no social housing in the block too which could be good for values long term.

I can see 2 bed apts in the same estate that were built in 2010 going for around 430-480, which is probably a good sign that the new build premium on these apts isn't too much.

However, they are the same sq meter as the apartment I looked at, but looks much more spacious, but this could just be the pictures on the daft ad.

This is good info, thank you. Definitely a consideration with the overall costs of living in one place to another to consider.

Are you aware of any new schools being built to specifically service clonburris?

100% get you. Realistically, we would want to leave after 5 years once the HTB clawback is finished, so it wouldn't be for a long time.

I have looked at new builds in swords but they will likely be out of my reach. A friend bought a 3 bed end of terrace new build last year for around 445. Now 2 bed terraced houses in Leixlip are going for 425, so it seems like anything closer to the city is going to be a 2 bed terraced house for 475 going forward, and a move in date of 1+ year (if we are lucky enough to win the lottery that is applying for one). Wondering if we should just bite the bullet and get an apartment that will be closer to the city and move in ready.

I don't want to get a second hand home if possible as I would like to keep as much of the deposit I have saved as possible, HTB facilitates this somewhat.

I have been looking at Donabate and Rush and can get decent value there still, with probably less competition than somewhere like Swords etc.

However, I have read traffic is already insane and with thousands more people living there, it could get worse. I am WFH 3 days per week so that is fine on my end, but my gf needs to work in Dublin 6 days per week, both in the north side and on the south side, so the commute by car is important.

I have been considering though the savings made by being in Rush/Donabate in terms of getting a future proofed house with no maintenance fees, would offset the cost of the port tunnell which should make the commute more palatable.

It is a hard one though. Plus there seems to be a lot of social housing.

Location beats house is my initial thought, but I also am considering that perhaps these new towns like Clonburris may become little affluent areas in their own rights, and as more people go there, they become safer and more contained.

Unfortunately, we are limited to 500k with the govt grants, so its either get a place further out or somewhere closer like this apt.

Not new builds anyways. Apts in the local estate are going for 430-480k so these apts seem fairly priced.

That's exactly the other option. Do you know what the social element is within the estates? I presumed 10%.

Not the only options but the most likely options. Everywhere is severely oversubscribed and Id rather not wait 1.5 years to move in to a place like Swords etc, which isn't even guaranteed, that is if we are lucky enough to make the list for the next phase in mooretown for example.

Thats the daft ad. Theres still ones available from 485k.

Can I ask when it was that you bought this new build apt? We currently live in an 80s apt and would rarely hear neighbours, but I think that is because they are quiet. I expect some noise with apt living which is okay IMO.

Parking is assigned to each apt, there is a very large green area behind the apt which is being developed by the council, so thats not a huge issue, also there are lifts so stairs aint an isuse, plus I would hope build quality is much much better enforced so less likely to have fire safety issues, but of course you never know. However, we dont plan on being there for more that 5ish years id say so none of this should come out in the meanwhile, if it exists.

The main drawback is the service charge of 2660, but apt heating costs could be a lot less so you would save on that comapred to a house.

I also think the people buying these apts are locals to castleknock and the wealthier kind of person, so I think people would be respectful and pay their fees etc.

I was originally looking at fixer upper but it seems impossible right now, even if you have the cash you cant find someone.

Gf cant work remote, I can do 3 days, so commute is defo a factor, but the commute from castleknock/ashtown isn't actually that much better than Donabate for example (at least on google maps) if you use the port tunnell, which she would really only need to do maybe twice per week (for her 9am starts - she works odd hours mostly).

Comparing to the area nearby, it seems like it is priced relatively fairly. Look at the apts in the same estate, they are going for around 430k asking price. So add 10% to that for the sale agreed price and it seems okayish for the lower priced apts in danehill (around 485k-500k). If it has a nice view of the green area in the back it should be worth a little more. Plus there is the new build premium. The other apts in the estate are b2/b3 so efficient but not as efficient as Danehill would be. I did some research into the air to air heating system they have in Danehill and it is top notch apparently. Same with some of the fittings like Roca bathroom ware.

If you are purchasing a place over 500K though you dont have the HTB so I personally wouldn't be buying a new build. Can get some very nice houses/apts for that money in better locations IMO and nicer too. I think its only a reason to buy there if availing of HTB and also the first home scheme in my case.

Check along the coast on the northside. Can get some decent value places there for under 500k, and the DART is pretty quick into town if you buy near it. Anywhere north of St Annes Park has three bus routes going down the coast road and into town via Raheny so it has very good transport links. Bayside could be a good shout.

Was the top floor under 500k? I get what you mean about the noise but you dont hear anything with the windows/doors closed. But we were looking at the ground floor one. Top floor may have more noise.

I think a second hand home would appreciate more IMO, so if that is your number one consideration and can afford the 500k without the FHS, I think that would be the better option. Its what I would do anyways. If you do plan on cancelling please let me know as I might try get your place if its under the 500K :-D

The one we wanted was taken so we will keep looking and come back to it when the last part of danehill is released if we still haven't found anything.

Im not sure about those areas you mentioned but alot of the new builds will have 20% social housing soon. I know Danehill has 0% as its going in the next two blocks.

FHS could be handy to reduce your mortgage payment. Could allow you save up to buy a rental/invest etc.