Good value in Rathbourne?

H

hunter

Guest
Hi all,
Just looking for some advice, was out to view the apartments going up in The Crescent in Earlswood, Rathbourne. Thinking of the 1st floor 2 bed 840sq ft at €425k. It's south facing with a balcony overlooking the park and playground which will never be built on hence the hefty price tag. Just wondering what you think, there are other 2 bed apartments in the Rathbourne development for €370-€380k. I'm worried that in a few years if I want to sell I'll be in trouble because there are cheaper ones available in the area. Really fell in love with it but it's pushing our budget limits to go for it so I want to be sure. Any advice would be really appreciated.
Thanks
 
I saw those apartments and thought they were very nice with a good spec. The development is high density but as you say the playground won't be built on. I would say the cheaper apartments are probably smaller and looking at a selection of neighbours. The amenities in the area are improving all the time and there are a lot of owner occupiers - I would say go for it. Just check the management fee.
 
The playground may never be built on (and in these mad "infill" days, how certain is that in the future?), but are you close enough to the playground to hear the noise of children playing during the day, older "children" congregating at night, footballs making their way towards your balcony.....? Sorry to be the devil's advocate, but it's what I would think about if I were in that situation!
 
How's it going Hunter?

I live in Earlswood at the moment and I'd have to say that the apartment you're talking about is probably €20k overpriced whe compared with like for like alternatives; e.g Fernleigh or The Racecourse in Castleknock.

There are good and bad points about living here. The good:

1. Quite close to town and M50
2. Frequent, if overcrowded, train service
3. For the most part, decent and quiet neighbours.
4. Spar close by, Superquinn to open in May and the bar and restaurant look top drawer.

The bad:

Most of these problems stem from the proximity of Earlswood to nearby not-so-salubrious area.

1. Weekly car break ins: 4 last Sunday night alone. The scumbags are brazenly wrecking and stealing cars and the Gardai are too busy to send cars out. Underground parking is worst affected as they can work away in private.

2. Kids from the same area use the development as a racetrack on scrambling bikes at least twice a week for hours on end. The noise is extremely irritating.

3. The playground you mention is a hotspot for loitering undesirables. It was recently handed over to DCC and they are now not trespassing and cant be moved along.

4. Wild horses have been loose on the development at least twice since last October - not on the weekend though as thats when prospective buyers come!

5. About 50metres form the apartment you mention a block of 42 apts stands finished. These are all social housing and will be filled within the next 2 months or so.



There's the bare facts; I would recommend the Castleknock developments as they are similar in price (albeit a little smaller in size) but they don't get the same social problems that we suffer from here.

Hope this helps!
 
Totally OT, but it's a per hate please indulge me. It's Rathborne, not Rathbourne. And yes, I know the signs advertising it on the back of buses are wrong too. Named after the Rathborne Candlemaking family
 
gcosborne said:
There's the bare facts; I would recommend the Castleknock developments as they are similar in price (albeit a little smaller in size) but they don't get the same social problems that we suffer from here.

Hope this helps!
Click to expand...
Are you sure they're not about 150K more expensive?? Also, is there not a bit of discontent about the notorious traffic problems around castleknock, and how 4000 extra units probably isn't going to help that?
 
I'm in Earlswood too and if I thought the scumbag element that's coming in here would be so bad, I'd have thought twice. Quite frankly, it's getting abit scary round here and the services ie TV, broadband etc are awful, contrary to what the management company says.

Castleknock is your man and that's from a Earlswood resident.
 
Guys

I live in near by Pellestown Manor and i am happy with my purchase but there is problems but going to Castleknock is not going to solve them. My pad was valued at 380K last night, 1 st floor 900 sq ft, massive Kitchen and Wooden floors, South west facing. That will give you an idea, buy a second hand place if you can. I would hold off if i was you and rent until 2008 if i was you, i reckon they are going to slip even more.

Thanks
 
Tazz, I don't know the plans for the bar/restaurant. As far as I know they still haven't procured tenants.

Glenbhoy, no the C'Knock developments are not €150k more expensive. On the contrary, Fernleigh is ~ €50k cheaper and the Racecourse is about €10k cheaper.

As regards traffic, it is chronic around Ashtown anyway so makes no odds
 
I went to see those Earlswood apartments back in September, they were open for viewing long before they were advertised in the paper. Back then all the 3rd floor apartments were taken for the first 2 buildings, and about half of the rest of the apartments on other floors. I went back about once a month since then, and every time I did there would be a different selection of apartments which were taken. The last time I went back there were plenty of 3rd floor ones available. I get the feeling people are finding it hard to commit to this place. Apart from the reports of second hand prices "easing", buyers must be looking at places like Millrace and deciding that it's perhaps better to pay a few grand more and not be so close to the less desirable areas.

The first two buildings must have had their prices set when the market was at the peak last year. The next 2 buildings, when they were released in February were 5 grand per apartment more expensive. I would imagine that the developer is under pressure to make subsequent phases more expensive, otherwise people who booked in earlier phases will just pull out, but at the same time they must be wishing they had priced them more competitively. The 5 grand rise was IMO a token gesture, if the market had been stronger you would have seen a 20-30 grand rise.

They are nice apartments though.
 
Glenbhoy said:
Are you sure they're not about 150K more expensive?? Also, is there not a bit of discontent about the notorious traffic problems around castleknock, and how 4000 extra units probably isn't going to help that?
Click to expand...

I think you are thinking of Farmleigh near Castleknock , other poster is talking about Fernleigh at Carpenterstown.
 
steelblue said:
I think you are thinking of Farmleigh near Castleknock , other poster is talking about Fernleigh at Carpenterstown.
Click to expand...
You're right, it was just his reference to the racecourse which threw me off. Had a quick search, racecourse apartments are about 45K more expensive (when these came out initially, the difference was substanitially more, I think circa 100k?), fernleigh are similarily priced, but they're not really comparable to earlswood as they're quite a bit further out, obviously that's useful if you're working in Blanch and happy enough to socialise out there, if not, Earlwood etc probably make more sense - certainly commute wise, it'd probably save quite a lot of time.
 
Speaking of good value in Rathborne, I have just put a bid in on the Penthouse 3bed duplex in the Crescent. Its massive (1500sq ft) and has a huge spare room (that could be a bedroom). Last October, they were selling for 600k...Now they were relaunched at 675k. I put a bid in at 640k which was accepted. However, I am still weary that its overpriced. Anyone got any input on this? Anyone buy anything similar in the area?
Any sort of feedback would be appreciated before I sign away a fortune!!
thanks.
 
Hi there

I live in the area and it is really, nice my place is up for sale at the moment because i am building in Louth, sorry to leave the area.

Thanks
LM

www.daft.ie/1307938
 
Hello guys, I saw Rathborne today and rather liked it. I know nothing about prices or anything. I've been living in the same inner city apartment for thirteen years and need more space. Am wondering if anybody has any idea of prices in Rathborne for a two-bedroomed apartment. I'm not an investor. I'm in my forties. The website is less than edifying. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
 
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