Finglas

Hi,

I am looking at houses in Finglas this weekend. Does anyone have any advice on the area? I am looking for a house ideally and have had a look on a few websites and any in my prce range seem to be quiet close to Tolka Valley Road or Dunsink Road.
I am looking for something close enough to the city centre. I started looking in santry but quickly found out that anyplace in my price bracket was ballymun and not Santry. I looked in balyfermot last weekend but found it very rough. Finglas is my next attempt at finding a place inside the M50.

What is your price range may I ask?

Hi Spillac, we meet again, I lived in Finglas west for 3 years I now live on the east side of the village.

I know the area you are looking at quite well, when you are looking at Finglas, the more settled areas are better, we eventually left the west side as alot of investors were moving in to the road we lived on and some of the tennents were "choice" one tennent spent 8 years in prison for rape!!

Before you go looking drive around the neighbourhood in the evening and week ends.

Another thing to think about Spillac is there is no bus along there...

Hi,

my budget is €320k.
Thanks Pinkybear - it seems that anywhere I can afford is pretty dodge! I have heard that there is a big difference between west and east Finglas. I have pretty thick skin so was thinking that I would be okay living in an area that is a little rough. 10 years ago when i first came to Dublin I lived on parnell st and on my first day in Dublin saw a guy get stabbed there and still moved in! Ii lived on morning star avenue for a year and benburb st for a while and this was all before they got scrubbed up because of the Luas. I have been pretty spoilt for the last 3 years and have been renting in a lovely big apt in D2 right beside my work.
I thought Ballyfermot would be okay but when I went out to see it I found it pretty rough. In one of the houses I saw I could hear a woman scream abuse at a kid in the house down the road - it was the scariest thing I heard! Completely turned me off.
I will head out to Finglas this weekend. the story about your neighbour is really bad. Did you find it intimadating to walk around at night - go to the shops etc? I am trying to convince myself that in these areas it will be locals selling but young professionals like myself buying the houses but maybe not!
...sorry about the long rant....

Sweet Lord don't move into Dunsink Road. I've lived in west Finglas for a few months last year but it was fine because I lived on Casement Road, which is adjacent to the motorway. But literally one street back it starts to get seriously dodgy. I didn't really have any problems apart from one incident when a group of young lads were walking by and one guy knocked my radio out of my hand and tried to run off with it. The others grabbed it, gave it back to me and apologied. But I have to admit I was a bit shaken by it.
On the major downside, I never felt like I could go out for a walk and felt like I was trapped in the house all day. It's fine as an investment for a year or two, but with prices remaining static, you'd have to think long and hard about whether you'd be prepared to live there for a good few years. On the plus side, it's a very quick bus ride to the city centre because of the bus lanes.
Ballymun is a much much better bet because the Metro to the airport is going that way. Plus you can always rent out to DCU students in the future. I lived close to Ballymun when I was in DCU and never had any problems - despite getting off the nightlink at the wrong stop one night and drunkenly wandering down the road. I always found the people really nice as well. I'd opt for Ballymun over Finglas any day

will head out to Finglas this weekend. the story about your neighbour is really bad. Did you find it intimadating to walk around at night - go to the shops etc?

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I never went out after dark, how we found out is that we were friendly with people who had left the road, we met him afterwards and he asked me how we were getting on with the new neighbours, I told him there was a guy who was freeking me out because when I would pass the house after work he would say thigs like "Look at yer one who the fck does she think she is!"... Our old neighbour told me the sceal then!!
We left that summer...

To be honest, one problem with where you are looking at in Fingas is its remoteness, I would not recomend ballymun either. Out of all the areas you have posted about I would pick the ranch, as it is more central has easy links to town regarding busses....

That woman you heard in bfermot, you'll hear in Finglas and Ballymun too... I don't want to come across as a snob and as the majority of people in these areas are really lovely, but there can be an element of trouble.........

I also meant to say, with the price that you can affoard location is sooooo important because your situation could change in 3 years and decide to move.

If you can, go for an apartment in a good area over a house in a bad area. These will always hold their values as I know you are looking within town.
I dont want to start off a debate on apartment v house or anything like that....

Houses along Mellowes Road might be worth a look. It's the main road into the village, so you won't get too many teenagers hanging about (they prefer street corners in the actual estates ;-)). You'd also be within spitting distance of the new Garda station currently under construction. The main drawback is the maisonettes along Finglaswood Rd, which are nothing short of an abomination. I keep reading that they will be torn down and replaced but it hasn't happened yet.

The key to Finglas West is to remember that there can be a huge difference between even two parallel streets and if you get bad neighbours it can make your life a living hell. Invest some time scouting out the area, making sure there are no teenagers hanging around late at night and the area is well lit. Be sure to ask posters here who know the area for specific advice (feel free to pm me if I can be of assistance).

To give the area a plus, you'll be hard pressed to find anywhere else in Dublin with more open green space. One, perhaps somewhat counter-intuitive tip I can offer is that horses grazing late at night on green areas can be a good sign as the horse owners aren't likely to leave them out to graze in areas with a lot of noise or where they are likely to get hassled.

Hi would agree with above poster - Mellowes road would be ok, if you are looking in Finglas stay near the village..

The main drawback is the maisonettes along Finglaswood Rd,

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The may not be great ot look at - but there is no trouble from there, am friendly with a woman who lives there, there is also a big green in front of the area and I have not really see kids hanging about there.
Best of luck Spillac...

Yes would agree re Mellowes Rd. Am familiar with that area..Really nice road, great people, nice neighbourly spirit, in particular the end farthest from the village. The green mentioned earlier will have the new Garda station built on it.
Would steer away from Dunsink myself. Someone I know moved out of the area about six months ago, sold to an investor. Within a week the house had been set on fire. A bit extreme I know but it happened......

My sister got offered an affordable house on tolka valley road (I think - the valley park is opposite her house anyway) about 3 years ago. Wasn't sure whether she should take it or not. In the end she did, on the property ladder and all that. She's never had any bother, no regrets.

Folks,

Anyone got any views on the St Helena's Road part of Finglas? Its just of Tolka Valley Road. I think this is a fairly settled part of the area and should be ok but just looking for anyone with personal experience?

Bear in mind the adage : "much wiser to buy the worst property on the best road rather than the best/biggest property on the worst road". The former will hold its value and will more likely be a far more pleasant place in which to live.

pinkyBear said:

The may not be great ot look at - but there is no trouble from there, am friendly with a woman who lives there, there is also a big green in front of the area and I have not really see kids hanging about there.

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Apologies if I didn't phrase that very coherently. I am not aware of any trouble from people living in the masionettes, I just find it shocking that people are forced to live in what are obviously quite deplorable conditions.

Rented for 2 years just off the ratoath road (close to dunsink) in a little private estate and I have to say I had no trouble whatsover. Neighbours were fine on the whole. Walked home at night, went to the chipper etc. No problems, not even cheek of any of the lads hanging around.

My personal preference would be to buy as close to the village as possible though.

Hi Spillac,
have you looked at www.masonestates.ie or http://www.lowe.ie/ListingSales.asp - look in the dublin 11 code there are a few apartments going in your price range that would be in nice areas within Finglas and the surrounds..

HMC has made a really valid point in what he has stated, in the price range you have you are limited in where you can look, I have lived in Finglas for 3 years and we did have great neighbours on one side - however over the 3 year period more houses were bought by investors and the area did change and did become rougher - there were 3 shootings while we were there .....

On saying that there are parts of Finglas that are really nice, and mason, and lowe estates do have bases there...they know the area very well.

Most of the apartments that are listed in Finglas are in good areas within Finglas and would be my personal preference....

Hi, have you looked at any of the new developments on St.Margaret's road/Jamestown road??

hampton wood
mayeston
cityside
creston
Parkview

close to Metro North and Metro West maybe going past also.

spillac try pick a better area (eg finglas east - mckee avenue is lovely and quiet not sure of costs though my parents love it there) because in a few years if you've bought in a dodgy area you'll never shift it! with it being a buyers market now something you think you can't afford because of the asking price you may be able to go in lower and get it. good luck!

Hi PC7 - alot of the apartments that mason are showing are in Finglas east, and I would concur with you in that it is is a great area...

yeah I think its had bad press over the years but the people living there especially in the east love it. My parents and both set of grandparents live in the east, it has everything they need, with lots of shops, good bus routes and even a lovely dentist! When we were looking to move out of town we did consider it, but santry won in the end more for the m50/m1 route as the bf works all over the city but it was a strong contender