First Time Buyer Homes (Dublin)

Hi,

Potential first time buyer here, have financial queries which will give you a bit of background in my the mortgages thread.

Here I'd like some advice on where to live that would be in a price range of 150-220k, where is safe, good for starting a family, etc.

Due to proximity to work, family and friends we wish to be ideally somewhere between Kimmage on the Southside and the closer end
of Glasnevin on the Northside, with Chapelizod being the most westerly point. Obviously we wish to avoid areas with high incidences
of theft/burglary, violence, vandalism, drug abuse and so forth.

Would be unsure of most residential areas north of Parnell St. due to lack of familiarity, and have heard very mixed (or mostly
negative) opinions of areas like Cabra, Phibsborough, Fairview on the Northside and Kilmainham, Drimnagh, etc on the South.

A worry would be that a lot of the Northside areas that may be ok, seem to be surrounded by less than great areas that one would have to walk through to get home etc.

Any help would be great!

Hi there,

Can you tell us what type of home you wish to buy. Are you looking for an apt. or house? How many bedrooms do you want/need?

At this stage I'd say to you to lose and preconceptions you might have about neighborhoods and go visit them. On the budget you have mentioned, you would struggle to find anything in the supposedly bad areas of Phibsborough, Fairview, Kilmainham. You can't EVER say that a neighborhood is bad - there are always good and bad streets in every area. You just have to learn to tell the difference.
Give us more information on what you want and I'll be happy to guide that.

Hi Macstuff,

Thanks so much! Visiting and spending some time in areas is definitely something we want to do as the weather gets a little better.

I'm from the South Inner City area (roughly) myself, so am used to mixed areas/areas looking a little grittier but being generally fine.

We'd be looking for a small starter house, two up two down kind of thing (as much as we'd love the 5 bedroom semi-d in Blackrock we know that's not going to happen!).

Areas which we felt may be affordable are Cabra, Raheny, Chapelizod, Crumlin, Walkinstown, Palmerstown, and we have seen the odd house crop up in budget in Phibsborough, Fairview, etc.

Cheers!

I know that Swords is outside your stated areas however I think it is an area you should consider.

I have lived there for the for the past 6 years and found it a great place to live. You have a host of amenities and excellent transport links both by road and public.

There are some estates that would not be great on the far side (opposite M1) or the town however the newer ones near the M1 and Kinsealy are very safe (my wife walks in the dark and feels very safe).

Near the top end of your budget you would get a nice three bed semi in a good condition.

If you have any specific questions please let me know and I'll certainly try to answer them.

Ive been living in Kilmainham for over 3 years now. Never a bit of trouble. By far the best place I have lived in Dublin, and I have lived in a good few.

Hi,

Thanks for the replies!

@TRS30: Swords might be that bit too far away, for both our jobs and families etc (we'd only have one car between us). Something closer to the city would be ideal

@JohnJay: Nice to hear about Kilmainham - would that be closer to the canal end or James' hospital end?

Cheers!

i'm up near the Hilton/Gaol/Garda Station. Not many houses come up for sale around here though.