Yes, location is great, but what turned us off Dundrum and our future reliance on the Luas is that it is near impossible to get on it at the Dundrum stop in the morning. If an essential, bear that in mind.
Semi-detached over 1m in Dublin 14, that will be on the market for quite a while, about 800k would be more realistic in my view. Depends on your style, could buy up at 1970s Knocknashee for 720k (some there on the market for a long time) or so and do it up, also plenty more semi-detached 1940/50s styles around for half the price and do up around, Goatstown, Dundrum, Kilmacud etc. What I've no ticed that anything nicely renovated about 7-800k goes quickly, above that, the market is slow. Also a brand new one, 'Birch' in Dundrum round the back of the Nurseries going for over 1.1m, being on the market for a year dropped from 1.2m or more.
This one (actually 5 beds with 2 upstairs) in Stillorgan was on the market for 750k and sold for 825k per the property price register, it was sold in a few days - [broken link removed]. Very popular area with IT workers. Anything renovated around Weirview, Myrtle and surrounds goes in a flash, doer uppers come up here now and again, no.33 Merville is back on the market again after a failed sale. Edited to add this area is adjacent to the Sandyford and Stillorgan Luas stops.
I'm looking for my cousin and a friend returning to Ireland, so I might bump into you. Both have very different budgets, but basically Green line Luas areas.