Space and commute time are key for buyers

COUNTY WICKLOW:Buyers once chose Wicklow solely for its wide open spaces, but the most sought-after locations today are those that make commuting viable, writes EDEL MORGAN

THERE’S A pecking order of Wicklow towns preferred by buyers who commute to Dublin and in which one they buy often depends on their budget, says estate agent Séamus Eager of Wicklow Homes. He reckons at the top of many commuters’ wish lists is Greystones, followed by Kilcoole, Newtownmounkennedy and Kilpedder.

“Areas along the Dart line or train line or within a 10-mile radius of them tend to be more in demand and, if they are close to the M50, you can be at Dublin airport in an hour.”

Bray is not mentioned in the pecking order because he regards it as a different proposition for buyers.

“The buyers who are looking at towns like Greystones and Kilpedder probably wouldn’t be interested in Bray,” Eager says. “Buyers tend to either want to live in Bray or they don’t because it’s so developed.”

You can now buy a three-bed semi in Bray for about €200,000 in estates like Cloverhill or Elgin Heights while in smaller more exclusive developments, prices start at about €250,000.

In Greystones, you can expect to pay upwards of €250,000 for a townhouse or three-bed semi in estates such as Charlesland or Redford Park and over €300,000 for a three-bed in a smaller housing development.

Trader-uppers in Greystones will pay €350,000- plus for a four-bed semi and if it is period, add at least another €100,000.

In Kilcoole and Newtownmountkennedy, three-bed semis are generally priced from €170,000 to €200,000, whereas in Kilpedder, where three-bed houses are in short supply, detached bungalows start at about €175,000.

“But while these areas are doing well relative to others in Wicklow and there are plenty of people looking at property,” Eager says, “getting the funding from the banks to buy appears to be the problem.”

The affordability of a property is key, says Eugene Dooley of Dooley Poynton who says in Wicklow town you can get a two- up two-down for €100,000 and a standard three-bed for €160,000.

“Those commuting to Dublin tend to only come as far south as Wicklow town. Wicklow has a harbour like Greystones and a good mix of retail, and the new roads [inner relief and port access] have made it more attractive.”

He says there has been a lot of “sale agreeds” in the first quarter of this year, “more than the whole of last year,” and stock levels are down on affordable houses that would suit first-time buyers.

“Many people don’t realise the beauty of Wicklow. It’s got the sea and good shops and sports facilities. We need more frequent train services though, although the 133 bus service is good and runs every hour.”

Estate agent Gordon Lennox agrees that areas close to good transport links have more chance of selling.

“Kilcoole has fantastic value for first-time buyers at the moment,” Lennox says, “where new three- bed houses are now selling for the early-€200,000s.”

Remote rural areas are no longer attracting buyers in any great numbers.

“Five years ago plenty of people wanted to be in the middle of nowhere to hear the birdsong and feel the wind wafting up the valley. They are now looking at soaring petrol prices and how much it will cost them to drive the kids to play dates and they want to be closer to transport links.”

According to Eager, values in parts of south Wicklow, which were seen as good value during the boom, have suffered badly.

While transactions are happening on the sales front when property is keenly priced, there is a thriving rental market in Wicklow which is keeping some agents afloat.

A three-bed house in Kilcoole and Kilpedder will now fetch €1,000 a month rent, while in Greystones, a similar-sized house will get €1,100 and an apartment will get upwards of €700–€1,000, depending on size.

The upper end of the market where rents range from €2,500- €6,000 a month for substantial houses on grounds is being buoyed by executives working in the financial services and technology sectors in Dublin who do not want to live in built-up areas of the city.

“Some of them are from abroad, and in particular England, and from areas where they are used to open spaces. They tend to go for areas like Greystones and Ashford.”

Four on the market

Cricklewood, Blackberry Lane, Delgany, €1.45 million

Dooley McGovern

Built in 2005, this 300 sq m (3,200 sq ft) five-bedroom family Wexford stone house on 1.75 acres has an open-plan design and a B3 BER rating. On an elevated site, it commands views of Glen of the Downs, the Sugar Loaf and Delgany Golf Club.

2 Burnaby Mews, Greystones, €545,000

Lennox Estates

Four-bedroom mews townhouse at the south end of Church Road. This 139.71 sq m (1,504 sq ft) former Cosgrave showhouse has an open-plan eat-in kitchen, utility, dining room, living room and garden plus two parking spaces. There is a landscaped rear courtyard garden with two decked areas to follow the evening sun.

15 Herbert Road, Bray, €319,000

HJ Byrne & Co

Set well back from the road, Number 15 Herbert Road is centrally located in Bray. The 105 sq m (1,134 sq ft) house has three bedrooms, a lounge, dining room, conservatory and a good-sized south-facing rear garden. A side garden can be accessed via a pedestrian gate. A separate 1970s extension has a bedroom and a wheelchair accessible bathroom.

5 Marlton Demesne, Marlton Road, Wicklow town €299,500

Sherry FitzGerald O’Gorman, O’Reilly

Four-bed detached house within walking distance of Wicklow town with three large reception rooms and a garage. The rear garden overlooks fields and the front of the property overlooks a landscaped communal green area. The main bedroom is en suite.