Crowds fail to materialise at launch of Swords development

Homes in a new housing development in north Dublin which has potential buyers queuing up since last Tuesday have gone on sale.

Some 60 houses in Millers Glen, Swords, are on offer in what is the first major housing development to go on sale in north Dublin since the property crash seven years ago.

The estate on the Glen Ellan road, has two-,three- and four-bed homes priced between €240,000 and €400,000 for sale. It is being developed by Gannon Homes as part of a major new scheme in the area.

The developers and the estate agent Sherry Fitzgerald set up portaloos, a coffee cart and security for the expected crowds, but by the time it opened just about two dozen people were in the queue to buy the houses.

The showhomes were opened early for prospective buyers and more arrived by the time the 2pm deadline for the start of sale occured. The houses are being sold on a first-come, first-served basis.

First in line Megan O’Shaughnessy said it was worth queuing since last Tuesday for one of the three bed semi-detached houses which are on sale for €289,000. She and her fiancée Rob Delaney are getting married in February.

“We were originally going for the three-bed end of terrace and there was only four of those at €279,000,” she explained.

“After that it is the three bed semi-detached which are an extra €10,000 but we decided for the future that we would go for the three bedroom semi-detached and there are only eight of them. There are a lot of people looking for the three bedroom semi-detached. I think we’ve done the right thing,” she said.

Shantelle Farrell and her boyfriend Andy Beveridge also queued from Tuesday for their first home. They are looking to buy a two bedroom house for €240,000. She did not regret queuing either. “There are a few people behind us looking for the two beds. The two beds are almost gone,” she said.

Gannon Homes has permission for up to 1,500 new homes to be built in gradual phases in the area. Millers Glen is part of phase one.