From £89,950 in Kimmage

The first block of completed apartments to come on the market in Dublin this year goes for sale today near the site of the Ashleaf Shopping Centre, which is under construction in Kimmage, Dublin 12.

One-bedroom apartments are priced from £89,950 to £96,000 and two-bedroom units will be available between £119,950 and £132,000, according to selling agents Hooke & MacDonald.

In keeping with the spirit of the new guidelines laid down the house-builders, Brian M Durkan's company, Devondale, is selling all 64 apartments at the launch prices, a new departure in the Dublin apartment market.

The units are located in four individual two and three-storey blocks on part of the grounds of St Damien's Primary School, off Whitehall Road West.

The Whitehall Square development is located in a vibrant middle class suburb, where many of the family houses make between £150,000 and £250,000.

The area will shortly have its own state-of-the art shopping centre, a £40 million complex that is quickly taking shape beside the Submarine bar.

Dunnes Stores will to be the anchor tenant in the centre with a 50,000 sq ft supermarket.

The apartments are likely to have a broad appeal because of their easy accessibility to both Terenure and Harold's Cross.

Renagh MacDonald of the selling agents expects first-time buyers to figure prominently in the new development. She also anticipates a demand from couples trading down from large family homes in the area who want to free up capital to enjoy their retirement.

The two-bedroom apartments in particular should appeal to "empty nesters" (couples whose families have grown up and moved out) because of the high standard of accommodation available. The two-bedroom units have an average floor area of 650 sq ft including a large livingroom/diningroom with French doors leading out on to a balcony. There is a bigger than usual kitchen off the dining area with an excellent range of wall and floor units.

Bedrooms are also spacious and comfortable and have fitted wardrobes.

There are 16 one-bedroom apartments in the scheme with an average floor space of 420 sq ft and an excellent livingroom, bright and cheerful and better proportioned than in some of the inner city developments. The kitchen is equally as good as in the larger apartments and the double bedroom has an attractive fitted wardrobe with plenty of space.

All the apartments appear to be well insulated which should mean that it should be easy to keep them cosy with Gold Shield electric heating.

The selling prices includes a free car-parking space in a surface park.

Parking in an underground car-park will cost an additional £3,000.