This weekend, 20 detached houses with between four and six bedrooms go on sale in the Co Dublin village of Stepaside in the foothills of the Dublin mountains. Prices range from £350,000 to £480,000 and there are two showhouses on view in the Stepaside Park scheme. Also, plans are on view through the selling agent, Ross McParland. Ciara O'Connor of the selling agents is expecting the majority of purchasers to be trading up from smaller houses in the surrounding suburbs of Dundrum and Blackrock.
The developer, McGarrell O'Reilly Homes, was responsible for the high-profile Malahide Marina scheme. At Stepaside, it has planned a very comprehensive landscaping programme to complement the surrounding countryside. The village's action plan, yet to be implemented, will considerably upgrade the roads leading to the city and nearby business parks. The Southern Cross motorway, which is close to the village, and the expected LUAS will shorten the journey to town.
More than 100 of the Stepaside Park houses have already been sold "by word of mouth", says Ciara O'Connor. Stepaside is a particularly attractive village with a vibrant community which wins high praise in the Tidy Towns competition each year. There is just a village shop, a Post Office and two pubs at present, with schools a short distance away at Kilternan and Sandyford.
The houses are all detached and substantial, with porched fronts. The standard of finish is high, with deep coving in reception areas, solid timber doors and good quality bathroom fittings.
There are 13 four-bedroom detached houses with 1,670 sq ft for sale. They have an interconnecting sittingroom and diningroom with solid teak doors and a cosy study off the entrance hall. There is a family-sized Shaker-style kitchen with a conservatory style breakfast nook overlooking the garden. Upstairs, there are three double bedrooms and one single and the main bedroom has a double-sized en suite shower.
The five 1,870 five-bedroom houses on offer are priced from £395,000 to £400,000. These have a similar layout to the four-bedroom houses, with a more spacious feel. The study, in particular, is much larger and could double as a guest bedroom or TV den if necessary. There are three double rooms upstairs and two singles, although one of the single rooms could fit a double bed.
There are two 2,350 sq ft six-bedroom houses priced £480,000 and £485,000. These have attractive, sloping bedrooms and an additional family room beside the kitchen.
Driveways are all cobblelocked and the houses will be laid out in cul-de-sacs The gardens will be levelled and seeded.
