CityLiving: Three-bed houses in west Dublin sell fast, writes Edel Morgan

According to Daft's latest quarterly report the fastest selling properties are in west Dublin, taking an average of 41 days to sell. Topping the best-seller list are three-bed houses, with Clondalkin houses being sold at a speedy average of just 28 days with Lucan and Tallaght taking the longest at 51 and 52 days respectively.

When I bought my first house in Blanchardstown - where properties are now on the market for an average of 41 days - I remember feeling like I had been banished to the outer reaches of the universe. However, soaring prices in Dublin have forced many people, particularly first-time buyers, to revise their geographical perceptions. West Dublin remains one of the last relatively affordable bastions of the city, is reasonably close to the city centre - much closer than, say, Tullamore - and parts of it have an impressive array of local amenities.

According to the Daft index, three-bed properties in Mulhuddart are flying out of the door at 33 days, while those in Celbridge are taking 39. In Palmerstown they take around 45, Clonee 42, Leixlip 47, and Saggart and Clonsilla 34.

According to Daft's findings, Saggart is the most expensive area in west Dublin, with a three-bed house costing an average of €434,000. Palmerstown is next at €397,000, then comes Tallaght at €340,000, followed by Lucan at €336,000. The cheapest is Mulhuddart at €274,290 for a three-bed.

While west Dublin still has good value compared to other parts of the city, prices are rising fast: by around 30 per cent in the last six to nine months, according to estate agent Joe Beirne of Sherry FitzGerald Lewis Beirne.

"There are parts of Castleknock where houses sell in less than two weeks. There is an unprecedented demand and the supply is far too low which is pushing prices upwards and is creating a Catch 22 situation. People are ready to sell but can't find what they want so they delay going to the market."

According to Beirne, the Blanchardstown, Clonsilla and Mulhuddart areas have benefited hugely from their proximity to the M50 and the Blanchardstown centre with its shops, cinemas, pubs and restaurants. "The Arrow rail line, which services areas like Clonsilla and Coolmine, has been a vital link. A lot of people looking to buy their first home in these areas grew up in older established areas nearby like the Navan Road."

Three-bed properties were by far the biggest sellers this quarter at an average of 58 per cent of sales, with two bed units trailing behind at 18 per cent. One-beds only accounted for four per cent of sales while 16 per cent were of four beds. The popularity of the three-bed semi is down to the fact that so few are being built these days, says Beirne.

He puts Clondalkin's speedy turnaround down to lack of supply and its relative proximity to the city centre, "although it hasn't been regarded as such in historical terms".

The recent launch of Adamstown - a neighbourhood that will eventually house 25,000 people - accounts for more sluggish sales in Lucan says Beirne, "It's had an effect this quarter with people waiting to see what Adamstown had to offer."

The majority of buyers in west Dublin are owner-occupiers: only 10-12 per cent are investors, he says, a drop from around 20 per cent two years ago. As one of the few areas where new houses are being built in volume, west Dublin has been a popular hunting ground for first-time buyers and investors, but prices crept steadily upwards. Until late last year areas such as Blanchardstown, Clonsilla and Clonee in Dublin 15 were among the few places you could still buy a three-bed townhouse for under €300,000. In September a three-bed end of terrace house in Castlecurragh Heath in Blanchardstown cost around €280,000. A similar house is now on the market at €310,000. According to Daft, Mulhuddart is the only area where average price of a three-bed is under €300,000 but its proximity to Ballycoolin industrial estate has enhanced its appeal.

Tallaght has always been pricier than Clondalkin and it's getting harder to find properties under the stamp duty threshold of €317,500 apart from west Tallaght. Elsewhere it's generally only one-bed apartments and two-beds in some older developments. The lack of affordable properties means that first-time buyers are now seeing areas like Jobstown in a new light. Springfield in Tallaght has also seen a surge in popularity, particularly with investors and hospital workers looking to buy,yet last year three-bed houses there were struggling to sell at €320,000. "Tallaght has the same population as Limerick and is a hive of activity with huge construction going on and it's well served by neighbourhood centres and restaurants. The Luas has had a huge impact as has the hospital."

The downside is that rising prices are forcing many first-time buyers above the stamp duty threshold. Anecdotally a higher proportion of first-time buyers are older, with divorcees and long-term renters more in evidence. According to one market commentator, "many were put off buying before by friends and family and watched the market going up and up. They realise if they don't make a move now, they may miss the chance to buy in Dublin."