Price will be an across-the-board incentive in the latest housing development in Dublin 15. Menolly's policy of producing keenly-priced housing for the first-time buyer market has been continued with their new Ravenswood scheme, with two-bedroom terraced houses starting at £134,995 (171,410).
Selling agent Ross McParland expects a good percentage of young buyers amongst those visiting the four showhouses on view on Saturday and Sunday. The scheme is located off Hansfield Road, close to the huge Ongar Village development and a few minutes' drive from Clonsilla rail station.
To suit those seeking more space than the two-bedroom units will provide, three-bed end-terrace and semi-detached houses cost from £154,995 (196,800) and £158,995 (201,880), and four-bedroom semis begin at £172,995 (219,660). Extended four-bed houses cost from £184,995 (234,900).
On sale in this first phase are 72 units, of a total of 189 planned for the entire development. Completions will run from October onwards. Of the first phase, 18 units are two-bedroom houses, 12 are three-bed end-terraces and there are 16 three-bed semis, 14 four-bed semis and a dozen extended four-bedroom semis.
Viewers will not find built-in vacuum systems or top-of-the-range electrical equipment in the Ravenswood houses but they will get wardrobes in every bedroom and good-sized kitchen/breakfastrooms. Buyers will just have to lay carpets before moving in.
Another plus is the wide swathe of landscaped open space at the entrance to Ravenswood, which is bordered by flowering sycamore trees - and quite imposing. The house exteriors are part brick, with quoin edging and good deep front porches. The 780 sq ft two-bedroom terraced houses, which will be of interest to first-time buyers, cost from £134,995 (171,410). As usual with Menolly schemes, walls are painted a neutral colour and coal-effect fireplaces are standard.
The sittingroom takes up the entire ground floor of these houses and is a reasonable size, with the staircase tucked into a far corner. At the back, the kitchen/diningroom is larger than in most two-bedroom houses and includes a range of cream Shaker-style units with wall tiling.
Upstairs, there is a white bathroom, one double bedroom and a fair-sized single room. The neat back garden is most probably large enough for the average couple.
Three-bedroom end-terraced and semi-detached houses are considerably larger, at 1,100 sq ft. These start at £154,995 (196,800) for end-terraces and £158,995 (201,880) for semis.
There is a large sittingroom, with double doors to a diningroom opening to the back garden. The standard kitchen is roomy enough for family dining and there is a tiny downstairs toilet.
Upstairs, two of the bedrooms are doubles, there is a third single room and also the family bathroom. The main bedroom here has an en suite shower.
Top-of-the-range at Ravenswood are 1,300 sq ft four-bedroom semi-detached houses from £172,995 (219,660), with 12 extended units from £184,995 (234,900).
Sittingrooms have colourful tiled fireplaces and double doors to a separate diningroom. The extended houses have a good-sized family room off the sittingroom. An oak-style kitchen has integrated doors for electrical equipment and plenty of space for family dining. The main bedroom upstairs includes an en suite shower and there is another double room, along with two singles, The bathroom in this house has attractive cream mosaic wall tiles and there is good landing space.
Whiles the Blanchardstown shopping centre is within sight of the new development, it is best reached by turning left onto Hansfield Road at the village of Clonee. The Ravenswood site is about a mile further on the left.
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