Looking for . . . a two-bed apartment in north Dublin for under €350,000

While the Celtic tiger brought no shortage of small apartments in undesirable locations, fortunately there were also plenty of generously-sized apartments built in well-established areas and in newly popular city centre spots.

Apt 18 Auburn, Howth Road, Clontarf, Dublin 3

Agent: Gunne Price: €350,000 Size: 1,076sq ft (100sq m)

Built about 2005 on the grounds of the former Guiney family home, of Clerys department store fame, Auburn is a small residential development off the Howth Road in Clontarf. Surrounded by some of the area’s leafiest roads and biggest houses, the apartment block in which Number 18 is located is accessed via Castle Court estate just off the Howth Road.

Renowned architects O’Mahony Pike designed the small block of 18 apartments and despite being a relatively small block with good facilities, the annual service charge this year was a very reasonable €1,750. Located on the top floor, the apartment enjoys an even greater sense of space than its counterparts on lower levels thanks to the increased ceiling heights.

There is something peculiarly “un-Irish” about the apartment. The rooms are decidedly spacious, there are windows in every room (bathrooms included) and the light-filled winter garden is a more practical alternative to the traditional balcony.

Furthermore, this particular unit has the benefit of two designated underground parking spaces and a separate storage unit. That’s little surprise considering the prices of up to €595,000 originally sought by the developer for apartments in Auburn. The fittings are also of a high quality such as the Rationel windows and Alno kitchen. The last sale in the block was Apartment 1, the ground-floor show-apartment, which sold in August 2013 for €280,000. While clearly well designed, Auburn’s main disadvantage is its proximity to the Dart line, which runs along the rear of the block and will undeniably cause some level of noise disturbance for occupants.

86 Belgrove Park, Mount Prospect Lawns, Clontarf, Dublin 3

Agent: Sherry Fitzgerald Price: €325,000 Size: 893sq ft (83sq m)

Launched by Liam Carroll’s Danninger in about 2004 and built on the former Belgrove Football Club grounds just off Clontarf’s Mount Prospect Avenue, Belgrove Park is a large development of apartments and townhouses in a quiet, residential setting. Apartments here have experienced a strong rebound in prices in the past year with the last ground floor two bed, Apartment 70, selling last November for €185,000 and another selling a few months prior for €179,000. In more recent times, a first-floor two-bed apartment sold for just over €320,000 last August – much closer to its original €370,000 starting price. Apartment 86 is a large ground floor apartment whose interior is in good condition throughout.

One bedroom is relatively tight at 7ft wide and there is a noticeable lack of a second bathroom – rendering the apartment less desirable for occupiers planning on renting out the spare room.

On the plus side the apartment is sold with two valuable underground parking spaces. For buyers who opt not to drive, the 130 bus stops near the entrance to the development. All the main rooms in the apartment enjoy a southerly aspect and the open-plan living and dining room is particularly bright thanks to the floor-to-ceiling Rationel oak windows and door leading out to the patio area.

With a C3 BER rating and gas central heating, the apartment has good bones. Security-conscious prospective buyers concerned about its ground floor location will have some peace of mind knowing that the apartment has an alarm. Nearby amenities include the wonderful St Anne’s Park, which bounds the apartment block to the north. The agent says that the annual service charge amounts to about €1,866, which is very reasonable.

Apartment 9, Block 5, Clarion Quay, IFSC, Dublin 1

Agent: Owen Reilly Price: €295,000 Size: 768sq ft (73sq m)

Built in about 2002, Clarion Quay is one of the most desirable developments in the Docklands. Two bedroom apartments such as this were initially launched on the market from about €317,000 with designated parking spots commanding a further €32,000 each. By the height of the Celtic tiger, similar apartments in the block were seeking more than €500,000, but last December the same agent, Owen Reilly, sold the apartment directly above – Apartment 11, Block 5 – for €290,000. That apartment was brighter, being one floor higher, but the two apartments are fundamentally the same.

The open-plan kitchen, dining and living room in Apartment 9 has both south- and east-facing aspects, with four floor-to-ceiling windows on the south-facing side and two more windows and a sliding door on the east-facing side, from which the balcony is accessed.

There are two double bedrooms, both with fitted wardrobes and the master featuring an en suite bathroom. The apartment also has a second bathroom and this layout makes the apartment perfect for sharing. With rents of more than €700 per month for a good quality room in the area not uncommon, the next owner may opt to rent their extra bedroom and benefit from some tax-free income. The service charge for the apartment for this year was €3,300, which may seem high, but it includes hot water and underfloor gas heating.

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