IN ...SUTTONThe landmark crossroads is dull but Sutton's sea views are invigorating says Paul O'Dohertyof the quiet suburb that remains a feeder town for Howth
SUTTON'S beauty lies in its accessibility to the sea, connecting the head of Howth to the shoulders of the city. Pretty, peaceful and poetic, the beach strolls are invigorating, summer or winter, and along with the eclectic shoreline residential retreats. offer worthwhile views of the metropolis, mountains and islands. In the heart of the village, with Superquinn, the Marine hotel and a few odd shops and eateries, the eponymous crossroads is functional, dull and aesthetically derelict, despite the palm trees and evergreens that give it a tropical seaside exoticism. However, despite this, it remains one of Dublin's most sought-after areas to live in.
How's the market?
Despite the endemic 20 per cent fall-off in prices, local sages report not surprisingly that the current malaise has not yet bottomed out, with some observers (who've read up on their Churchill) optimistically offering caveats along the lines of "now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning". Nevertheless, properties above the €1 million threshold are hardest hit and are becoming increasingly difficult to shift.
It's less of a burden on the lower rungs where, for instance, there are a couple of stylish well-maintained apartments available at €460,000 at Corr Castle, wondering who'll blink first, with a pair of two-bedroom first-floors at the same development looking for around €600,000 or €1.25 million for a penthouse. Away from the apartments, a two-bedroom end-of-terrace at Binn Eadair is available at €395,000, with a three-bedroom mid-terrace, in the same area, recently refurbished with a west-facing garden, down from its market value last year of €600,000 to the €540,000 fault-line.
On the much sought-after Offington Drive and Avenue, the four-bed dormer bungalow market has also Humpty Dumpty-ed with prices down from a one-time €1.4 million to between the less impressive €920,000 and €1.15 million.
Further up the other side of the hill, a recently refurbished detached five-bedroom house with a 45ft garden and gated side-entrance at St Fintan's Park is down €100,000 to €1.1 million. Sticking in the same division, and close by on St Fintan's Road, an architect-designed residence with south-facing garden and planning permission for a four-bedroom dormer bungalow is yours for €2.75 million.
And to rent?
According to local estate agents the market is holding its own. There's a shortage of [two-beds
start around €1,250 a month away from the main hub at Sycamore House on the Baldoyle Road.
Closer in, €1,350 will get you a touch of relative modernity at Corr Castle or a sea view at Saffron House. Around the other side of the villageat he old Sutton Castle hotel site prices are unsettled between €2,500 to €3,500.
Into the house market and for €1,400 there's an opportunity at Tramway Court for someone who wants to live close to that all important Dart-ride to the city, while moderate three-bedroom exclusivity on Claremont Road, overlooking Lambay and Ireland's Eye with beach access, will set you back €3,500.
Top of the pile, a five-bedroom American-embassy doppelganger (144 photos on Daft - sadly, there is some duplication) with sea-view and landscaped garden on Burrow Road is a bargain at €10,000 a month.
Going out?
Aside from a couple of coffee shops, Chinese restaurant and hotel and club bars and restaurants, Sutton is essentially a "feeder town" for the Howth night-life, restaurants and pubs a couple of miles down the road.
Price of a pint?
€4.50 in the Schooner Bar at the Marine hotel.
Good for families?
Schools don't seem to be a problem while there are places currently available (ahead of the September rush) at the Sutton Little People crèche, costing €210 a week (from 7.45am until 6pm with three meals). Short summer rugby camps (for six to 12-year-olds) commence July 28th and August 18th for boys and girls at Suttonians rugby club.
What to do?
A choice of quiet and secluded beach walks that look back on the city or out towards Lambay and north county Dublin, while sticking with the outdoor theme, Sutton Dinghy club, the tennis and golf clubs and Suttonians rugby club (tag rugby every Thursday evening until July 31st) all have a strong presence.
What locals say
"It's close to the restaurants and bars in Howth" (Gina Simpson).
"Finding and keeping a carpark space in the village without getting clamped is dangerous" (Eddie Gray).
"From a business perspective, it doesn't have the footfall that it once had" (Cascade Flowers' Deirdre Whelan).
"There are no petrol stations around" (Sheenagh O'Callaghan)
