Swords: from €229,950: A new scheme of starter homes and apartments in Swords is sure to attract first-time buyers, writes Orna Mulcahy, Property Editor.

First-time buyers are expected to be out in force this weekend at a new development of houses and apartments near Airside Shopping Centre in Swords where one-bedroom units start at €229,950.

Abbeystone will have 280 apartments and houses with several show units on-site so that buyers can see what they will be getting for their money. HOK is handling sales on-site through director Ronan O'Driscoll.

Abbeystone is situated between Swords and Malahide and can be accessed from Feltrim Road, Kinsealy, directly from the northbound lane of the M1 motorway or through Airside Retail Park where there is a wide range of home furnishing stores, including DID, B & Q, and Harvey Norman.

Malahide and Portmarnock are a short drive away and there are train links from Portmarnock Dart station which has a park and ride car-park. However, those who don't have cars are reliant on buses which are a good walk from the development.

The developer is David Daly's Albany Group and, while he has put a new name on the site, Abbeystone could be seen as a fresh phase of Gorse Hill, completed last year, and neighbouring Feltrim Manor.

Prices start at €229,950 for one-bedroom units while two-bedroom apartments start at €264,950. Three-bedroom duplex apartments are priced from €349,950.

There are two different house types: two-bedroom mid-terrace townhouses are priced from €329,950 while three-bedroom end-of-terrace houses start at €349,950.

At these prices Abbeystone is expected to attract mostly first-time buyers though investors may well take a chance given that the scheme is close to the airport and within relatively easy reach of the city centre eight miles away.

Building work is well advanced and the first residents will be able to move in within a matter of months.

There are plans to build a local shopping centre on-site, along with a medical centre and crèche as per planning regulations.

Abbeystone has four different house styles with two, three and four-bedroom houses being built in a series of cul-de-sacs with car parking directly in front of the houses. Each house has its own back garden while the apartments overlook good-sized communal gardens.

Mid-terrace two-bedroom townhouses with around 77sq m (830sq ft) feature a long galley-style kitchen diner with good storage space.

At the back of the house is a good-sized sittingroom overlooking the back garden.

The two bedrooms are doubles, one en suite, and there is also a full bathroom and a downstairs toilet.

Early buyers are sure to snap up the three-bedroom end-of-terrace houses which are really the pick of the bunch. With 92sq m (995sq ft) these houses appear a little larger because of their bright triple aspect layout. Downstairs, the livingroom with windows on two sides leads off a large welcoming hallway that is far bigger than one expects in a house of this scale. A spacious eat-in kitchen comes with a fully fitted utility room.

The duplex units have either one or two-bedroom apartments at ground floor and three-bedroom homes above that come with a large paved balcony.

A small number of four-bedroom end-of-terrace houses with around 116sq m (1,250sq ft) will also be available with prices starting at €430,000.

There is no showhouse for these but plans are available to view.