Dreaming of an affordable pad to do more than swing a cat in? If in Dublin, try looking further out from the city limits, where first-time bargains can still be found. With the foot-and-mouth crisis deepening, viewers seem reluctant to travel long distances and local agents are beginning to feel the pinch.
New property in provincial towns where there is an established local market and plenty of buzz is an easier sell than in rural villages with few facilities.
Dundalk and Drogheda are on the best rail and road network in the country. Gunne Residential's Dundalk office is offering new three-bedroom semis in the Brookwood development from £110,000 (€139,670) and three-bedroom semis at the Garrybawn scheme off Avenue Road from £117,000 (€148,560).
In Drogheda, Ross McParland has two four-bed semis at Riverbank, off Rathmullan Road, from £129,950 (€165,000). Two-bedroom townhouses are coming on the market soon from £121,950 (€154,840), two-bed apartments from £108,000 (€137,130) and three-bedroom duplex apartments with Boyne views from £118,000 (€149,830).
Although the rail service from Mullingar leaves much to be desired, it does improve the option of commuting from that town to the city, while the roads between the two centres are also improving. Ross McParland and Sherry FitzGerald Davitt & Davitt are joint agents for Menolly's Lakepoint development on the Dublin side of Mullingar, where phase two is launching this weekend.
Three-bed semis start at £117,500 (€149,190) and four-bedroom semis at £127,500 (€161,890). Down the road, Hamilton Osborne King and James B McDonnell are quoting from £144,950 (€184,050) for four-bedroom semis at Petitswood Manor.
It's an easy run to Dublin from Carlow, as most of the road has dual carriageway or motorway status. Three-bedroom townhouses are on sale for £120,000 (€152,370) in The Mill Stream development, through Southern Auctioneers in Carlow.
Portlaoise has a good cultural life and is centrally positioned. Leahy Commuter New Homes is selling three-bedroom semis at The Beeches on Forestpark Road from £105,000 (€133,320). Ten miles away at Stradbally, the same agent is handling sales of three-bed semis at The Glebe, starting at £110,000 (€139,670).
In a fortnight, Leahy will be launching Lintown Hall at Newpark, Kilkenny, with prices from £100,000 (€126,970) for a three-bed semi.
Gunne Residential and John Keane are jointly handling Hollyville Heights in Wexford, where 850 sq ft two-bedroom apartments are on offer from £97,000 (€123,160).
Apartments in provincial towns are a relatively new concept and price is the determining factor, say most city-based agents. In Ashgrove, Mountmellick, Co Laois, 800 sq ft one-bedroom apartments with tax incentives from £86,000 (€109,200) were launched a week ago. These were disappearing fast by lunchtime on the first day, but there are also 24 twobedroom apartments, between 844 and 893 sq ft, from £89,000 (€113,010).
In Mullingar, £88,500 (€112,370) will buy an apartment with two double bedrooms at Ashfield, not far from town on the road to Abbeyshrule. Rental potential is good, says agent James McDonnell & Co.
