THREE-BEDROOM houses at Adamstown in west Dublin have dropped in price to under €200,000 in the latest phase of the scheme near Lucan in west Dublin. Developer Castlethorn Construction will open four new showhouses this weekend in a new phase of the development, called Stratton.

Three-bedroom homes will start at €199,950. In a bid to attract young buyers, purchasers will be allowed to defer paying booking and contract deposits until closing.

On show will be 83sq m (893sq ft) two-bedroom apartments starting at €180,000; two-bedroom ground and first floor duplexes start at €210,000. The 102sq m (1,097sq ft) three-bedroom duplex homes on the first and second floors of the blocks are priced at €199,950. A 103sq m (1,109sq ft) ground and first floor duplex is priced from €225,000.

The houses are being built to a high spec: the €210,000 duplexes, for example, have a split-level kitchen-cum-livingroom and three bathrooms. Kitchens will include all appliances. Designed by Murray O’Laoire, the low level apartment blocks have communal garden spaces as well as their own outdoor space in the form of a garden, patio or balcony.

All homes are designed to comply with Sustainable Energy Ireland’s “house of tomorrow” programme in terms of energy efficiency: they have a BER (Building Energy Rating) of B3.

Stratton is close to the newly opened train station, crèche, two primary schools, secondary school and to a newly-opened Londis and café.

Castlethorn’s home deposit advance option lets purchasers reserve their home today with no deposits payable until closing.

Up to 95 per cent mortgages are available to purchasers in the development from Ulster Bank under its “secure step” mortgage package, which also includes a 15 per cent guarantee: this means that if your property has decreased in value after five years, the developer will refund the amount of the decrease up to 15 per cent of the original purchase price.

The first houses in Adamstown, planned as a new town, were launched in 2006.