Full details here.

For your FREE, no obligation, valuation in the South Wicklow and North Wexford area, call into one of our offices (located in Carnew and Gorey) and chat to any of our expert team or you can contact us online at www.KinsellaEstates.ie. We are happy to facilitate overseas buyers and sellers via Skype or similar, outside of regular office hours.  Alternatively, email me directly on michael@kinsellaestates.ie or telephone: +353 53 94 21718

Selling your home, holiday home, investment property or perhaps an inherited house or land can be daunting.  With so many questions and so much  – often conflicting – information out there (online or chats over the garden fence), it can be difficult to get straight answers.  When you are thinking of selling, straight answers are exactly what you need.  Property valuations that are too vague, or too general, or that carry lots of exceptions and exclusion clauses are just not helpful.  What you need is local insight that tells you not only the likely open market value of the property today, but more importantly, you need insights into local supply and  demand.  This is the difference between listing your property and actually selling your property – we’re guessing that once you have made the decision to sell, you want to get things moving!

Unlike when dealing with an investment or inherited property, the biggest factor in the decision to sell your home should not be market conditions.  Certainly, it is important to be aware of current market performance and undoubtedly, there are times when the market trends favour the buyer moreso than the seller, and vice versa, but none of this is more important than your personal, family and financial position.

As your estate agents, our first step  generally is to arrange to do a walk-though of your property.  This helps us to get specific in terms of the market valuation, but it does so much more than that. It is at this point where we use our experience and expertise to help you, as a seller, prepare your home or investment property for the market and a few weeks of viewings. Long gone are the days when sellers can list a property ‘as is’ just to test the market.  The rise in property technology, the increased pace of life and competition in the marketplace all mean that sellers usually only have one opportunity to impress potential buyers in person.  In fact, getting them inside the property requires great photos/videos/3D tours and great copy (which is why you need a great estate agent!).  For this reason, it is recommended that any little fixes around the house are done prior to getting the photographs taken for the brochure and online listing, and certainly before opening up the property for viewings.

Sellers must not underestimate the importance of preparing the property and this is equally true for the photography and video (or virtual reality tours) as it is for viewings.  A bright, airy and freshly painted entrance sets a positive tone for the rest of the home.  Stylish furnishings that are consistent with the age/type of property are great but a deep cleaning and decluttering session will go a long way towards impressing house-hunters – as will sparkling windows and neutral tones throughout.

For many people, buying and selling their home coincides with other big life events, like changing careers, getting married, starting/growing a family or perhaps downsizing as our children grow up and leave home.  This undoubtedly adds to the pressure, confusion and perhaps feelings of overwhelm.  As this is such a big decision, we understand the importance of getting it right.  Taking the time to discuss your overall plans will help your estate agent to guide you in the right direction.   It is never recommended to make quick decisions in reaction to sudden life changes, but sometimes it has to happen like that.  Having a good relationship with your agent will make the transition smoother.

If you are considering selling in the South Wicklow and North Wexford areas, call into one of our offices located in Carnew and Gorey and chat to any of our team or contact us online.  We are happy to facilitate overseas buyers and sellers via Skype or similar outside of regular office hours.

For specific queries or to speak with a local property expert about your buying and selling needs in Wexford, Wicklow and surrounding areas, contact Michael, Alan or Eileen Kinsella at kinsellaestates.ie . 

Email me directly on michael@kinsellaestates.ie or telephone : +353 53 94 21718       

The question of whether or not buying the show house is a good idea is an on-going debate and certainly, there are pros and cons but experienced buyers know that the long term advantages tend to out-weigh any of the short term disadvantages.

So, what are the disadvantages of buying a showhouse?

You might need to wait for a few months before closing and moving into the property.  In other markets, particularly in the US, a buyer might close the purchase and then agree to lease the property back to developer for the sales period, which could be up to two years.  This does not happen in the Irish market, in fact, most developments would only use their show house  for a few months or  a year for phase one.  It is common for developers to sell one show house and simply kit out another so two show houses in the space of a year or two years is not unusual and can work well for both the developers and the buyers.

Another perceived disadvantage is that the site adjacent to the showhouse is often used for car parking so it can be busy/noisy at times.  Again, this is a very temporary inconvenience.

As anyone who has ever bought a home in the early stages of a new development launch will know, the show house is highly sought after and generally commands a higher price.

What are the advantages of buying a showhouse?

There are multiple reasons for this but the main one is that the show house is generally finished to an excellent quality, beautifully styled and furnished with top end, luxury  brands that the developer writes off as a promotion and marketing expense so the full (trade) cost is not passed on to the new buyer.

Also, at a more basic level, all new developments up -sell ‘extras’  that a buyer can pay for if they want a higher specification throughout.  This is always demonstrated throughout the showhouse so  you can expect that it comes equipped with the highest specification available.

There is nothing standard about a showhouse.

The kitchen, including worktops and light fittings are invariably top quality.  This is also true of flooring, however, do remember that what is visually beautiful might not always be practical for families (cream carpeting comes to mind!).

In addition to the high-end finish, showhouses are a feast for interior design enthusiasts with opulent furnishings that a buyer might never be able to buy at the early stages of buying a home.  In most cases, the house is sold with everything included, right down to the bed linen, duvet covers and soft furnishings like cushions and table lamps.

Mirrors are a surprising expense for new homeowners and most showhouses use them throughout the house to enhance the light and space available.

Outside the house, the garden is usually architecturally landscaped in a low-maintenance finish (very important for busy families).

In the short-term, showhouses tend not to give new owners  the same teething problems as standard new homes as settling cracks are dealt with as they arise – the sales agent will always ensure the showhouse is kept in top condition throughout its use.  The same principle applies to snaglist issues.  These are generally dealt with as soon as they are identified.

For many buyers, the convenience is irresistible.  You can walk into your new home with a only suitcase and there’s no waiting around.

In the long term, as the glossy interior of any home fades over a few years, the showhouse quality will generally stand the test of time.

We are currently listing a former showhouse and the high-quality fit-out is still evident throughout.

1 Woodlands Drive, Gorey, County Wexford is a superb four bedroom detached home and garden, in excellent condition throughout (asking price €235,000).

It’s that time of the quarter again, lots of property news, results and price reports.  Daft.ie and MyHome.ie are showing average property price increases of almost 10% nationwide.  While the average increase is lower across County Wicklow, this is likely due to fewer transactions and those transactions are coming from an already-high value base.  County Wexford is picking up speed  and this has been one of the busiest quarters that we have seen in years.   In general, house prices are up 40% since the bottom of the market – which is great news for sellers and home owners whose property might be in negative equity but not so good for house hunters.

Added to the usual run of house price news, KBC Bank have published their Homebuyer Sentiment survey.  These type of survey is few and far between as ‘sentiment’ is more difficult to measure than percentages or euro, but the findings are usually more interesting.  And this one doesn’t disappoint.  Key findings include the following:

• Only 49% of Irish consumers are content with their current housing
• 23% are not in a position to purchase despite wanting to
• 28% are considering buying  within the next two years, with half of these actively house hunting
• Of those currently ready to buy,  less than a quarter are investors while the remaining buyers are an equal mix of first-time buyers and those trading up or down

The phrase ‘pent-up demand’ has been thrown around since the confusing days of 2011/2012 and the effects of this have been felt in the market for a few years.  Usually we think in terms of people who are either  looking to buy or to sell; this survey includes homeowners who are trapped in unsuitable and inappropriate housing.

Interestingly, the survey estimates (based  upon  their random sampling) that there are approximately 70,000 would-be buyers ready to hit the market, with a total anticipated demand of 300,000over the next two years.  While we have sufficient zoned land  in parts of County Wexford to deal with short-term future development, the same cannot be said for most of County Wicklow.

All of this activity and these findings are reinforcing the trend for home buyers to look further from the Capital as  they search for their future home.  Improved road infrastructure right through Wicklow from the M50 to Gorey, just over the Wexford border, makes a 45 minute commute possible from  smaller towns like Carnew, Shillelagh and Tinahely.  For people looking for a coastal home, Riverchapel, just outside the seaside town of Courtown, will be an increasingly attractive location.

To view a selection of the properties currently available, visit kinsellaestates.ie

For specific queries or to speak with a local property expert about your buying and selling needs in Wexford, Wicklow and surrounding areas, contact Michael, Alan or Eileen Kinsella at kinsellaestates.ie .  Alternatively, you can email me directly on michael@kinsellaestates.ie or telephone : +353 53 94 21718 to arrange any viewings.

Last chance to buy in the current phase

With the supply of new homes running low across the South East, it won’t surprise local house-hunters to see that only one house remains available in the current phase of Riverchapel Wood.
6 The Parade, Riverchapel Wood is situated within walking distance of the scenic Courtown Harbour and many leisure attractions. This developement has proven popular with both homebuyers and investors, with returns almost as attractive as the views!

Number 6 is a spacious three-bedroom semi-detached house in excellent condition throughout, with a bay window and double doors leading onto the rear garden;  Asking price €137,000.

For more details on the property, check out the listing on :- http://www.daft.ie/wexford/houses-for-sale/courtown/6-the-parade-riverchapel-wood-riverchapel-courtown-wexford-1354836/

For specific queries or to speak with a local property expert about your buying and selling needs in Wexford, Wicklow and surrounding areas, contact Michael, Alan or Eileen Kinsella at kinsellaestates.ie .  Alternatively, you can email me directly on michael@kinsellaestates.ie or telephone : +353 53 94 21718 to arrange a viewing.

Property Measures Announced in the Budget

We knew in advance of Budget ’17 that housing was going to be a priority so Michael Noonan’s budget speech contained very few surprises, if any, for the sector.

  In an earlier post, I detailed the Government’s Action Plan for Housing:  Rebuilding Ireland.  This plan sets out the housing problems to be tackled and steps that will be taken. While the issues are broken up into five categories or  ‘pillars’ they all come back to one common underlying problem, that is, the chronic lack of supply across all housing sectors from social to private to rental.  Developers and members of the construction industry have blamed the cost of building and budgetary measures were definitely needed to address this.  Unfortunately, this is not what we got on Budget Day.  Instead, we got a grant – by way of tax rebate – for first-time buyers purchasing newly built homes only.

This help-to-buy scheme for first-time buyers will give a rebate of income tax (already paid) of 5 per cent of the purchase value of a newly-built home, up to a value of €400,000. That translates to a maximum rebate of €20,000 in cash. Properties costing from €400,000 to €600,000 will qualify for the €20,000 rebate, but the scheme will not apply to homes over €600,000 in value. This is a temporary measure only, backdating to July 19th last and will run until the end of 2019. In practical terms, buyers of a new house costing €300,000 will qualify for a rebate worth €15,000, however, they will still need their €23,000 deposit (under the Central Bank rules) and they must have a combined income of €75,000.

While the rebate is designed to offset the cost of higher deposits required from first-time buyers, and in turn boost demand, it has been perceived by members of the sector as a grant to the developer. Irrespective of the designed purpose, in real terms, this is the least effective way to stimulate supply and is likely to simply increase prices for first-time buyers already struggling to afford their first home.

While the first-time buyer initiative has been deeply criticised across the industry, at least there was some attempt to address their concerns.  Those stuck in rental situations were not so lucky. At best, the help-to-buy scheme will create get a small portion on renters out of this market and into their own homes, and this should free up some rented accommodation.

  Other Property Measures

• Residential investors/landlords received a 5 per cent increase in their mortgage interest relief, from 75 per cent to 80 per cent in 2017 and this is expected to increase annually until it reaches 100 per cent again.
• The Home Renovation Incentive Scheme was extended further by two years, bringing it up to the end of 2018.
• The Rent a Room scheme had its tax-free income ceiling here has increased by €2,000 annually to bring it up to €14,000.

For specific queries or to speak with a local property expert about your buying and selling needs in Wexford, Wicklow and surrounding areas, contact myself (Michael), Alan or Eileen Kinsella at kinsellaestates.ie or email me directly on michael@kinsellaestates.ie and telephone: +353 53 94 21718 

With all the general election campaigning over the past few weeks, and  today as we are going through the final rounds of vote counting, it strikes me that politics – like property – is all local. The strongest, most popular and (we have to believe) most  hard-working politicians in each constituency  wins. What has changed in the last few decades is the party system; candidates locally win locally, not simply by being a member of any political party. This is because as the world is getting smaller due to better information systems and technology, the reality is that people continue live in one area (at a time!) and that’s where their priorities lie.

I am not a politician but I do know property and I know the south east region. And because of this I know that when you are thinking of buying or selling your home, it pays to think local. While the media talks about ‘the’ property market in Ireland, every frustrated seller or house-hunter knows that there are many different markets operating in every county in Ireland. The marketplace locally is measured by supply and demand but it can be a bit more complicated than this. For example, when we talk about supply, are we comparing like with like?  Rural versus urban, size versus location, houses versus apartments… All these distinctions make up genuine supply. Similarly, when we try to gauge demand locally, we have to consider the cash buyers versus mortgaged buyers, investors versus home-buyers, even experienced home-buyers versus first-time buyers.

While it is true to say that every home for sale needs only one buyer, the financial reality is that several bidders are required to really test the value of a property and to ensure that that value is achieved.

This is where a local expert comes into their own. Not all sellers are in the same position and not all buyers are equal. To avoid time wasting, a clued-in local agent can attract genuine buyers to the right property and introduce enough competition to have the sale move along, in order to achieve the right price in a reasonable time frame. As you might imagine, this is difficult to do with only one bidder!

The best way to make this happen is by maintaining a database of ready buyers and keeping this updated. Here at Kinsella Estates, we dedicate time and attention to buyers, we stay in touch with them. By doing this, we already have a good idea of who the likely buyers might be when we take on a new property for sale. In any given area, there is a finite number of suitable, finance-ready buyers.  We make it our job to know them.

And this is particularly true for commercial property. Whether you are buying or selling, looking to lease or rent out your commercial premises, knowing your local market of consumers is the main test of how well a commercial unit can be sustained in any given area. On a given street in any large town, there will always be buildings that are more in demand than others just 100 yards away (similar to residential neighbourhoods!). By not knowing the area well, valuations can be way off and that’s never good news, for buyer or sellers.

With the relatively high level of vacant commercial property around at the moment, sellers need to know who is buying, and buyers need to have their own use for the property or be able to attract the right tenant in the right type of business. There is no doubt that commercial property requires a bit more ‘juggling’ or keeping more balls in the air than most residential transactions, but this is where the local knowledge comes into play. This probably explains why anecdotally, 30% of all commercial property is transacted off-market, which means that it never appears on property websites like Daft.ie and MyHome.ie but is available.

For specific queries or to speak with a local property expert about your buying and selling needs in Wexford, Wicklow and surrounding areas, contact Michael, Alan or Eileen Kinsella at kinsellaestates.ie.

Alternatively, you can email me directly on michael@kinsellaestates.ie or telephone: +353 53 94 21718