SeaGreen Homes Archives - Seagreen Property Greystones

New Year, New Home: Energy Efficiency and Top-Rated Insulation Among the Many Reasons to Buy a SeaGreen Home

The start of January is the traditional time for change as we shake off the old year and ring in the new, and when we make decisions about what we can do to improve our lives. One of the biggest decisions we will ever make in life is finding the perfect place to call home, and with Christmas behind us and as we enter 2018, that decision could be made a lot easier for you as the launch of latest development of houses at SeaGreen in Greystones approaches.

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Apart from the spectacular and beautiful setting in a perfect location, the range of activities that offer you and your family the chance to enjoy a great lifestyle, and the outstanding schools nearby, SeaGreen is perfectly situated to make the commute to the city and surrounding areas easy and comfortable.

And that’s before we even mention the houses themselves!

Our latest phase of development, SeaGreen Gate, is planned for spring of this year, and appropriately for this time of year, offers a ‘gateway to a new life’. This phase of four-bedroom semi-detached, mid-terrace and end terrace homes will continue our focus on sustainable, luxurious, high-quality builds that our buyers have seen in our three-bedroom Portland, four-bedroom Wyndham and Bellevue, and five-bedroom Somerby houses they are glad to call home.

When looking for a new house in January, one of the first things people tend to look out for is how warm and comfortable the home is, as these first few months of the year usually bring us a lot of cold weather. The A-rated energy efficient houses at SeaGreen are designed and built to the highest standards, so potential buyers will be pleased to see just how cosy and inviting they are, not just in winter, but throughout the year.

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This energy efficiency also means that your energy bills will be kept at a minimum – good news after the expensive Christmas period, and when considering making such a large financial investment in your ideal home.

Though Greystones has the benefit of a mild climate, we know that good insulation is important for the comfort of your family, and we use the best possible materials, high-spec air tightness and insulation to ensure our houses are kept at an optimum temperature all year round, as Fran the Roofer explains here.

While the cold weather lingers outside, inside these homes the gas-fired and solar-enhanced heating system and A-rated gas boiler give perfect, efficient heating throughout the house and instant hot water on demand.

Solar thermal panels, Norwegian-made high-tech triple-glazed timber windows, and thermostatically controlled radiators add to that warm and cosy feeling, with no energy or heat lost, and any excess stored until it is needed. This dramatically cuts down on energy waste, so you can add helping the environment to your list of New Year resolutions.

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The latest phase of development at SeaGreen goes that little bit further when it comes to energy efficiency and comfort, with remote heating and lighting controls, and cabling for electric vehicles on every house as standard. This idea of building for the future means that SeaGreen house buyers will have a place to call home for many lifetimes to come.

Speaking of the future, the A-rating on these homes will see their value increase over time because of the level of cost-savings involved, combined with the cost savings you can make when you buy a brand new home, and the New Year is a great time to start thinking about how the house you plan to buy can help save you money in the long run.

If you are interested in buying one of these beautiful new homes in a perfect location overlooking the picturesque seaside town of Greystones, register here:

5 Great Christmas Activities In Greystones When You Buy A SeaGreen Home

Situated in a perfect location on the coast with a backdrop of mountains, the beautiful town of Greystones is a great home base for some wonderful Christmas adventures and festive experiences. In no particular order, here’s our top five favourite things for SeaGreen homeowners to enjoy in the area at the most wonderful time of the year.

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1 – Shop and Browse at the Harbour Christmas Market

The beautiful surrounds of The Boat Yard Gallery in Greystones harbour host the annual Christmas Market, featuring all things festive under the marquee. Open on weekends from 2nd to 17th December, stalls selling great gift ideas and tasty hot food will keep the yuletide cheer glowing, while live entertainment for adults and children alike will keep the yuletide atmosphere growing. Santa usually arrives in a suitably red fire engine before settling into his grotto, so make sure you behave.

When it gets a little chilly, or if you have finished your retail therapy, the Beach House pub is right next door, so you can go celebrate a job well done, and a day well spent.

Of course, the Christmas market is just one place in Greystones to get some fabulous gifts. The town itself has a number of top quality stores offering designer fashion, jewellery, art and interior décor, so you can get your hands on some beautiful presents, for your loved ones or for yourself.

2 – Take the Plunge on Christmas Day

As with many good traditions, we are not sure when, or why, the annual Christmas Day Swim in Greystones first took place. What’s not in doubt, though, is that this is a fun family activity to help blow off the cobwebs, and really shows the community spirit and devotion to an active lifestyle you will see all around in this seaside town.

Every year, more and more people gather on Greystones South Beach late on Christmas morning to take a dip in the chilly water, whether for a good cause, a dare, or simply to join in with the fun.

It’s a real party atmosphere, despite the unpredictable but usually freezing weather, and its gaining popularity, as you can see from the accounts of last year’s brave bathers.

3 – Make it Magical with the Irish Fairy Trail

Christmas is of course a magical time of year, but you can make it even more enchanting with a family visit to nearby Russborough House in Blessington to walk the Irish Fairy Trail.

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Photo via Irish Fairy Trail

The sheltered grounds here are a beautiful setting to walk around and enjoy the fresh air, but it’s also a well-kept secret that Lady’s Island is the home of Faylinn the fairy and his friends, who have lived here for three centuries.

Your children will love roaming the beautiful parkland and taking part in the magical fairy trail, where they can see often-hidden fairy houses, learn the fairy language, enjoy fairy games and puzzles, and learn about the natural flora and materials the fairies use in their jewellery.

It’s a completely free and wonderful way to spend a memorable day your whole family will enjoy at this magical time of the year.

4 – Get Festive at Powerscourt

Also close to Greystones and easily accessible thanks to the great transport networks that make the commute so easy from Greystones, is the impressive and beautiful Powerscourt Estate, which becomes even more beautiful as Christmas approaches. The whole family can soak up the festive atmosphere as they follow the star walking along the fir trees along the main avenue and around the 47 acres of the stately home, but your children will love visiting Santa’s animals at the Garden Pavilion’s stables.

There they can meet cute pygmy goats, miniature donkeys, rabbits, guinea pigs, and of course, some of Santa’s deer.

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Talking of Santa, children can meet the man himself at Avoca in Powerscourt House up until 23 December, when he has to leave to get ready for a busy Christmas Eve. You can relax in the Terrace Café or get some gifts in the great shops, while the children meet Santa and his elves, before finishing the day with another look around this beautifully scenic winter wonderland.

5 – Get Cosy at Home

Of course, one of the best things about the festive season is being able to spend time relaxing at home with your family, and the houses at SeaGreen are designed to offer you the cosiest and most comfortable living spaces you can find.

These A2 BER-rated energy-efficient houses ensure you are kept warm throughout the cold winter months, while still keeping your energy bills extremely low. The state of the art heating system with thermostatically controlled radiators heated by highly-efficient natural gas boilers, a heat pump that produces continuous hot water, and top-quality insulation, mean you can stay cosy while the weather outside turns colder.

Our three-bedroom Portland, four-bedroom Bellevue and Wyndham, and our five-bedroom Somerby homes are providing many families with the best possible place to spend Christmas. We look forward to having many more families join the SeaGreen community in our exciting new phase of development next spring, knowing that next Christmas they will be able to enjoy all that SeaGreen, and Greystones, have to offer.

If you would like to register your interest in this new phase, contact us here.

The New Home Costs You Can Avoid By Buying At SeaGreen In Greystones

Buying a new house is one of the biggest expenses you are likely to face in your lifetime. While you want to make sure that the place you decide to call home is perfect, there can sometimes be an endless list of costs associated with turning it into the dream house for you and your family. On top of the mortgage comes snag and fix lists, or the costs of simply making changes to turn it into your ideal living space. Once you move in, the first bills soon arrive, and only then will you realise how much your heating and electricity is costing you. That’s why opting for one of the new houses in the SeaGreen development in Greystones is a perfect solution.

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Built to the highest standards, these great new houses for sale in Greystones offer tremendous value, and allow you to avoid many of the costs associated with buying a new home, meaning you can save more towards enjoying your life.

The Mortgage

One major cost-saver is the fact that many of the houses in the SeaGreen development qualify for the Government’s Help To Buy Rebate. If purchasing a three-bedroom Portland house, qualifying first-time buyers can need just €20,500 and expect to make repayments of just €1,382 per month. If buying a four-bedroom Wyndham house, a deposit of just €25,500 and repayments of €1,553 may be needed.

This means that the sometimes unachievable mortgage deposits many first-time buyers face can be made much more manageable, and these lovely homes are much more affordable than you might think, so you can realise your dream of owning a great house in a perfect location.

Putting together your mortgage application can be difficult, so we have made a handy Guide that you can download below:

The Bills

Having taken on a mortgage, the last thing you need is sky-high bills coming in your brand new door, but at SeaGreen, all of the houses are built to the highest possible levels for energy efficiency, with an A2 BER Rating, as John the on-site electrician explains in this video. This means the cost of heating your home will be kept to a minimum.

The thermostatically controlled radiators are heated by a high-efficiency A-rated natural gas boiler, while an efficient heat pump uses waste air from bathrooms to produce continuous hot water. Solar panels provide free electricity to heat water too, while each house is kept comfortable all year round for a minimal cost due to the triple-glazed windows and top-quality insulation.

The Fixes

Even in new builds, buyers can face a list of fixes that require attention, and once these are done, any defects that later start to appear may be left to the homeowner to tackle, and pay for. However, all of the houses at SeaGreen come with a ten-year Homebond Latent Defects Insurance warranty, so in the unlikely event that something does happen, there is comfort in knowing that there is comprehensive cover for defects insurance, structural insurance and a five-year Homebond cover for mechanical and electrical, water and smoke ingress.

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The Personalisation

Making your new home your own is another major cost many people have to face, and it can take years to truly turn your house into the place you dreamed of as other expenses take over. These costs can be avoided at SeaGreen too.

An expert team is available on-site to take care of any redesigns or adaptations, so you can be sure that when you move into your house, it will be just as you wanted it to be, and you won’t have to think about chipping away at your savings piece by piece to furnish your home to meet your personal tastes.

With many of these great houses eligible for the Help To Buy Rebate, high-spec design that keeps energy bills low and an on-site team who can help personalise your home ahead of moving in, the SeaGreen development in Greystones offers many ways to keep the cost of buying your new home down.

You can register your interest in one of these great houses here.

How To Prepare Your Mortgage Application For A New Home At SeaGreen In Greystones

The beautiful new SeaGreen houses for sale in Greystones offer you the chance to realise your dreams of owning your own home in a perfect location. Whether you are interested in a three-bedroom Portland, four-bedroom Bellevue or Wyndham, or five-bedroom Somerby home, these top quality, high-spec and luxurious new builds provide spacious and comfortable living space for you and your growing family in an area that offers great transport links, the best educational facilities, a thriving local town, and of course, a great lifestyle with the mountains and the sea on your doorstep.

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Whether you are looking to find that first home to start a family, or are considering returning to Ireland to settle down, the homes at SeaGreen represent outstanding value, and the Help To Buy Rebate on offer means now is a great time to get that mortgage and register your interest.

However, securing your mortgage can be a difficult process, so we want to make it easier, and ensure your application is as perfect as your new SeaGreen home will be.

Here’s what you need to know to make your mortgage application successful.

The Financial Health Check

In order to secure your mortgage, you will need to show the following in your application:

A secure income (€35,000 per year for single applicants and €60,000 for joint applicants)
A deposit of 10% of the purchase price up to €220,000 and 20% on the excess, though exceptions can be applied at the discretion of the lender
Proof you can make repayments allowing for a 2% increase in rates
Proof of financial prudence

The Mortgage Application Checklist

While every mortgage provider or lender has different criteria, the following are standard requirements you need to include in your application:

Proof of identity and proof of address – include your passport or driver’s licence and a utility bill from within the last three months
A completed salary certificate – you can get this from your employer to show proof of your annual earnings and regular income
An annual earnings statement (such as a P60) – again, your employer should be able to provide this
Three recent payslips or paid invoices – as well as providing proof of your regular income, this also shows that you are financially prudent and are capable of keeping accounts
Current account and saving account statements for the last 6 months – these statements will also show you are financially sound and capable of making repayments
Up to date statements on any existing loans for the last 12 months – lenders will need to know if you have any other repayment commitments that may affect your ability to pay your mortgage
Credit card statements for the last three to six months – another measure to show you are financially prudent and able to make regular and timely payments
As the SeaGreen houses are a new build, the Structural Guarantee Certificate would be required, and we are happy to provide this proof that all of our new homes are designed and built to the highest possible standards
If you are self-employed, you should provide a completed accountant’s report, detailed business accounts for the last two years, business account statements for the last six months, a summary statement of all assets and liabilities and balance statements from revenue

The Mortgage Deal

It is worth noting that as well as requiring different criteria for mortgage applications, each mortgage provider or lender will offer different mortgage types and it is advisable to investigate which one will best suit your needs. Buying a home is one of life’s biggest decisions, and you need to be sure you are with the right lender to help you make this decision.

Mortgages can come at fixed or variable rates, with each lender offering different rates to applicants, so again, it is advisable to look at the mortgage that will work for you.

The Helping Hand

Fixed rate, variable rate, two-year, five-year, capped rate, tracker, split rate – there are a lot of different mortgage deals on offer from many lenders, on top of which are cash-back and other incentives, so finding the best mortgage option for you can be overwhelming, which is why it may be advisable to seek help from an independent mortgage broker.

A broker will not only help you put together your application, they can also bring their industry knowledge and expertise into the equation, are more flexible to suit your working day, and can even secure a better deal for you than you might do on your own.

Now is the ideal time to secure your mortgage and realise your dream of owning your own home, and at SeaGreen, that perfect home is waiting for you.

Find out all you need to know about mortgages and how to successfully apply for one by downloading the SeaGreen Guide To Getting your Mortgage.

First Time Buyers Can Now Purchase A Home In SeaGreen From €1,382 Per Month

Did you know qualifying First Time Buyers can purchase 3- & 4-bedroom homes in SeaGreen and enjoy the Help to Buy Rebate?

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As well as the benefits of choosing a home for your family in such a great location, and the fact that these homes have everything you need and want from a new house when it comes to living space, guarantees, and personalised, high-quality specifications, this is another great reason to choose SeaGreen in Greystones.

The 3-bedroom Portland house can be secured with an effective deposit of €20,500, with repayments of €1,382 per month.

The 4-bedroom Wyndham house (pictured above) also qualifies for the Rebate, with an effective deposit of €25,500 and repayments of €1,553 per month.

House Type	The Portland 3 Bedroom	The Wyndham 4 Bedroom
Price from	€405,000	€455,000
10% Deposit	€40,500	€45,500
Help to Buy Rebate	€20,000	€20,000
Buyer Input	€20,500	€25,500
Mortgage	€364,500	€409,500
Repayments over 25 years	€1,709	€1,920
Repayments over 30 years	€1,517	€1,704
Repayments over 35 years	€1,382	€1,553

For further details, contact Sherry FitzGerald New Homes on 01 667 1888.

The lending criteria, terms and conditions are as follows:

Lending criteria, terms and conditions apply:

Applies to First Time Buyers only
Rate of 2.9% based on KBC’s New Business 1 year fixed rate, LTV 90%, rate only applies if you open a KBC current account to which your salary is mandated and your monthly mortgage repayment direct debit is paid from
Rate will revert to the standard variable rate after the 1 year fixed rate period is up
Rates correct as at 01.12.2016
May require a Central Bank exception (subject to availability)
Central Bank deposit rules require a 10% deposit for first time buyers
With the Help to Buy Scheme for first time buyers of new houses, a tax rebate of 5% (subject to an upper limit of €20,000) of the purchase price is potentially available on properties costing €500,000 or less, Revenue terms and conditions apply
First time buyers of second hand houses will need to fund the 10% deposit themselves
Warning: If you do not keep up your repayments you may lose your home
Warning: You may have to pay charges if you pay off a fixed-rate loan early
Warning: The cost of your monthly repayments may increase
Mortgage Insight DAC t/a Sherry FitzGerald Financial Services is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland

Each of the houses at SeaGreen in Greystones is a perfect choice to make your home, so register your interest today by clicking below.

Buying Your New Home: What To Look For And What SeaGreen In Greystones Provides

Buying your new home is one of the biggest decisions you will ever have to make, and you need to be sure that it is the right one for your family’s needs. There are many things to consider and many things to look out for in a new development to make sure it is perfect for you, and will become more than just a house, but a home for life.

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Here are some of the things you need to look out for.

Space to grow

If you have children or are planning to start or grow your family, you will need to know you’re your home can accommodate each family member comfortably, and that there is room for further additions.

Whether you choose the three-bed Portland or the four-bed Wyndham and Bellevue house, each of the homes at SeaGreen in Greystones offer plenty of space for your growing family. A generous living room area will give you all the space you need to relax and spend time together, while the large hall leads into a spacious kitchen and dining room with its own separate utility room.

For convenience, each home also features a boot room at the entrance, so you can avoid muddy little feet running through the house.

Importantly for a growing family, there is also a downstairs WC, as well as the main bathroom and an en-suite in the master bedroom, so you won’t need to worry about queueing to get into the shower, no matter how many children you have.

The large bedrooms offer both comfort and space for every member of the family to make their own.

These large living spaces are made possible by the immaculately designed interiors that enhance the space of all the rooms.

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Energy efficiency

Buying a new home is a major investment, and the last thing you want when you move into it is the prospect of high energy and utility bills, so energy efficiency is very important. At SeaGreen Greystones, all of the homes have an A2 BER Rating, so you can know the heating costs of your home will be kept to a minimum.

The state of the art heating system includes thermostatically controlled radiators heated by a high-efficiency A-rated natural gas boiler, while hot water is provided by a high-efficiency heat pump that uses waste air from bathrooms to produce continuous hot water: no waiting for the water to get hot enough for a bath or to wash the dishes.

The solar panels provide free electricity to heat water and keep your bills low, while top-quality insulation is provided by the triple-glazed windows and high-spec spray foam that keeps the house warm and comfortable all year round.

You can see why SeaGreen Greystones is so energy-efficient in this video featuring Bill Quigley of NuTech Renewables who specialise in low-energy housing and have worked with Wood Group to develop these heating and insulation systems.

Warranty

While all of the houses at SeaGreen are obviously built to the highest standards, using the best materials, you will want to make sure that your home is both secure and comfortable. One benefit of a new build home is that it is far less likely to have any snags or problems that need to be fixed, but having a warranty is important for peace of mind.

Every home at SeaGreen comes with 10-Year Homebond Latent Defects Insurance, giving comprehensive cover for defects insurance, structural insurance and loss of deposit, as well as 5-Year Homebond cover for mechanical and electrical, water and smoke ingress.

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Personalisation

While all of the homes available at SeaGreen Greystones are built and designed to the highest quality, we know that each person is an individual with their own specific tastes and preferences, which is why we employ an expert and friendly team on-site to take care of any redesign, changes or adaptations you want to make.

Dealing directly with home buyers means that any problems, changes or specifications can be met with ease, and can be quickly taken care of.

See what account manager Sandra has to say about how the needs of every home buyer are met.

Wood Group also enjoy a great relationship with their contractors and encourage new home buyers to have the same, which is why they allow clients to deal directly with the builders, electricians, and carpenters to ensure each person can enjoy the home they want, making those changes that turn a house into a home, without any questions.

See what Owen has to say about working with homebuyers to ensure they can enjoy the living space they want.

Space in which your family can grow in comfort, the guarantee that your new home is expertly built and designed to last, energy efficiency to keep costs down, and a great relationship with the construction team to ensure your needs are met – all of these things you need to look out for when buying your new home are met at SeaGreen Greystones.

With a special release of some of our most exclusive homes taking place this weekend, make sure to register your interest now.

Join the Club at Greystones

SeaGreen, offering premium homes within walking distance of world-class sporting clubs

Whether you’re a professional couple looking for more space, a new family hoping to lay roots, or perhaps a retiree planning a lifestyle change, living in an area that provides easy access to excellent sports clubs and leisure facilities is a must.

Sports clubs open doors to a community. They are one of the best ways to meet local people and make new friends, whatever your age.

Greystones is renowned for world-class sports clubs and leisure facilities. Despite being only 45 minutes from Dublin City Centre, the town boasts a beautiful beach, thriving harbour, parklands, mountains and forests. This varied geographical environment makes for an equally rich and varied haven for sports.

SeaGreen Homes are within walking distance of all of the leading sports clubs in Greystones, offering you incredible ease of access to meeting new people and enjoying the community.

Below are just some of Greystones leading sports clubs within walking distance to SeaGreen:

Greystones Sailing Club has established a reputation as one of the top dinghy sailing clubs in Ireland. Founded in 1968, the club now also has over 350 members, offering a thriving social scene for any families new to the area. To enquire about joining, go to www.gsc.ie

Greystones Golf Club was founded in 1895. It is one of Ireland’s most prestigious private member clubs. The golf course is situated in one of Ireland’s most scenic locations: at the heart of the stunning Burnaby Estate and surrounded by the Wicklow Mountains, with panoramic views of picturesque Dublin Bay. The club has a fantastic youth members programme and boasts world-leading player, Paul Dunne, as one of its members. To enquire about joining, go to www.greystonesgc.com

Eire Og Greystones GAA Club traces its origins back to the early 20^th century. It is a fully inclusive club, with male and female football, hurling and camogie teams ranging from age 6 to 60. It currently has two playing pitches, one of these being fully floodlit for training and match purposes, as well as a club house with dressing rooms and a meeting room. To enquire about joining, go to www.eireoggreystones.com

Greystones Rugby Club was founded in 1937. The club plays rugby at the highest level of the All Ireland League and places a particular emphasis on developing its youth members to play representative and senior rugby. The club is also committed to providing the highest standards facilities and has recently undergone new refurbishments to the pitches, the gym and the bar. To enquire about joining, go to www.greystonesrfc.ie

Greystones Lawn Tennis Club is one of Ireland’s premier tennis clubs, with 12 all-weather courts in beautiful surroundings, just on the Mill Road. As well as offering social and competitive tennis for all ages and coaching programmes, the club also runs cardio-tennis, a fun group activity featuring a high-energy workout. To enquire about joining, go to www.greystonesltc.ie

Greystones Lawn Bowling Club was founded in 1985 and has since taken its place among the leading bowling clubs in Ireland. The club has played a role at every level of the sport, providing Presidents and other officials for both the BLI and the LBLI, the sports highest administrative bodies in the Ireland. The ladies section has played at division one level and both male and female teams have excelled over the years winning numerous awards. To enquire about joining, go to www.greystoneslawnbowling.org

Greystones United Football Club was formed in 1984 when two clubs, Greystones FC and Greystones Schoolboys FC amalgamated to form Greystones United Football Club. Since then, and particularly over the last 10 years, the Club has expanded to such an extent that it now fields 37 teams, 2 Development Leagues (for 6 and 7 year olds) and has a total membership of over 700.

Greystones United FC prides itself on an ethos that is inclusive rather than exclusive. All players are welcome to join the Club irrespective of football ability, social background and ability to pay a subscription. To enquire about joining, go to www.gufc.ie

Greystones also boasts yoga, volleyball, badminton, skateboarding, swimming, karate clubs and more. So if you’re interested in a particular sport or leisure activity that we haven’t featured in this blog, get in touch with us at the Wood Group Facebook page and we’ll put you in touch with the club!