Motorway drives average county price up by 3pc
THE MARKET COMMUTER towns are getting busier in Galway since the opening of the M17/M18 motorway last year. There is renewed interest in places like Tuam, Corofin and Headford now that they’re more accessible.
Prices in these towns rose by 3pc on average last year, according to local agent Martin Tyrrell, who believes quality and location are everything right now.
“There has been great activity in Tuam since the motorway was finished,” says Tyrrell. “The hotels are booked out, there’s a new supermarket coming to town and the football stadium has been renovated.”
Galway buyers are getting fed up with prices in the city, so have decided that Tuam is a better option and are happy to drive the half hour in to work.
The house prices are still reasonable and attainable in these towns, and there are good facilities in terms of schools, culture and sports. The value of a threebed semi in town is currently €160,000. For families looking for more space, the detached 2,000sq ft outside town is at €285,000.
Not everyone in Tuam has to commute to the city though because there is plenty of employment in the town with engineering company Valeo providing jobs to its 1,100-strong research and development team, and JFC Agri, owned by John Concannon, employing approximately 250 locals.
Tyrrell says the year gone by has seen a busy mix of first-time buyers and trader-uppers. Both groups are looking for town properties — first-timers for schools and shops, and the older buyer for convenience.
Corofin is a star performer in the area, according to Tyrell, commanding the highest prices in the county. Headford, which is about 15 miles from Galway, is in big demand with city workers too, so Tyrrell predicts that prices will continue to rise in both towns.
First-time buyers in the county are crying out for new homes so Tyrrell says they will be happy to hear that a number of planning applications are currently being processed, with work due to start on new builds later this year.
Tyrrell believes that prices will rise again in the coming year by an average of 2pc.