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Jonathan and Niamh's home at Huntington Glen in Lucan. Daft.ie

'We modernised the kitchen': The family selling this Dublin home share what made a difference

Jonathan and Niamh take us inside their beautifully renovated Lucan home as they prepare to move on.

“WHEN WE VIEWED this house, we felt it was exactly what we were looking for. We knew we’d be able to come in and put our own footprint on the place.”

Jonathan and his wife Niamh were looking for a home that could expand to fit their growing family when they first started house-hunting in 2015.

Having just moved out of a two-bed home in Clondalkin, and with a five-month-old baby in tow, space – or the potential to add space – was high on their list of priorities.

The modern three-bed they purchased on a quiet cul de sac in the Huntington Glen estate in Lucan offered just that, with room to extend to the rear and a dining room that could one day become part of an open-plan kitchen.

Almost seven years on, with a six- and five-year-old in the house, that rear extension and open-plan kitchen are a reality, and have become the heart of this immaculately styled and light-filled home.

IMG-20210830-WA0001 Jonathan and Niamh's kids, Ryan (6) and Isabelle (5), outside the house. Supplied Supplied

eyJidWNrZXQiOiJtZWRpYW1hc3Rlci1zM2V1IiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7ImZpdCI6Imluc2lkZSIsIndpZHRoIjoxMjAwLCJoZWlnaHQiOjEyMDB9fSwib3V0cHV0Rm9ybWF0IjoianBlZyIsImtleSI6IjUvYS81YWVkNDI0ODM5OTIwMTM5YmNmOWI3YjQxOWYxMDhkNi5qcGcifQ== A dining room was knocked through to create this open-plan space. Daft.ie Daft.ie

“The dining room was somewhere we never used so we removed that and built out into the back garden, and modernised the kitchen. We use the kitchen a lot, most of our day is spent here,” says Jonathan. “The kids do their homework here, or they watch TV in the living area. They love it.”

Now, the family are entering a new chapter and changing location from Dublin to Wicklow. Their home has been on the market with REA McDonald in Lucan for the last few weeks, and is now sale agreed after attracting multiple bids from interested buyers.

eyJidWNrZXQiOiJtZWRpYW1hc3Rlci1zM2V1IiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7ImZpdCI6Imluc2lkZSIsIndpZHRoIjoxMjAwLCJoZWlnaHQiOjEyMDB9fSwib3V0cHV0Rm9ybWF0IjoianBlZyIsImtleSI6IjEvNi8xNmY3MmRkNmQ2MTYwZTU5ZmJiOWM4NDA3NzMxMGEzOS5qcGcifQ== This area is a favourite with the kids, says Jonathan. Daft.ie Daft.ie

“The house is beautifully presented and you can really see that in the photos,” says agent Barry McDonald, who brought the home to market.

We were blown away by the level of enquiries for it. It has been phenomenal. With costs for building and construction so high at the moment, we’re seeing many buyers avoiding houses that need lots of work. This home is the complete opposite of that. It’s ready to go, you wouldn’t need to change anything.

The property’s listing reached an especially wide range of buyers, he says, because the vendors used a Daft Advantage ad on Daft.ie.

“Usually around 80% of enquiries we’d get would be from people in and around Lucan. With this home, we’ve had enquiries from all across Dublin. For an eye-catching property like this, having that extra visibility really makes a difference in how well and how quickly it sells.”

eyJidWNrZXQiOiJtZWRpYW1hc3Rlci1zM2V1IiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7ImZpdCI6Imluc2lkZSIsIndpZHRoIjoxMjAwLCJoZWlnaHQiOjEyMDB9fSwib3V0cHV0Rm9ybWF0IjoianBlZyIsImtleSI6IjkvNS85NTQ0MmVlYTc1NjEzMTg2MDZhODdhNjc5YzM5ZTFmYi5qcGcifQ== A separate living room means all family members can have their own space. Daft.ie Daft.ie

Located in a convenient position just a short walk from Ballyowen Castle Shopping Centre and ten minutes drive from Lucan Village, the house offers plenty of access to shops, schools, public transport links and the N4, N7 and M50 road networks.

As well as their long-awaited open-plan kitchen, completed in 2019, the family have put a lot of love into their back garden, adding a patio for outdoor dining and raised beds along both sides. Even with the rear extension, it’s still a generous space with plenty of room for playing and relaxing.

eyJidWNrZXQiOiJtZWRpYW1hc3Rlci1zM2V1IiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7ImZpdCI6Imluc2lkZSIsIndpZHRoIjoxMjAwLCJoZWlnaHQiOjEyMDB9fSwib3V0cHV0Rm9ybWF0IjoianBlZyIsImtleSI6ImQvYS9kYTFmMzBjZTczYTljNjUzYjAwZjAyNGE3M2M5MmE0NS5qcGcifQ== The modernised back garden. Daft.ie Daft.ie

“It’s my favourite part of the house,” says Jonathan of the back garden. “In the summertime, we spend most of the day out here. We have lunch out here, dinner out here, and plenty of barbecues.” With attention and care paid to every inch of this house, the interest from buyers, and the short selling time, are no surprise.

Daft Advantage ads secure a premium position and more listing views on Ireland’s leading property platform, giving homes like Jonathan and Niamh’s that extra chance of being seen.

As a Daft Premier Partner, Barry and REA McDonald are able to offer Daft Advantage positions to sellers, something that makes a huge difference for an agency operating in a very busy market, he says:

For us, a property advertised in Lucan is going to be one of up to around a hundred listings in the area. As more properties are added, a listing might be on page three or four of the search results, and it’s less likely to get noticed. Upgrading to a Daft Advantage ad means we’re giving a property every chance it can to impress buyers.

Daft.ie is Ireland’s leading real estate platform. Daft Advantage upgrades are available exclusively through Premier Partner agents to maximise your chances of a great sale. You don’t sell a home every day – so when you do, give it every opportunity to get the very best return. 

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