29

Jun

2015

The demand for housing along the east coast continues to grow, not only in Dublin but also Wicklow, where new quality homes in desirable parts of the county are particularly sought after.
Glendale in Delgany is one such new development, very much of its time: small infill site, quality finish, A3 rating with six of the eight detached properties sold off the plans.
Like many developers, Jim Wood owned the land for “some time” before it became viable to build. There is a clear divide, he says, between the culture of developing pre and post-crash.
One of the biggest changes, he says, is the way a development like Glendale is advertised to the public.
“Ten years ago you would take out advertising in one of the national newspapers,” he says. “The ad would appear, you get ‘one swing’ at it, open the show house and take it from there.
“With the increased use of social media the nature of how we communicate with potential purchasers is completely difference,” he says. “The use of the Web is now essential.”
“For instance, we use Facebook from the beginning of the project, posting images of each stage of the construction process. People are interested and follow the development’s progress. You get ‘buy-in’.”
The future for developers is increased used of digital – virtual reality tours – aimed at a consumer base that is entirely comfortable making most of its purchasing decisions online.
“It’s a long way from the static newspaper ad.”
Project: Glendale, Delgany
Developer: Wood Group
Price: €625,000 per house
 

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