1-bedroom apartment (1 bed), first floor, with balcony and resident parking space in Clontarf, Dublin 3

Apartments in Irish developments are usually held as long leasehold, often for 500 or 999 years, with the common areas and residual rights resting with the owners' management company. The listing states neither the tenure nor the remaining term. If the remaining term falls below around 70 years, banks lend more cautiously and resale suffers. How to check: request a copy of the lease showing the remaining term, and inspect the Folio at Tailte Éireann. This information must be available before signing the contract, not afterwards.

The building investment fund under Section 19 of the Multi-Unit Developments Act 2011, commonly called the sinking fund, covers major expenditure such as the roof or the facade. If it is empty and works are due, they are spread across the owners as a one-off levy, which can run into five figures. With a service charge of €1,818.88 for 2026 and no breakdown at all, it is unclear how much even flows into the sinking fund. How to check: request the management company's annual accounts, the sinking fund balance, the budget. The minutes of the last members' meetings, asking specifically about planned major expenditure.

The BER rating C3 is stated, but the energy value in kWh per square metre and year and the BER number are missing. Both are owed in every advertisement under the European Union (Energy Performance of Buildings) Regulations 2012 (S.I. No. 243 of 2012). A breach is an offence carrying a fine of up to €5,000 per case, enforced by the local Building Control Authority. How to check: request the BER certificate with its number and expiry date, together with the Advisory Report. Cross-check the entry by MPRN in SEAI's public BER register. If the actual figure is higher, heating costs will be higher than the rating suggests.

Arrears from the previous owner remain attached to the apartment and fall on the purchaser if they are not settled out of the purchase price at completion. The management company can sue for them as a simple contract debt. How to check: the owners' management company's certificate of outstanding contributions under Section 18 of the Multi-Unit Developments Act 2011 is owed before completion, not merely desirable. If it is missing, do not complete.

In February 2026, the sea wall in Clontarf was overtopped at high tide. The promenade, the cycle path and the car parks were under water, and the water reached the boundaries of the properties opposite. According to the reports, the upgrade of the flood defences is not planned until 2033. A first-floor apartment is largely protected against water ingress. What would be affected is access, the low points of the development, and above all the premium or the availability of buildings insurance. How to check: look up the flood zone using Ireland's official flood information map service, request the development's proof of insurance including flood cover. Ask about the development's claims history.

The listing says only mature residential development. Without a year of construction, the method of construction, the age of the windows, the age of the pipework and the condition of the common areas cannot be assessed, and the remaining service life of the building elements stays open. How to check: ask the vendor for the year of construction, cross-check it against the Certificate of Compliance and the BER record. Commission a structural survey. Caveat emptor applies in Ireland.

34.5 m² is a small floor area for an apartment. Some banks take a cautious view of units under 40 m², and the pool of buyers on resale is limited to singles, commuters and investors. How to check: before making an offer, clarify the financeability of this size with the bank in writing, otherwise the financing falls through after the bid is accepted.

€1,818.88 for 2026 works out at around 152 € a month and around €52.72 per m² and year. That is above average for a small unit and noticeably reduces the net yield. Without a breakdown, it is not clear what is spent on insurance, cleaning, lighting, the lift and management, and what goes into the sinking fund. How to check: request the management company's itemised budget and how the charge has developed over the last three years.

The listing promotes submitting bids through an online feature. Such a process accelerates price formation upwards and tempts bidders into offers without a completed review. How to check: before the first bid, set out the mortgage approval, the document list and the ceiling in writing. Do not depart from them. A bid in Ireland is not binding until the contract is signed, under Section 51 of the Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Act 2009. That does not protect against overpaying.