New Homes Division Introduction

McGarrell Reilly Homes is responsible for some truly outstanding new homes throughout Ireland and more recently in the UK, eg Marlmount in Dundalk, Steeplechase in Ratoath and Abberley Woods in Great Shelford, Cambridgeshire.

Part of the success of this division of the group is the wealth of experience and the depth of skills within the team combined with the level of research in understanding the basics for producing sustainable new homes into the future. Quality is never compromised and value for money in terms of design and the finished home always adds value for buyers. The entire team aims to understand the needs and requirements of new home buyers and everyone works together to deliver and surpass those expectations.

McGarrell Reilly Homes is built on a tradition of expertise. The combination of the hard work of our staff and of our quality contractors, many who have been with us for a long time has always been crucial to the ultimate delivery of superior homes.

From unique, smaller developments to the largest housing and apartment schemes, each project has one thing in common: The McGarrell Reilly stamp of exceptional quality and value.

Why Choose Us

You can rely on us

The origins of the McGarrell Reilly Group started in 1981 with the purchase of its first site for two houses. From there it grew annually incorporating residential developments such as Malahide Marina Village (430 units), Grosvenor Lodge, Rathmines (82 units) and numerous other sites. Over that period, McGarrell Reilly Group developed a reputation for quality homes in quality areas with excellent amenities.

McGarrell Reilly take great pride in the homes they build and it shows in every detail of their developments.

• We are committed to offering a high quality product in desirable locations at competitive prices.
• We have strong relationships between our staff, contractors, suppliers, joint venture partners, industry specialists and most importantly our customers.
• Quality and customer satisfaction is important to us and we always aim to produce a high quality product. The entire team aims to understand the needs and requirements of our customers and we work to deliver on those expectations. This is what has brought us success in the past. It will also be the reason for our future success.
• Integral company values include integrity, mutual respect, commitment, commercial awareness and teamwork

Reputation for Excellence

McGarrell Reilly has gained a reputation for creating extremely desirable homes in well chosen settings within Ireland and the UK. McGarrell Reilly are trusted by customers and business partners alike to create homes and environments which are a pleasure to live in. Our previous customers will testify to the thorough approach taken by us in all aspects of our work; both inside and outside the new home, our attention to details is clearly visible in all of our developments.

Buying a McGarrell Reilly new home means you benefit from the combined experience of all our previous developments. The acclaimed developments at Malahide Marina Village, Lusk Village, Stepaside Park, Steeplechase in Ratoath and Marlmount in Dundalk amount to an impressive portfolio and an assurance to anyone buying a McGarrell Reilly home of their high standards of materials, design, construction and finish.

You buy a home that’s part of a growing community

Open space for everyone to enjoy, safe cycle and pedestrian paths etc, – we’re always looking to design developments that suit the way our buyers want to live.

Styling Options

You can personalise your new home even before you and your furniture move in. Our options include upgrades and optional extras to the following items in your new home:

- flooring, carpets, downlights, switches, sockets kitchen units and worktops;

- ovens, dishwashers, fridge freezers, washing machines, fireplaces and surrounds;

- wardrobes, showers, patios, external lights, in home entertainment wiring.

Because many options are built in as we construct your new home, you’ll have more choices the earlier you reserve. Your Homes Consultant will tell you what you can choose at which stage. Visit our show homes to get an idea of the possibilities.

Customer Service

• Our Site Manager is there to help and advise you through the construction process
• Advice on optional extras available and costs of same
• Explain the more technical details of the interior and exterior features of your home, even before it’s built.
• And before you move in, we will give you our ‘At Home’ manual containing all the information about your home, such as Homebond warranties, appliance guarantees, operating manuals and other paperwork.

Homebond

All our homes in Ireland are covered by Homebond 10 year structural guarantee. Details can be found on the Homebond website http://www.homebond.ie/.

All our homes in the UK are covered by Zurich Insurance Building Guarantee. Contact details can be found on http://www.zurich.co.uk/buildingguarantee/homeowners/introduction.htm.

Responsible Building

The environment matters to you and it matters to us. We are committed to complying in full with relevant Irish and EU environmental legislation. We recognise our environmental responsibilities to staff, contractors, suppliers, customers and the general public. We are committed to the continual improvement of environmental performance. To help safeguard the world for today and for future generations, we follow some simple rules:

• We design developments in harmony with their location. To protect the natural environment that surrounds a new site, we survey each area intensively. We then design the development's layout around its natural features.
• We build energy efficient homes. It is always our aim to use the latest techniques in building energy efficient new homes.
• Environment - we are committed to complying in full with relevant Irish and EU environmental legislation. We recognise our environmental responsibilities to staff, contractors, suppliers, customers and the general public. We are committed to the continual improvement of environmental performance.
• Considerate Constructors Scheme – our company commitment to be considerate and good neighbours, as well as clean, respectful, safe, environmentally conscious, responsible and accountable is demonstrated through our membership of the CCS for our UK projects. We also adopt these good practises for our Irish projects.

Health & Safety

We have an obligation to comply with The Safety, Health & Welfare at Work Act 2005, The Safety, Health & Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2006 and The Safety, Health & Welfare at Work (General Applications) Regulations 2007, and all other legislation relevant to our operations, to ensure so far as is reasonably practicable the Safety, Health and Welfare of all our employees and persons not in our employment, but who may be affected by our work activities.

When to choose

• The sooner you reserve your home, the more choice you’ll have as some options are built in as we construct your home. Visit your chosen development and view the show home, which will give you an idea of how the optional extras might look in your home. Move into your new home with everything already installed and working.

Why Buy New

Introduction

The standard of home building in Ireland has never been higher than it is today. Home builders are investing huge amounts of resources into the quality of their properties, from exceptional levels of standard fitted features to improved energy efficiency.

Brand new means a blank canvas

Each house is a canvas on which to create your own dream home. Everything in a new home is clean and untouched by previous owners - it's like buying a brand new car and driving it out of the showroom. Buying a new home is about choice - most new homes are decorated in 'neutral' colours giving purchasers the opportunity to bring their own style and personality from day one.

Spoilt for choice

New homes come in all shapes and sizes, from one bedroom apartments to grand five bedroom houses and there are numerous designs and styles to choose from - something for everyone. Subject to the stage of construction, we can offer a bespoke service to customers enabling them to choose fixtures and fittings, or a higher specification from our options range at an additional cost. In some cases (where available) this will include flooring, soft furnishings, interior designs or even a garden landscaping service.

Built to suit modern lifestyles

New homes are built to make use of every inch of space. Research shows 17% of living space in older style properties often goes unused. New homes, on the other hand, provide flexible living space whatever your circumstances, whether you are single, a couple, a growing family or retired.

Live in a high spec home

New homes are built to a much higher specification than many older homes. The amount of 'as standard' features included in new build homes has also greatly increased. Today, all new developments have well appointed, luxurious fitted kitchens, bathrooms with quality sanitary ware and extensive wall tiling. Designed to comply with the very latest building regulations set by the Department of the Environment, new homes are also kitted out with the latest heating systems and controls, excellent wall and loft insulation, double glazed windows and doors.

Be part of a new community

Moving to a brand new home is also an opportunity to make new friends and be part of an emerging community. Buying in an established street, where properties may change hands infrequently, makes it harder to break into the social network. Today's neighbourhoods are designed and built with people in mind and with everybody starting from scratch, getting to know your neighbours and community is easier as you settle in and start to discover your new surroundings together.

Enjoy peace of mind

Buying a new home eliminates the need to do any renovations, repairs or DIY, meaning new home owners can spend more time with family and friends, doing all the things they really enjoy. All our new homes come with a 10-year Homebond structural warranty providing new owners with peace of mind which those buying second hand property simply do not have.

Stay safe and sound

New homes are designed to adhere to high building standards. These standards relate to every aspect of a building's construction including its structure, ventilation, sound insulation, electrical and fire safety, so new home owners can enjoy living in a safe and secure environment.

Help the planet and save money too!

New homes are more energy-efficient and generate less CO2 emissions than older style homes. So new home owners can take comfort that they are doing their bit for the environment. But it's not just about the planet, improved energy efficient saves money too and living in a new home can reduce energy bills.

Buyers Guide

First Time Buyers Guide

Being a first-time buyer can be quite a stressful experience – dealing with estate agents, solicitors, surveyors and movers. Here is a simple step by step first-time buyers guide to give you an overview of the process and the stages involved in buying a home.

1. How much you can borrow?

The amount you can borrow can vary from one financial institution to another. However, there are some general guidelines which will give you an idea of the amount you can potentially borrow. In general, your current salary including bonuses, overtime and commission will usually determine the amount a bank or building society will lend you. Some lending institutions determine the amount you can borrow by a multiple of your income, while others will look at your net or take-home pay. As such the amount you will be offered may vary from one financial institution to another.

The maximum you can borrow is usually 90-92% of the value of the property, which means that you must come up with the rest of the money irrespective of your income. In addition you will need to cover the costs of solicitors, surveyors and stamp duty (if applicable).

2. Get Approval in Principle

It is recommended that you obtain Approval in Principle even before you start looking at properties as this will give you a clear indication of how much you can afford to spend. This avoids wasting time looking at properties you can’t afford. It could also be the case that you could be offered a loan for more than you had originally anticipated and could therefore consider properties in a higher price range. The best thing to do is to complete a mortgage in principle application form and submit this with supporting documents and therefore supplying the lender the all the necessary details to support your application. Once this has been done, you can begin your search for a property knowing exactly what your price ceiling is.

3. Finding a property

View properties and make a note of the features that you like. Find out what exactly is included in the sale. How “finished” will the development be? Familiarise yourself with an area that appeals, maybe stroll there in the evenings and at weekends. Check out what the area has to offer, such as local transport links, shops, social/leisure activities within the area, schools, etc.

4. Contacting an Estate Agent to enquire about a property

When you find a property that matches your search, you will need to contact the estate agent and arrange to view the property/showhome. If you decide to reserve the property, you will need to place a booking deposit with the estate agent. Contract documentation will then be issued to your nominated solicitor who will advise you from that point on.

5. Finding a Solicitor

As soon as you place a booking deposit on a property, you will need to employ a solicitor. You should inform your solicitor about any transactions that have taken place, along with the address of the property and the agents you are dealing with. If you are a first-time buyer it is probably the case that you have never employed the services of a solicitor before. In this case, buyers will normally find a solicitor based on personal recommendation.

Try and line up a few to choose from and get the cost of each before making your decision. Prices can vary a lot, with some charging a percentage of the purchase price and some firms charging a flat fee.

For example if you are buying a house for €300,000, solicitor X might charge 1% of the purchase price, which will be €3,000, plus VAT and outlay, and solicitor Y might charge a flat fee of €1,250 plus VAT and outlay. The first part of the fee is for the solicitors' time and expertise and the outlay is other costs such as registration of the property.

Check to see if the firm has a dedicated specialist conveyancing team as this will probably mean a smoother and more efficient service.

6. Letter of Offer

This is the official document offering you a mortgage.

At this stage your lender will arrange a valuation on the property and a “letter of offer” will be issued by the financial institution. The valuation contains information about the property in terms of condition and size. This is done so that you can be confident that what you are paying for the property is actually what it is worth.

Once a loan has been offered by a financial institution it remains valid for 3 to 9 months from the date it was issued. If this period lapses, you will probably need to supply the financial institution with up-to-date records of your income before they will issue another loan offer.

7. Signing Contracts

Once you have signed contracts, you are committed to the purchase of the property. This is usually done when the letter of offer has been issued and the survey is complete. At the signing of contracts you will need to pay the balance of the deposit which is usually about 10% of the asking price (this 10% includes your initial booking deposit). It is important to note that there is no turning back at this stage. You need to be sure that this is the property for you. If you back out at this stage, you will lose your deposit.

8. Closing the deal

On exchange of contracts, a completion date is normally agreed. Prior to this completion date, you will be invited to have a snag of the property carried out by a professional surveyor of your choice. When all the works are satisfactorily completed, the solicitor will finalise the legal paper work with the balance of the purchase monies been transferred at this stage and you are then presented with the keys.

Now all that's left is to move in and enjoy having your foot firmly on the property ladder. So celebrate!

Trading Up Guide

Selling your Current Property

1 - Get a Valuation

Once you know how much you potentially stand to gain by the sale of your home you know how much financial muscle you will have.

To get a feel for the market, start keeping an eye out for similar properties for sale in your area and what prices they are being marketed at.

2 - Agree the method of sale

You have more options than you might think in terms of how you can sell your property:

Private Treaty - most people opt to sell their house by private treaty which simply means the normal route of putting your house on the market with an estate agent at an agreed asking price.

Auction - certainly not for everyone but can suit very distinctive or 'rare to market' properties where competitive bidding is likely.

Off Market - a discreet sales approach allowing sellers to test the market without fully committing to selling.

3 - Spread the word

Your sales agent will develop a tailored marketing plan for your property to maximise its visibility on the open market, e.g. websites, brochures, for sale boards, newspapers, magazines, professional photographs, etc

4 – Make a strong impression at viewings

When it comes to preparing your property for public viewings, the smallest of changes can make a huge difference to your property - and they needn't cost a fortune.

Step 5 - Look after the legals

Bring in the experts and appoint a solicitor to look after all the legal formalities associated with the sale of a property (known as conveyancing). Don't forget that their fee may be calculated as a percentage of the asking price, or as a flat fee, so allow funds for this. There are also some legal formalities to address with your estate agent, such as anti-money laundering documentation and a building energy rating certificate.

Step 6 - Agree to sell

When you agree to accept a buyers offer you will also need to agree on all of the items that are to be included in the sale and on a date for completion. The buyer will pay a booking deposit at this stage as a sign of good faith, which is refundable if they decide to pull out of the sale before the contract signing stage. At this point the buyer may also arrange for a structural survey. Their lending institution will also arrange for a valuation.

Step 8 - Contracts Signed & Exchanged

Your solicitor will invite you to sign unconditional contracts. The signed contract is firstly signed by the buyer and then sent back to your solicitor for counter-signing by you. The balance of the deposit is paid by the buyer at this point.

Step 9 - Completion

Your solicitor will arrange a completion date to suit your personal requirements and the remainder of the money from the sale is transferred into your solicitors account. The property needs to be vacated, the keys handed over to the new owner and all that’s left is for you to move into your new property!