Major interest in Council’s sale of ‘unwanted’ houses

Date Published: 11-Aug-2009

GALWAY City Council has been inundated with queries since releasing more than 90 homes from its affordable housing stock onto the open market on Thursday.

The range of one, two, three and four-bedroom homes and apartments across 10 developments on the east and west sides of the city has attracted massive interest since going into local and national newspapers last week.

Phone numbers to the information lines in the City Council were constantly engaged yesterday (Monday). A spokeswoman for the local authority said that since the stock was officially put on sale on Thursday, staff were taking down details from interested parties and urging them to seek mortgage approval before they filled out an application form.

Viewings are expected to begin next week.

The interest is good news for the cash-strapped Council, which is offering the brand new homes ranging in price from €140,000 for a one-bed flat to €247,500 for a four-bed, end of terrace semi. The properties were built and originally intended to be sold under the Affordable Housing Scheme. Subject to a certain income level, the scheme was open to first-time buyers who were not in a financial position to pay the going market rate.

The homes are going on the open market while there are around 2,500 people on the city’s Social Housing waiting list and a further 200 on the affordable housing list. The properties were offered to everyone on the Affordable Housing waiting list, but all offers were declined.

In April the…