FAQ’s - Affordable Purchase Housing at Foxwood Barn

• Where are the Affordable Homes located?

6 No. 2-bed and 8. No. 3 bed houses at Foxwood Barn, Citywest are being made available for sale by South Dublin County Council at a reduced price for buyers who are seeking to purchase a new home but need to bridge the gap between their mortgage and deposit to cover the full price of the home. The houses will generally be available only for first-time buyers who do not own a home (although a small number of exceptions apply). It should be noted that the Minimum Sale Price advertised is already a reduction from the Open Market Value of the home. Those interested in purchasing a home in this Scheme must be able to demonstrate that they can afford to pay the Minimum Sale Price set. Further details of the overall development are available here.

• Who is eligible to apply?

Applicants wishing to be considered for Affordable Housing at Foxwood Barn must:

• Subject to certain exceptions, be a first-time buyer and not own or have a legal interest in a dwelling
• Have the right to reside indefinitely in Ireland. Citizens of a member state of the EU/European Economic Area can apply if they are living and working in Ireland. Non-Irish/EU/EEA citizens must have indefinite leave to remain in the State.
• Have a 2023 gross total annual household income within the limits outlined below:

A minimum of 30% of the affordable homes for sale will be reserved for applicants who are or have been resident in the administrative county of South Dublin (see map here) for a minimum of five years.

Evidence of proof of residency in the administration area of South Dublin can include verifiable evidence from the following sources:

• Revenue Commissioners
• Banking correspondence
• Utility bills
• Correspondence from Government Departments
• School records/verification
• Insurance correspondence

• When and how can affordable housing applications be made?

Applications will be accepted through an online application system only. The system will allow for input of all relevant data and successful applicants will subsequently be requested to submit all required supporting documentation.  Applicants will have to register on the Council’s Housing Online (HOL) system before applying (see here for more details).  The HOL system is open for new registrations from affordable housing applicants. If you have previously registered or set up an account to manage another housing application (including tenancy, social/affordable housing applications and/or HAP) you will not need to register again. Once registered, applicants must complete an affordable housing application through the HOL system.

Applications will be accepted from 12 noon on Friday 2nd August 2024 until 4:00 p.m. on Friday 23rd August 2024 only.  This period may be extended at the Council’s discretion.

In the online application process, applicants will have to:

• advise if that they are a First-Time Buyer
• provide details (name, date of birth, PPSN) for two members of their household
• declare the total gross annual income for their household
• advise if they have mortgage approval, deposit (which can include support from the Help to Buy scheme) and savings.
• Confirm they have the right to reside indefinitely in Ireland. Citizens of a member state of the EU/European Economic Area can apply if they are living and working in Ireland. Non-Irish/EU/EEA citizens must have indefinite leave to remain in the State.

Necessary supporting documentation will be requested to verify the applicant’s eligibility for the scheme before an applicant is approved for the purchase of an affordable home.  All application details and data submitted will only be retained for this scheme and will not be carried forward for any future affordable housing scheme(s).

Applicants who submit multiple applications and/or include any false or misleading information on their application will be disqualified from this process.

• How will successful applicants be decided?

All applicants who are eligible and submit a valid application to purchase one of these properties will be added to an order of priority based on the time and date of their application, subject to a minimum of 30% of such eligible applicants who are or have been resident in the administrative county of South Dublin (see map here) for a minimum of five years. 

Applicants will be required to fully verify their application details and offered the opportunity to purchase a property in sequence until all properties have been sold.

The developer is not involved in the administration or the selection process for this affordable housing scheme.

• What type of properties are available for purchase?

In this affordable housing scheme, 14 homes are being made available for purchase as follows:

6 No. 2 bed mid-terrace homes: “The Hazel” (78.9 sq. m | 849 sq. ft). 

7 No. 3 bed mid-terrace homes: “The Holly” (94.5 sq. m | 1017 sq. ft.). 

1 No. 3 bed end of terrace home: “The Poplar” (103.7 sq. m | 1117 sq. ft). 

• When will the properties be available?

The affordable homes delivered in this scheme are ready to be occupied on completion of the conveyancing process.

• What is the market value of the properties?

The market value of an affordable home is the price for which the affordable home might reasonably be expected to achieve on the open market.  The initial market valuation of the home to calculate the equity share is carried out by the Council.  For subsequent valuations of the property, a valuation mechanism will be set out in the Affordable Dwelling Purchase Arrangement.  A valuation will be required when a redemption payment is being made by the purchaser.

Over time, if the value of the affordable home increases, the amount owed on the value of the equity share will increase in line with the prevailing market value.

• What is the affordable purchase price of these properties?

The affordable purchase price for the properties will be discounted on the market value and based on the specific purchasing capacity of eligible applicants.  The Council will provide an “Affordable Dwelling Contribution” to reduce the purchase price payable now by successful applicants.

Discounts ranging from a minimum of 5% of the market value to a maximum of 29.71% of market value will be available depending on successful applicants’ income, deposit (which can include support from the Help to Buy scheme) and savings, with price ranges as follows:

Applicant “purchasing power” will determine the price that they pay for the affordable home.  Indicative pricing based on sample income and deposit levels relative to the minimum and maximum affordable purchase prices for the available property types as a guide for potential applicants are available here:

The purchasing power will equal the affordable purchase price for eligible and successful applicants.

Households with lower total incomes than those stated above, but with additional savings, may be eligible to purchase an affordable home in this scheme. In such cases, the level of savings that they can contribute may impact the level of equity stake for their purchase.

• How is purchasing capacity calculated?

The purchasing capacity of applicants will be calculated as the combined total of:

• Maximum mortgage capacity, i.e., 4 times gross household income, plus,
• A minimum deposit of 10% of the affordable purchase price (which can include support from the Help to Buy scheme), plus,
• Relevant savings, i.e., any savings in excess of the combined sum of the required deposit amount plus €30,000.

• What deposit is needed?

Financial institutions require that a minimum 10% deposit must be raised by purchasers.  The Help to Buy Scheme operated by the Revenue Commissioners can help with the deposit needed to purchase these affordable homes.  Please see https://www.revenue.ie/en/property/help-to-buy-incentive/index.aspx for more details.

• What is the Affordable Dwelling Contribution?

The Council will provide a contribution known as an “Affordable Dwelling Contribution” that facilitates the purchase of homes by an eligible applicant.  The Affordable Dwelling Contribution is the difference between the combined total of the purchaser’s deposit and maximum mortgage capacity (and savings where relevant) and the market value of the home on the date of purchase:

[Market Value] minus [Deposit + Mortgage Capacity + Relevant Savings] = Affordable Dwelling Contribution.

• What is the Affordable Dwelling Equity?

This “Affordable Dwelling Contribution” will be expressed as a percentage to calculate the “Affordable Dwelling Equity”, or equity share, that the Council will retain in the home.  For this scheme, the “Affordable Dwelling Contribution” will be between 5% and 29.71% of the market value of the homes.

• When can the “Affordable Dwelling Equity” be repaid?

It is a condition of this scheme that the Council will register a charge on the property equal to the “Affordable Dwelling Equity”, or equity share, representing the percentage discount below market value that the home is purchased for.  The “Affordable Dwelling Equity” will in general become repayable upon the subsequent sale of the property or after forty years.  The total amount repayable in respect of the “Affordable Dwelling Equity” to remove the Council’s shared equity interest from the property will depend on the future market value of the home and the timing of the repayment(s).

The Council’s equity share in the property must be repaid in full, but the timing of repayment(s) is flexible.  Purchasers can decide when to make redemption repayments on the equity share, subject to a minimum repayment amount of €10,000, other than in a case where a payment of less than €10,000 is required to redeem the housing authority’s equity in full, or the equity share can be repaid when the purchaser subsequently decides to sell the property.  The Council will keep a record of all redemption payments made by the purchaser, revising the affordable dwelling equity percentage accordingly.  When the full equity share is repaid, the Council will discharge it’s in the Registry of Deeds/Land Registry.

• Can the Council demand repayment of the “Affordable Dwelling Equity”? (Other Equity Realisation Events)

The Council can demand the repayment of the affordable dwelling equity by serving a Realisation Notice on the homeowner on the occurrence of certain realisation events including:

1. a) The expiry period of 40 years without redemption in full of the equity share by the purchaser(s) (which will be the period during which the Council may not realise its equity share other than for breach of other conditions of the agreement).
2. b) Where the purchaser(s) commit an act of bankruptcy or are adjudicated a bankrupt.
3. c) A mortgagee, incumbrancer or receiver gains possession of the property.
4. d) The property is damaged by fire or demolished so as to materially affect its market value.
5. e) The property is abandoned or is no longer the principal primary residence of the purchaser(s).
6. f) The property is sold by the original purchaser(s).
7. g) The purchaser(s) is found to have deliberately misled the Council in respect of any material fact regarding eligibility in making their application.

A Realisation Notice will specify a period (not shorter than three months commencing on the service of the notice) after which the Council will be entitled to realise the affordable dwelling equity.  The procedure for this arrangement will be clearly set out in the Affordable Dwelling Purchase Arrangement.

• What is an Affordable Dwelling Purchase Arrangement?

The Affordable Dwelling Purchase Arrangement (ADPA) is the legal agreement or contract between the Council and the purchaser setting out the terms and conditions under which the Council provides the Affordable Dwelling Contribution.

Each successful applicant will enter into an ADPA with South Dublin County Council.  This will be prior to or at the same time as the closing of the purchase of their affordable home.  The agreement covers the obligations of the purchaser and the Council and makes provision for the registration of the agreement with the Registry of Deeds/Land Registry.  The agreement will also set out how and when the homeowner can make redemption payment(s) to reduce the Council’s affordable dwelling equity share as well as the conditions under which the Council may seek redemption of the affordable dwelling equity.

Successful applicants will be required to enter into a Contract for Sale with the developer in order to complete the purchase of the affordable home.  This Contract of Sale will include all standard conveyancing terms and conditions and the developer with also require confirmation of the purchasers’ ADPA with the Council.

• Do applicants need to have mortgage approval in place?

While it is not a requirement of this scheme, it is recommended that applicants have their Mortgage Approval in Principle prior to applying for Affordable Housing, or at least be in a position to apply for a mortgage. Purchasers can use the Local Authority Home Loan or a mortgage from the below listed financial institutions who have entered into a ‘Priorities Agreement’, to finance their purchase. This agreement between the Council and the bank will not impact on the purchaser but will record that the Council will retain an equity share in the property and will provide that the bank’s interest will take priority.

• Local Authority Home Loan (via SDCC; Applying for a Local Authority Loan - SDCC)
• AIB
• Haven Mortgages
• EBS
• Permanent TSB
• Bank of Ireland

If you are married/co-habitating etc. both names must be on your Mortgage Approval in Principle and Letter of Loan offer for the purpose of this scheme.

• Can persons who are not a first-time buyer apply?

Applications, subject to certain exceptions, will only be accepted from first-time buyers.

You may qualify for this scheme under the Fresh Start Principle.

• What documentation may the Council request to verify an application?