Navan: two- and three- bed homes starting at €220k

Distance to Dublin city centre: 58km

Connectivity: There is no direct train link, but commuter trains to Connolly are available from nearby Dunboyne at M3 Parkway. From here direct trains take an average of 33 minutes while those that require a change at Clonsilla take an average of 40 minutes. Bus Éireann's NX service offers a direct motorway service to Dublin and private operator Sillan operates bus services through the city centre to UCD. By car, Dublin airport is a 47-minute drive and the 109A bus will get you to the airport in about 75 minutes. The M50 is 37 minutes and the Port Tunnel is about 40 minutes.

Population: 30,173

Set along the river Boyne where it meets the Blackwater, Navan town centre is pretty with some evidence of its market town past still in evidence. There has been a population explosion in the Johnstown area, on the Dublin side of town, says Shane Cassells, Fianna Fáil TD for Meath West, but connectivity remains an issue.

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There have been significant improvements to the quality and frequency of bus services to the capital with more than 40 buses a day to the city and a number of private bus operators. “While there is a direct service, namely Bus Éireann’s NX to Dublin, all the way to Wilton Terrace on Dublin’s southside, it doesn’t take away from the fact that there is no train to the town.”

The train line was extended to Dunboyne, with a rail journey time to the city of 37 to 45 minutes, but how can a slow train journey time compete with a high-speed road such as the N4, asks Justin Gleeson, director of All-Ireland Research Observatory. “All of Meath is driving to work,” he says.

“There is good value for money in Navan,” says Niamh Gaffney of DNG Royal County. Currently there are seven new homes developments in the town, says agent Rosemary McKeon of Raymond Potterton, the agent selling Cois Glaisin and Cluain Adain, both Glenveagh Homes developments. Two-bed townhouses at the former start from €220,000 while three-bed semis start from €275,000 at the latter. It also has one remaining four-bed detached house at Caisleain Mainear seeking from €450,000.

Last July Glenveagh Homes bought a 59-acre site zoned residential that could house some 1,100 houses at Blackcastle, on the northern edge of the town.

Athlumney Close, on Kentstown Road to the east of the town, is a small development of 39 three-bed homes by Andrews Construction where prices start from €295,000 through REA T&J Gavigan.

Dunville, by Granbrind, offers three- and four-bed terraced, semi-detached and detached homes from €269,000 to €380,000 through agent McPeake. At Cois na Rasai, on Proudstown Road, Smith Harrington is selling four-bed detached homes by Lygon Developments starting from €385,000. The same agent is selling sizeable five-bed detached houses at Carne Wood, a small development of just 21 properties. These range in price from €400,000 to €550,000.

In March, joint agents Hooke & MacDonald and REA T&J Gavigan will bring a small Kingscroft Developments estate of just 47 homes to market. Kilcarn Wood will comprise three- and four-bed semis along with a small number of four-bed detached houses but prices have not yet been set.