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Affordable Housing

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  • 28-02-2008 1:59pm
    #1
    Mazeire
    Closed Accounts Posts: 453 ✭✭


    Hi all

    I am thinking of applying for affordable housing, and I was wondering if anyone here has done the same. If you have what was your experience of it?
    I ask because if hearing mixed stories, like someone only being on it 4 months before being offered a city centre 1 bed someone else who was waiting 2 years and only got offered a one bed in Clondalkin despite applying to all 4 councils. I can afford a one bed in Mullingar etc. you know, the middle of nowhere places (no offence to the natives!), on my own. So should I wait it out on affordable housing?


Comments

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    #2
    Cantab.
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,444 ✭✭✭Cantab.


    I wouldn't waste your time.

    DCC are institutionally inept and the only thing that motivates them is the greasy feel of a well-worn €100 note.


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    #3
    starky
    Closed Accounts Posts: 103 ✭✭starky


    Cantab. wrote: »
    I wouldn't waste your time.

    DCC are institutionally inept and the only thing that motivates them is the greasy feel of a well-worn €100 note.

    I use to think that the AH with DCC was exactly that, a scam. After looking into it though I found out that the DCC draws are independently audited by KPMG so I reckon the draws are fair. I was offered a great two bed roomed place in the Docklands in D2.

    OP:

    Getting an offer of a place with DCC anyway is luck of the draw. Decide where you would like to live, and apply for that area’s AH scheme, remember every council runs their own scheme differently, so you will have to discover the in and outs of each councils scheme that you are applying for.

    Just because you apply does not mean you are contractually obliged to buy a house under the scheme, you can always reject any offer you are made if size and location does not suit.

    You can use your affordable housing application as an additional tool while you are looking to buy your first home. I am not going to say the AH is with out its problems, as there probably are some things that need to be ironed out.

    Apply for the lists for the various councils and increase your options. The more options to buy you have the better. It would be better for you to try and buy on the open market, but for me on my own to buy a 2 bed apartment in D2 was impossible. I am fully prepared to accept the conditions of an affordable housing unit in order to live in a great location like that.


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    #4
    Mazeire
    Closed Accounts Posts: 453 ✭✭Mazeire


    Hi Guys,

    Thank you both for your replies. Very informative and scary:D
    Just a couple of questions though:
    Cantab: Is that from personal experience that you are saying this?
    Starky: Congratulations! If you dont mind me asking, was DCC the only authority that you apllied to? How long did it take you to get that offer? And, lastly, when will you be able tyo move in?


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    #5
    starky
    Closed Accounts Posts: 103 ✭✭starky


    Mazeire wrote: »
    Hi Guys,

    Thank you both for your replies. Very informative and scary:D
    Just a couple of questions though:
    Cantab: Is that from personal experience that you are saying this?
    Starky: Congratulations! If you dont mind me asking, was DCC the only authority that you apllied to? How long did it take you to get that offer? And, lastly, when will you be able tyo move in?

    Thanks!

    DCC was the only council that I applied for. I joined the list in July 2006. Got one offer in July 2007, this is my second offer from them which I got in Nov 2007.

    While the numbers waiting on AH units in DCC area are very high I did not want to move out of the DCC area. I point blank refuse to commute to work; I think it’s a waist of time. I was prepared to rent indefinitely in the city rather then buy a property 50 miles form Dublin and commute to work. That said Apartment living suits me 100%, this is not true of all people. While It would be "nice to have a house", it would better better to have the million euro to buy it in town ;-) So its an apartment for me for the next 10+ years …

    It was a bit of a drag having to wait almost two years but I got there in the end, so it was worth it. I reckon I will be moving in some time in June. So if you are in a rush for a place then the open market would definitely be the quickest route, Although I think there are still savings to be had out there for properties on the general market if you sit it out for a while longer.

    You may as well apply to the list, what have you got to lose? :-)


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