Feeling overwhelmed

riclad

My advice is buy a small terrace house with small yard ,garden,
in the city centre ,150-200k,
before prices rise over200k.
You can sell up in 5 years ,if you meet something larger.

Not to be sexist ,but dublin city is a great place to live,
for music,theatres,art gallerys, pubs,
if you are looking for a relationship,
theres loads of single people out there .
buy the cheapest house you can find,
thats not in a rough area.

my friend lived in an apartment block,south dublin ,
with 20 units,

she had problems, with noisey neighbours downstairs ,
and anti social behavior .

at least in a house you are not living on top or beneath your neighbours .

gmisk

riclad wrote: »

My advice is buy a small terrace house with small yard ,garden,
in the city centre ,150-200k,
before prices rise over200k.
You can sell up in 5 years ,if you meet something larger.

Not to be sexist ,but dublin city is a great place to live,
for music,theatres,art gallerys, pubs,
if you are looking for a relationship,
theres loads of single people out there .
buy the cheapest house you can find,
thats not in a rough area.

I don't think you will find too many terrace house in the city centre in that price range...

riclad

No theres not many ,
but you only need 1 house,
go to myhome.ie daft.ie,
buyandsell house for sale.
And i,m taking about Small 1bed house,maybe with an attic room,
less than 500sq ft.
with a yard at the rear.
these were built as workers cottages before 1960.
if you drive around dublin city you,ll see house s for sale,
not listed on daft.ie,
eg for sale,j.kellys auctioneers, etc phone etc
if its advertised for 150k, it, may be sold for 180k.

gmisk

riclad wrote: »

No theres not many ,
but you only need 1 house,
go to myhome.ie daft.ie,
buyandsell house for sale.
And i,m taking about Small 1bed house,maybe with an attic room,
less than 500sq ft.
with a yard at the rear.
these were built as workers cottages before 1960.
if you drive around dublin city you,ll see house s for sale,
not listed on daft.ie,
eg for sale,j.kellys auctioneers, etc phone etc
if its advertised for 150k, it, may be sold for 180k.

The problem with that might be more that you can't get the same percentage of a mortgage for a one bed property

riclad

OK,.
but shes on a limited income,
if she wants acess to a garden, without buying a 3bed house ,her choices are limited.
There,s the option buy a 2 or 3bed ex council house with a garden.
on a mature estate,eg an estate 30 plus years old.
eg 1 where 99 per cent of houses are non rental, owner occupied in areas ,like coolock, artane.AN estate relatively quiet, average owners age is 30-40 .

Thoie

When looking at terraced houses, a few questions to ask yourself:
Will you be happy keeping wheelie bins out the front all the time, or bringing them in and out through the house?
The only access to the back garden might be through the house - are you OK with that? If you want garden furniture, will it fit through the front, down the hall and out the back?
If it's on street parking, are you OK with the fact that some day you might arrive home in the pouring rain with something heavy/awkward, and find that you can't park outside your house, but have to park a street or two over?

riclad

i lived in a terraced house, had no major problem,put out bin once every 2 weeks.
i dont have a car,
if you are single, living in city centre,you have,luas,dart,bus, service,
its hardly essential to have a car,
True , someone can park in front of your gaff,
but they have to buy a parking ticket,
if you own a house the council will give you a residents street parking permit.
on streets where there is a parking ticket requirement.

EX council house s usually have a front garden, and drive in parking, off street parking .

if you arrive with say a large screen tv, park across the street ,for 5 minutes ,outside a neighbours house .
not everyone who owns a house has any desire to own a car.

_Kaiser_

Definitely don't buy a one bed OP.. in other countries this might be realistic, but here (from my own recent experience of looking at apartments) most one beds tend to be little more than broom closets with no storage and everything on top of you.

I myself ended up renting a 2 bed if only so I'd have a decent living/kitchen area - plus the spare room can be used for guests, a home office etc, or rented out.

A 2 bed will also be a lot easier to shift when the time comes to move on. Look out for a decent heat/BER rating and things like a lift if it's not ground floor. Also try and not get "surrounded" by other apartments if possible as most will have pretty poor noise insulation anyway and the less neighbours you have beside/under/over you the better

Thoie

riclad wrote: »

i lived in a terraced house, had no major problem,put out bin once every 2 weeks.
i dont have a car,
if you are single, living in city centre,you have,luas,dart,bus, service,
its hardly essential to have a car,
True , someone can park in front of your gaff,
but they have to buy a parking ticket,
if you own a house the council will give you a residents street parking permit.
on streets where there is a parking ticket requirement.

EX council house s usually have a front garden, and drive in parking, off street parking .

if you arrive with say a large screen tv, park across the street ,for 5 minutes ,outside a neighbours house .
not everyone who owns a house has any desire to own a car.

I was only suggesting things to think of when viewing a property - not setting off a terraced vs non-terraced argument For all I know, OP could be an alien who never has to put out bins for collection, as she converts all matter into space fuel, and uses that to transport herself and her belonging around instead of using earth modes of transport. Maybe the question she needs to think about is "Will the positioning of the beams in the attic block my mental communications with the mother ship?".

riclad

Ok, i am making suggestions, presuming the woman wants a house with acess to a garden/yard.
And she wants to do so without getting a 250k mortgage.
RE 1 bed .some 1bed houses are the same size as a 2bed apartment,
Saying no one should ever buy a 1bed unit, is a bit extreme.
IN some cases its not a good idea financially to buy a 2bed house, if it will cost you 70k more than a 1bed.Especially in dublin.

yes i understand ,for many people buying an apartment is alot simpler,
When u buy a house,u are responsible for repairs ,maintenance etc .
its alot easier to clean an apartment than clean an old terraced house.

its like buying an android phone vs a iphone,
There,
s strong arguments on both sides .

my friend lives in a ground floor apartment,
she has to bring her refuse bags to a shed about 120 yards past her front door.
i don,t think a bin is a major issue if you want to buy a house.
AT a price you can afford.

mariaalice

Why would a single person what a 3 bed house, if the op want to be on the north side reasonably near Glasnevin, why not buy say a 2 bed ex council house on Collins avenue you get the second bed room and a small back garden, enough room to park a car out the front, one that has been well maintained. Its ideal for a single person.

The_Morrigan

mariaalice wrote: »

Why would a single person what a 3 bed house, if the op want to be on the north side reasonably near Glasnevin, why not buy say a 2 bed ex council house on Collins avenue you get the second bed room and a small back garden, enough room to park a car out the front, one that has been well maintained. Its ideal for a single person.

To grow into instead of possibly getting stuck like so many others who bought one or two beds then had partners and kids.

mariaalice

The_Morrigan wrote: »

To grow into instead of possibly getting stuck like so many others who bought one or two beds then had partners and kids.

But at the moment the op is single the larger the house the more maintainer and hassle, I do understand wanting a garden but I would always want one that I am in control of and have the time to maintain, the two bed houses I mention are big enough for a small family as well so they are very flexible as a living space.

The_Morrigan

mariaalice wrote: »

But at the moment the op is single the larger the house the more maintainer and hassle, I do understand wanting a garden but I would always want one that I am in control of and have the time to maintain, the two bed houses I mention are big enough for a small family as well so they are very flexible as a living space.

So what if the OP is single now? A house has a mortgage term of up to 35 years, why does the house only have to be suitable in this moment in time for the current circumstances? We don't know how the market will turn in the next 12 months never mind in 5 - 10 years, people need to look at property as long term investments not a temporary fix.

Diane Selwyn

Wesser wrote: »

Thanks everyone.
Yes I'll definitely think of all of these things. Yes youre right, i dont have any major debt im very lucky....I agree the feeling of being overwhelmed is relative, can definitely talk myself out of it!!!

I went to view the house today. It's a 3 bed semi, in an estate off Griffith avenue, a massive estate with abut 400 houses. Loved it... Needs very little work for me to move in. Can't afford it though... so gonna go back to the drawing board, organise a mortgage etc and then take things from there with all the advice.

It is a massive decision so it's easy to get overwhelmed by it - I heard an interesting discussion on Marian Finucane the other day where a psychologist was explaining that it may not be a good idea to look first at the house you know you can't afford because that it can skew your perception of worth and cause you to pay more that what you otherwise might on the house that you can afford. I'm probably not explaining it well - it is on the podcast from 28th March if you are interested. Best of luck!

riclad

Work how much you can afford,
do,nt bother viewing a house unless its less or equal to that amount .
AS i said before , its not worth buying a 2bed for say 220, if you can get a 1bed small house 150-160k.
This especially applys to a single person who has to pay 100 per cent of the mortgage,
and does not want to rent out a room to help pay the mortgage.
under rent a room scheme you can rent out a room,earn at least 10k tax free per year.from rental income.

NIMAN

Can't understand why you'd want to buy your 1st house, and then have to rent out a room/share it with someone else.

The_Morrigan

NIMAN wrote: »

Can't understand why you'd want to buy your 1st house, and then have to rent out a room/share it with someone else.

You don't, but if something goes wrong, it's nice to have the option of extra income. When I was made redundant I'd have gone under if I was in a 1 bed.

DivingDuck

NIMAN wrote: »

Can't understand why you'd want to buy your 1st house, and then have to rent out a room/share it with someone else.

I would much rather own and rent out a room than remain in shared rented accommodation. Aside getting a foot on the property ladder and not having a landlord, it would give you the opportunity to choose who you live with (not always possible in a shared rental) and to set the rules for the house.

I'd imagine it's not the ideal set-up for most people, but for some it's a preferable alternative.

Spanish Eyes

My first house was a 3 bed terrace, with a back gate, big garden. I was single and a gurl too. In the 90s. Loved the area, close to everything, nice neighbours.

Everyone thought I was mad to buy this on my own, but you instinctively know when it's right for you and within your budget.

I am still there!!

Location, Location, Location, Budget Budget Budget.

Get the location you are happy with for your needs, and keep within your budget, you will be OK.

Two bed little house somewhere with a garden, ex council are grand depending on the area Cabra is good, off Navan Road for example, SS Kimmage, Crumlin, Walkinstown.

Do your research and get a "feel" for the area, you will know.

Do not be tempted to jump in if you are not sure. Be sure of the location and price. Then you will be OK.

Two bed house better than two bed apt IMV. But each to their own.

You can do what you like decor wise to a house, and do it in your own time too. Labour of love! Management fees in Apartments over the years would totally renovate a house!

riclad

nothing wrong with woman buying a house by herself ,
Apartment living does not suit everyone.
Some old houses may need total redecoration,
dont let that put you off,
ask yourself would i be happen to live here .
the problem with apartments is,
You have no control over who lives below you, overhead, to the right ,or the left,
some investors buy a few apartments ,
And rent them out to almost anyone .
eg people on rent allowance etc.
Also in dublin service charges are like 1500 euro plus .

DivingDuck

riclad wrote: »

nothing wrong with woman buying a house by herself

Sorry, to clarify my earlier post: there is absolutely nothing wrong with a woman buying a house by herself. I don't think that at all.

However, the topic of security has come up before when discussing the house vs. apartment debate with female friends, and many of them expressed a concern about living in a house by themselves. There was a general consensus from those ladies that they would feel safer in an apartment.

The reasons they gave was that many developments have security patrols, there is an additional security door between their home and the outside world, and there's an increased risk for burglars of being caught in the act as each front door is very close to a neighbour's so it's more obvious if noise is coming from inside the building (versus outside) which makes it more likely people would investigate.

I would not for a minute suggest that anyone refrain from buying the type of home in which they were more comfortable on the basis of their gender. Based on my discussions with women considering living alone, though, I would inquire as to whether someone planning to do so had given the issue of security consideration. If the OP (or anyone) would feel more secure in a house, then that is absolutely the property type for them.

As for neighbours... You can't choose those in houses, either. A problem neighbour is going to give you a headache even on a road of large detached houses. The important thing to do determine the level of insulation between your home and adjacent properties (house or apartment) and make that a large factor in your decision making. There have been tons of threads on here before about sound leakage in both houses and apartments, so that's definitely something to be mindful of.

In my view, annual fees in a well-run development are more than worth it. They cover bins, security, garden maintenance/landscaping, decor and upkeep of internal areas, sinking fund for building repairs, external building insurance, etc.-- and all of this is handled for you by someone else. If you own a house, you have to pay for all of these things individually, which can easily add up to the same amount annually as you'd pay to the management company, only you have the hassle of doing it all yourself, to boot. You also have some recourse when it comes to problem neighbours, providing the management company is well-run, communicative, and unbiased.

As with the issue of sound insulation, though, it's important to check this out in advance. Anyone considering buying in a development with management fees should investigate the management company. If possible, request the accounts and the minutes of their most recent AGM so that you can see whether or not issues are dealt with when they are raised, and whether or not there are sufficient funds to cover emergencies in the future.

As riclad has said, apartment living isn't for everyone, but I think a lot of people write off the entire area because of one or two bad experiences which could be avoided in the future with careful planning and research.

Frigga_92

OP if you are moving from elsewhere to Dublin it's probably a good idea to rent first to see what area most suits you at this stage of your life. It may mean waiting a couple of years to buy but at least you will know if you'll be happy in the area before making a permanent commitment.
Also, if you are finding the idea of a large mortgage (€380k+ sounds MAD to me but I don't know your earning capacity/job security etc) then maybe renting first is the best option?
I could be wrong but I imagine rent in Dublin is probably the highest in the country so maybe test yourself out paying a high Dublin rent before committing to a mortgage of €x amount per month with no way out, at least with renting if you are struggling there is a way out.

The_Morrigan

The_Morrigan wrote: »

You don't, but if something goes wrong, it's nice to have the option of extra income. When I was made redundant I'd have gone under if I was in a 1 bed.

Could also be looked on as a way of putting a bit af a dent in the mortgage by over paying for a year or two with the additional money received from a lodger.

riclad

Saying don,t buy a house cos you might have 1 bad neighbour makes no sense to me ,
in an apartment you could have 5 or 6 neighbours if you are not in a corner end unit,
and on the 2nd or 3rd floor .eg overhead,underneath,


A standard house has 2 neighbours, on the left and the right .

IF you buy a house you can install an alarm system, motion sensors etc
and whatever type of door you wish.
EG theres doors designed to be unbreakable, with hi security locks ,
tamper proof .
so you are free to set your own security levels as you wish .
You can post on this forum,
eg is larchmount estate dublin 9 a good place to live for a single woman .
Should i consider buying there .

SF12

Op, we bought about 7 years ago. The market was beginning to fall but the phrase "first time buyers" and "getting on the ladder" were still being thrown around with abandon. We bought a 4 bed.
I understand that you are on your own buying and that we were a couple, but I would say that if you can buy something bigger than a one bed, then do.
Reason being that we are now 7 years on, with kids. We are in some negative equity, but our mortgage is affordable and we are under no pressure to move out, and can consider child number 2. If we had gone the "getting on the ladder" route we probably would have bought a 2 bed apartment in the suburbs and would now be trying to figure out how on earth to get out of that situation. We bought a house for life, rather than to start with - or at the very least, for 10-15 years.
There are lots of really good suggestions on this thread as to what to look for in buying. I know house prices are rising and that you are on the mortgage yourself. I wouldn't suggest drowning yourself in debt just to have a house. But I would suggest looking longer term if possible and considering lots of areas. Griffith Avenue and Clontarf are nice, but Glasnevin Avenue, the Malahide Road, and even Santry or Swords are good too. Don't restrict your area too much if you can manage it, especially if you're already seeing houses you can't afford.
Also bear in mind that owning a house is not just about the mortgage payments - you will also have to pay life assurance (insurance? can never remember!), property tax, and all the various utility bills, which can add up.
Best of luck!

riclad

CLONTARF IS nice , if you want a 350k mortgage,
its one of the most expensive area,s in dublin.
buy a 1-2 bed house under 220k.
I would not expect every single woman to buy in the expectation of 2-3 kids.
IF you meet a nice bloke in the future ,who is working full time,you have the option of selling up,and buying maybe a 2-3bed house.
go to daft.ie type search dublin, house 240k max.
look at all area,s within 5 miles of where you intend to work.
its not as simple as northside vs southside,
clontarf is on the northside but is considered a very posh expensive area to live in .
even if u live in a 1 bed flat you,ll be paying utility bills .
Unless you choose to live with a family member ,there,s no way of avoiding paying esb/gas bills .