Buying a house in a remote location at 62 years old.

the_syco

Nomis21 wrote: »

I called the agent who is sending me on pictures of the inside of the wooden building. It is not habitable. She said it is rotten and needs demolishing and I won't need a key for any of the buildings as they are open!

Still cheap for 7 acres and they are open for offers.

Good luck getting building supplies up there, nevermind anyone who'll work there very on and off, due to the weather!

TeaBagMania

That’s my dream home in the country. Habitable is a relative term, what might be uninhabitable to someone else would be just fine by my standards.

If the structure is as bad as the EA says it is than the 140 asking price is way off the mark, however, if the structure and roof are solid than it might not be a bad fixer upper one room at a time.

As someone previously mentioned you really need to limit your trips when living in the country, make a list and stock up. Looks like you would only be a one hour drive from Killarney so even once a week trips wouldn’t be too bad although id probably stretch it to two weeks.

Im a long way from retirement but I like to window shop for the time being. This property currently has my eye. Yeah it might be small but that just means there is less to be maintained

http://www.daft.ie/cork/houses-for-sale/goleen/corran-beg-goleen-cork-1154851/

Pinkycharm

Nomis21 wrote: »

I live in a town of about 2,000 at the moment. I am walking distance to all facilities including a GP.

The nearest town to the property I want to move to is Sneem, (pop 700) about 14 kms away down a mountain single track paved road. I know this area from visiting friends in Sneem over the years and although I have never been to the property, I have an appointment to view it and hopefully will be making an offer.

The property was a BandB up till last year so I don't think it could have deteriorated that much. In 2004 it was sold for 345K.

How many properties have a 3,000 year old stone Circle in the garden? Priceless.

as a sucker for history, i'd buy it for that reason alone.

Nomis21

Here they are...IMG_3299.JPG

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It doesn't look to me that it needs to be demolished.

Quandary

Nomis21 wrote: »

Here they are...IMG_3299.JPG

IMG_3301.JPG

IMG_3305.JPG

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IMG_3311.JPG

It doesn't look to me that it needs to be demolished.

I have viewed some rental properties in Dublin in the past and some of them were in a similar condition to a few of those photos.

TeaBagMania

Nomis21 wrote: »

Here they are...IMG_3299.JPG

IMG_3301.JPG

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It doesn't look to me that it needs to be demolished.

looks fine to me, id live there

Nomis21

My car is off the road. If someone can take me there from Tullamore to go look at the property, I'll pay for all the fuel. Any day is good for me. Please Send me a PM.

TeaBagMania

Nomis, if I was in Ireland I’d be happy to take you. Who knows that could be a future world heritage site

the_syco

Nomis21 wrote: »

My car is off the road. If someone can take me there from Tullamore to go look at the property, I'll pay for all the fuel. Any day is good for me. Please Send me a PM.

You'd need to get it on the road if you wanted to live out there!

Nomis21 wrote: »

Here they are...IMG_3299.JPG

Looks okay.

Nomis21 wrote: »

IMG_3301.JPG

Above the cooker; lack of an extractor could be a problem, as would the walls; looks like water dripping down it?

Nomis21 wrote: »

IMG_3305.JPG

I'm guessing the roof is leaking, and wall around the plug in the corner looks bad. I'd say the entire place would need new window frames. Also, possibly single pane, so would leak heat.

Nomis21 wrote: »

IMG_3309.JPG

Probably single pane again. Doubt there's any insulation in the walls or roof.

Nomis21 wrote: »

IMG_3311.JPG

Looks like vinyl flooring, as opposed to real tiles. Top-right; wood lice?

pgj2015

Nomis21 wrote: »

My car is off the road. If someone can take me there from Tullamore to go look at the property, I'll pay for all the fuel. Any day is good for me. Please Send me a PM.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIIuR-HjFho

cassid

To be honest I would walk away from that house. I bought a house with my hubby years ago in Dublin but close to the sea. It was in bits inside and outside, we had no children at the time and thought we could handle living in a kip for a few months. We spent so much money and time, ended up having to borrow more money. Every time another tradesperson came in to do work, more problems were found. It is really hard work and whatever budget you think you have now, double or triple it unless you are an experienced builder, old houses just gobble up money.

We had that same roof and it used to flap up and down in the wind and rain, when snow came it cracked.

NIMAN

To be honest its looking like a big price for such a property.

Lot of work, and money, needed there from those pictures.

Graces7

Nomis21 wrote: »

Here they are...IMG_3299.JPG

IMG_3301.JPG

IMG_3305.JPG

IMG_3309.JPG

IMG_3311.JPG

It doesn't look to me that it needs to be demolished.

Depends when they were taken and how long it has been empty. I know Majella, the agent and she is to be trusted. If she says that it is so...

Graces7

Add to0 this that every local farmer will be grazing his sheep there; see the grass around the stones, and there will be no strong fencing and rights of way issues... These are a nightmare....

Suzyq

I feel cold just looking at those pictures, can't imagine the damp.

Ursus Horribilis

I don't want to be funny here but if your car is off the road and you can't get to Sneem under your own steam, is buying something like this wise? Can you afford it? I can't say I'm an expert on houses but there's enough in those photos to have me running to the hills. Photos can be flattering and don't give you the full picture. Something like that is a money pit and that's even for someone who likes rustic charm. If you travel to see it, would you be able to bring along someone who knows their stuff? Perhaps your friends in Sneem could help.

hanna200

Nomis21 wrote: »

I am thinking of buying this property...

http://www.daft.ie/kerry/houses-for-sale/sneem/eskine-sneem-kerry-1101764/

It is at the end of a long and remote road in the Kerry Mountains. But I have fallen in love with the idea of living there and having my own circle of Standing Stones in the garden surrounded by woodlands and breathtaking mountain scenery with star filled skies untouched by any pollution.

But at the age of 62 am I taking a risk living alone in such a remote location?

I am in good health but is it still too risky being so far from the nearest town?

I would NOT take a plunge, I would spend €140k and travel using airbnb, couchsurfing as accommodation around the word

Nomis21

Thanks everyone for all your comments.

The balance of opinion is against buying this property. I was swinging that way as well but a close friend who has experience at renovating properties says he might join me in the enterprise and live there as well. That is now the only way I might I might still consider it as a proposition, but even that is now doubtful unless the price dropped dramatically.

TeaBagMania

The_syco brought up some valid areas that need attention but not at 140K. They’re fishing.

It’d be interesting to hear what your building friend has to say about the structure

Claw Hammer

O/P, You should have more sense at your age!

TeaBagMania

Yeah Nomis, what the hell!!! You’re not supped to dream, have ambitions, and look to improve your quality of life (insert sarcasm here)

Spanish Eyes

As a city person, I always wanted a little house down the country.

But TBH these days I would be terrified of living on my own up a boreen and miles away from civilisation.

It's second nature to those of a rural background, but for others who may not have that experience, I'd say it's a big learning curve.

If I ever decide to leave the big city, it would be to a small town (outskirts of) with good transport links. Train especially and then bus to nearby bigger towns/cities. I might not always be able to drive.

We all need social supports, so moving away from all that is a problem in itself. OK we might make new friends and so on, but home is where the hearth is. And that becomes more important as we get older.

I wish OP the best of luck, but there is no way I would live in such an isolated spot. Each to their own though.

Ursus Horribilis

Nomis21 wrote: »

...but a close friend who has experience at renovating properties says he might join me in the enterprise and live there as well. That is now the only way I might I might still consider it as a proposition, but even that is now doubtful unless the price dropped dramatically.

I don't want to rain on your parade but is it wise to get involved like that with a friend? My old granddad used to say "Only join people in the rosary" and the longer I live, the more I think that he was right. Have you ever lived with this friend before? If things don't work out, would either of you have the money to buy the other out? If you both decide you want out, do you think it's going to sell? Someone already paid far too much for it in 2004 and I'm of the opinion that 140k is still too high.

I would worry that you're being taken over by the romanticism of having that stone circle in the back garden. Are you even sure it's genuine? I took at look at maps.osi.ie and I don't see any mention of them on the historic mapping. It's good that you're going to see this place in the middle of the miserable weather we're having. Most places look lovely when the sun's shining. Wintry Sneem may be an entirely different prospect.

Only you can make the decision of course but if I were you, I'd be writing down the pros and cons of moving there. How isolated do you want to be? Would you get cut off if there's bad weather? Does it flood? On a pragmatic level, is there even a mobile phone signal there? And that's before the issue of the house is got to.

Mrs OBumble

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

OK we might make new friends and so on, but home is where the hearth is.

Is rural Co Kerry known for the warm welcome extended to blow-ins?

Maybe it is, my only experience there is as a tourist. But, ahh, let's just say that some other parts of the country ain't so welcoming, so you might wonder if this part would be the same.

Marcusm

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Is rural Co Kerry known for the warm welcome extended to blow-ins?

Ah don't be so cynical, sure Kerry's favourite son John B Keane wrote a play on this very topic. It's called The Field. Kerry people lived it so much that the movie was filmed in Galway! ;-)

jeamimus

Property was used as a self catering tourist accommodation in 2004... complete with 'authentic peat fire', called Stone Circle Lodge.

the_syco

jeamimus wrote: »

Stone Circle Lodge.

Stone Circle Lodge had a very different circle of stones than those in the OP.

Nomis21 wrote: »

but a close friend who has experience at renovating properties says he might join me in the enterprise and live there as well.

So, free lodging, and get paid to do the job at his own pace?

Graces7

Fascinating posts since I went off line.. OP I know this house. It was the description I did not recognise and I was puzzled where it was until I shrank the google map. The road is very vary narrow and only tarred although have no idea re the current condition as far as Riverstar Lodge, a holiday let owned by a Frenchman. ie empty much of the year. The long green roof behind is a lambing shed; there was a local row with the farmer last spring re the use of a crowbanger; my landlord's mother lives in a nearby townland. I could hear it up here and then the guy behind me acquired it!. I have no idea what state the place is in now; if it is fine tomorrow i may take a drive over there and look around if that is OK? But please be wary. I am used to rural life but I have lived by choice in isolation for decades. You need a sound reliable car and you have to be very very organised indeed. When I lived on the island I shopped once a month; had milk and eggs on tap. Now I shop at most once a week and keep stocks in .but am used to this so it is second nature. And I was younger than you when I started this hermit life .The house is 3 1/2 miles of very narrow lane ( ask tripadviser for Riverstar Lodge Sneem) and then you are on the main Sneem to Killarney road. I live about five miles away and am in fact more isolated then the house you are looking at. Oh and forget re couriers! An Post is the only reliable delivery out here. fastway get lost...trust me on that! I still cannot quite reconcile the place with the description but would be happy to check it out in person. And Mrs OBumble is right; Sneem itself is a very " inbred" little village and there are also various ex pat groups who do not mix. I have known and lived here 7 years... I head for Killarney to shop etc. Also from the description you would think it high up? Not so. Flatland and low. Let me have a look? I have no illusions after EIGHT rentals here in rural Ireland.. If the house is wood then the damp will be excruciating. Getting fuel delivered is not easy. Folk will be kind the first while then the novelty wears off and you would be very alone indeed. Does not bother me but hard to get used to.

Graces7

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Is rural Co Kerry known for the warm welcome extended to blow-ins?

Maybe it is, my only experience there is as a tourist. But, ahh, let's just say that some other parts of the country ain't so welcoming, so you might wonder if this part would be the same.

I could tell you tales would make your hair stand on end!!!!! I mean it! If you are thinking of neighbours? For the first while maybe, then they fall away..You need to be very self reliant indeed. As I am now..

Graces7

Odus fell down wrote: »

I don't want to rain on your parade but is it wise to get involved like that with a friend? My old granddad used to say "Only join people in the rosary" and the longer I live, the more I think that he was right. Have you ever lived with this friend before? If things don't work out, would either of you have the money to buy the other out? If you both decide you want out, do you think it's going to sell? Someone already paid far too much for it in 2004 and I'm of the opinion that 140k is still too high.

I would worry that you're being taken over by the romanticism of having that stone circle in the back garden. Are you even sure it's genuine? I took at look at maps.osi.ie and I don't see any mention of them on the historic mapping. It's good that you're going to see this place in the middle of the miserable weather we're having. Most places look lovely when the sun's shining. Wintry Sneem may be an entirely different prospect.

Only you can make the decision of course but if I were you, I'd be writing down the pros and cons of moving there. How isolated do you want to be? Would you get cut off if there's bad weather? Does it flood? On a pragmatic level, is there even a mobile phone signal there? And that's before the issue of the house is got to.

Good post indeed and realistic; I live a few miles from the house. But shop etc in Killarney as Sneem is not to my liking and the two small shops are very expensive and poor choice. Thanks for checking OSI as I was about to do that. As I have said the description fooled me totally as I pass this place frequently and just did not connect it. Cell phone connection is very sparse and patchy; the only viable way I can get broadband is digiweb satellite and I piggy back an ISP phone on that. There is a local firm who advertise broadband but they are totally unreliable as I learned the hard way. Oh and of course cut off in snow and ice and possibly flooding. That goes without saying and I stock up in autumn. I love isolation though and thrive on it but seemingly that is rare. I do know a good local plumber and repairer or rather my landlord does. But they are far from cheap.