Moving out of Dublin

Vlagro

Hi. We are a family of 5 planing to buy in a few months but priced out of Dublin. We have lived in Dublin all our lives. The children are young, we are looking for an affordable larger house in a safe area close to schools. Will be able to work from home so commuting will not be an issue. I am somewhat nervous about moving out of Dublin as Dublin is what I am used to. Renting in the chosen area is not an option. I’m just looking for advice from those who have made this move. Where did you move to? Are you happy with your decision? What to be mindful of? Also just to mention, I don’t drive so would not be looking for property too far out from shops etc. TIA

mgn

Best advice is to rent for year or so before you decide to buy.

awec

Not being able to drive is going to be a much bigger issue outside of Dublin, that is definitely something I think you would want to fix if making the move.

The area you are looking at, are you talking a large town in the commuter belt or are you talking proper rural stuff?

Vlagro

Hi. Thanks for your reply. I was thinking maybe Newbridge, Enfield, Wexford Town, Waterford city or Cavan

MAULBROOK

Rent for a year and learn to drive. Gorey is worth a look, not to far from Dublin and good schools.

Drogheda is a good town, lots going on, the beach is very close, the River Boyne, the M1 motorway is brilliant and very close to Dublin Airport too. Its also got the advantage of a mainline train service to Dublin and numerous bus services to Dublin and in to Drogheda from the outskirts..... so you would not need to be able to drive. Shops are very accessible both in the town and on the outskirts .

RichardAnd

My family moved from Dublin to east Clare in the late 90s when I was about 10, and it didn't really work out. I can't say that it was bad, but it was a big change for us all, and it mandated a lot car travel to and from work / school. We eventually moved back to Dublin, and I've lived here ever since.

As others have said above, if you've never lived outside of Dublin, renting for a time is prudent. Also, if you view a house during a fine summer's day, I would advise going to see it when it's wet, cold and windy if that's possible. A rural winter is a very different beast from one in the city, and it's good to see a place at its worst before making a decision.

Good luck!

the_syco

Vlagro wrote: »

Hi. Thanks for your reply. I was thinking maybe Newbridge, Enfield, Wexford Town, Waterford city or Cavan

Enfield is about an hour on the train to Dublin Connolly on the train.
Newbridge to Heuston is about 30-40 minutes on the train.
Cavan to Dublin by bus is about 80-120 minutes.

One of my mates lives in Enfield. Looks like an alright town. They have kids, so both him and his wife have cars. Whilst it's possible to not drive, you'll be dependent on whatever supermarket delivers to you.

I assume all kids are medically sound, and don't need any regular hospital visits? I ask as public transport can be fun. The more you need it to be on time, the less likely that it'll arrive :pac:

shesty

Look round North County Dublin as an option, I am assuming you are on the southside somewhere??

JohnnyChimpo

Newbridge and Swords would probably give you a similar experience, and the difference in commute between the two would be more dependent on proximity to public transport than anything.

Just make sure that you're either 95+% confident that you'll be able to WFH permanently, or that you'd be able to put a plan in place if things change

mariaalice

There is not a huge price difference between the areas you are looking at and areas like Rush, Lusk, Balrothery and they have Dublin bus if you are not going to drive near the coast too.
.
https://www.myhome.ie/residential/brochure/9-sweetman-walk-lusk-co-dublin/4494885

Vlagro

the_syco wrote: »

Enfield is about an hour on the train to Dublin Connolly on the train.
Newbridge to Heuston is about 30-40 minutes on the train.
Cavan to Dublin by bus is about 80-120 minutes.

One of my mates lives in Enfield. Looks like an alright town. They have kids, so both him and his wife have cars. Whilst it's possible to not drive, you'll be dependent on whatever supermarket delivers to you.

I assume all kids are medically sound, and don't need any regular hospital visits? I ask as public transport can be fun. The more you need it to be on time, the less likely that it'll arrive :pac:

Yes kids all fine. I don’t actually plan on going to Dublin all that much to be honest. My husband drives but I don’t so there is A car in the family. I just like the idea of being close to everything and being surrounded by people (doesn’t have to be family or friends) and movement so I don’t mind a small busy town

mgn

https://www.daft.ie/for-sale/detached-house-10-t-r-na-s-hartley-carrick-on-shannon-co-leitrim/1337418

Well 220k will get you the likes of this.
Lovely town with everything you need it in.

the_syco

Vlagro wrote: »

My husband drives but I don’t so there is A car in the family.

Once one of you drives, you'll be fine. Although most places deliver, it's handy for doing a big shop at a butchers. Would advise that you buying a double chest freezer when you move, if you don't have one already.

the_syco

mgn wrote: »

https://www.daft.ie/for-sale/detached-house-10-t-r-na-s-hartley-carrick-on-shannon-co-leitrim/1337418

Well 220k will get you the likes of this.
Lovely town with everything you need it in.

€250k will get him this; https://www.daft.ie/for-sale/semi-detached-house-10-glen-abhainn-close-glen-abhainn-enfield-co-meath/3171213

Nice estate. Lots of families with young children (mate lives in the estate, so drove there a few times pre-COVID).

JustAThought

I moved for work to a very rural area several / many years ago - the job was fantastic, the house I rented was huge and the people were very welcoming and kind to me.

1 - EVERYBODY knew me - EVERYONE - they knew what I did, what I ordered for breakfast, where I shopped, what day I visited the chemist, what I bought in the nearest town and what I ordered - and would discuss all this to me without batting an eyelid or finding it anyway odd. It totally melted my head.

2 That being said I was invited to BBQ’s and dinners in strangers houses, waved at by cars going by, given lifts and made feel very welcome including being greeted in bars and asked over to join big groups of strangers to belong & help me find new friends and fit in. I was single at the time & moved by myself.

3 I could not drive at the time. It was a total dealbreaker. It made my life difficult and expensive, put me under a compliment to people - including some I did not want to be under a compliment to,, really reduced my social options and limited me hugely in what out of work social things and sports I could engage in.

For it to be a success for you, you will have to decide to learn how to drive. - from my experience

Kerry25x

Hi OP, just wanted to throw in that I don't drive but lived in many a town center with no problems. As long as you're not going out in to the country you'll be fine. Any decent town will have everything you need on your doorstep. Letterkenny is a great spot or Sligo town. Do learn to drive if you can though, I must do the same!

godtabh

Left Blackrock 6 months ago and now living in the country side. Half the mortgage of Blackrcok for 3 times the size house with an acre of land.

Kids have settled in to their new school and everything good so far. Small petrol station and pub about 700m away. Other than that would need to driver every where else.

There is little if any local public transport.

mariaalice

What happens when the children are teenagers or are going to college and university is something to consider.

Very rural living is hard for teenagers and their sense of agency and independence as they need transport everywhere, of course, some parents think that it give them a way of controlling who they are meeting and what they are up to, not realising privacy from parents and parents not knowing what they are always up as teenagers is part of growing up as a healthy adult.

mgn

mgn wrote: »

https://www.daft.ie/for-sale/detached-house-10-t-r-na-s-hartley-carrick-on-shannon-co-leitrim/1337418

Well 220k will get you the likes of this.
Lovely town with everything you need it in.

Dunno why, but 220k seems a little hefty to me, for a house estate in Leitrim.


300k Gets you a new build in Drogheda, right beside the motorway, for example. Makes that, at 220k not seem very good value (again, just to me).

catrionanic

I third the North County Dublin recommendation. Not far from the city, lots of fantastic communities, and a truly beautiful place.

Stan27

Id avoid real rural ireland if your used to the city life. Stay close ish to a city.
Naas is great and close to dublin.
A bit further is gorey which i hear great things about lately.
Being close to a motorway is huge when living in rural ireland imo.

JimmyVik

I have a friend who moved down the country about 7 years ago when the job told him he could work from home.
He sold up in Dublin and himself and the wife and kids made the move.
About 3 years the company had a change of heart and told people they had top be in the office 2 days a week.

The commute is killing him now (or it was before Covid) even for those 2 days and he wanted to move back to Dublin.
But the wife and kids are settled now, and it would be a big wrench.
But the main factor is that if he sold up and moved to Dublin now he couldnt afford it.
Be very sure, before you move from Dublin to the country, because its 10 times harder to undo that move than to make it.
And if he changed job where he lives he would be taking a massive pay cut too.

rightmove

JimmyVik wrote: »

Be very sure, before you move from Dublin to the country, because its 10 times harder to undo that move than to make it.
And if he changed job where he lives he would be taking a massive pay cut too.

alot of ppl would rent the dublin gaff and use it as step back to returning if needed but with the anti LL stuff, it makes this alot harder than before so great safe valve advice from Jvik.

Galwayhurl

the_syco wrote: »

€250k will get him this; https://www.daft.ie/for-sale/semi-detached-house-10-glen-abhainn-close-glen-abhainn-enfield-co-meath/3171213

Nice estate. Lots of families with young children (mate lives in the estate, so drove there a few times pre-COVID).

How much would it cost to modernise that would you say? Ball park.

New kitchen, bathroom, back garden etc.

gourcuff

how do people live in dublin and never drive?, i get it for most things but the transport system is awful for a modern city.

how do you do the big shop?
pick someone up from the airport/train station?
dart to an appointment on your lunch hour if working from home?
get to a park thats a big outside walking distance?
get to the hills for a hike?
buy furniture that they wont deliver?
buy plants?
lashing rain but you need to look well at your destination and not look like a drowned rat?
get to a sporting event where the transport to it is poor?
tour around ireland/coast?



i cycle in dublin but also drive, and these are things i regularly use the car for... i imagine i could adapt but would certainly mean lifestyle curtailment and not getting to do certain things..

bullpost

Vlagro wrote: »

Hi. We are a family of 5 planing to buy in a few months but priced out of Dublin. We have lived in Dublin all our lives. The children are young, we are looking for an affordable larger house in a safe area close to schools. Will be able to work from home so commuting will not be an issue. I am somewhat nervous about moving out of Dublin as Dublin is what I am used to. Renting in the chosen area is not an option. I’m just looking for advice from those who have made this move. Where did you move to? Are you happy with your decision? What to be mindful of? Also just to mention, I don’t drive so would not be looking for property too far out from shops etc. TIA

Something like this is affordable - close to shops, beaches and the Waterford Greenway on your doorstep:

https://www.daft.ie/for-sale/semi-detached-house-27-mccarthyville-abbeyside-dungarvan-co-waterford/3144227

Peintre Celebre

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Dunno why, but 220k seems a little hefty to me, for a house estate in Leitrim.


300k Gets you a new build in Drogheda, right beside the motorway, for example. Makes that, at 220k not seem very good value (again, just to me).

Don't forget Drogheda is a kip and a town full of scumbags. Other than that yeah it's great it's close to Dublin!

punisher5112

If you don't need to be in Dublin then any county would do as such but definitely helps if it had good transport infrastructure for when one needs it.

Living in the town itself is ok but much prefer to be just outside the busy parts but in walking distance of everything such as school, shops and train or bus or both is a very big plus.....

We had no choice but to leave Dublin but have to commute to it for work.

Peintre Celebre

Peintre Celebre wrote: »

Don't forget Drogheda is a kip and a town full of scumbags. Other than that yeah it's great it's close to Dublin!

I don't know what part of Drogheda you're talking about but I live in South Drogheda and its growing by the minute, lots of new developments with A rated houses, a big influx of young families from Dublin, lots of 2021 cars , packed beaches, lots of schools...... no anti social behaviour in this area at all so far. You are 30 minutes from Dublin airport, a few mins from the M1 motorway, a fantastic mainline train service to Dublin, a perfect town for commuting.

Every town has its bad parts. Parts of Drogheda are rough (Rathmullan etc) but you could say the same about parts of Dublin, Limerick, Galway. There's anti social behaviour in most big towns and cities, its part of life.

utmbuilder

Oh gosh it's hard to know, maybe consider a commuter town, Navan south (Johnston) low crime good schools.

Dunboyne has gotten expensive, Drogheda you really need to know where your going.

Slane is amazing, Kells too.

Athboy is very nice but a bit more rural if the house is too big on its own you have to thunk heating.

Balbriggan use to be incredible but run down now with some teen problems.