Moving from Dublin to Wexford

Buddy Bubs

Ive seen a few threads recently about people moving to the countryside and almost always thought people were putting big pressure on themselves. But now I find myself in a realistic position to do it myself and just want to make sure I'm not just blinded by fantasy.

Myself and fiancée spoke about this last night. Idea would be to sell both our houses, we have 1 each from before we got together. Despite having 20 years left on the mortgages, we both bought after the crash and she has approx 240k equity and I have 150k if we were to sell both. We live in my house and hers is rented out.

I work in south Dublin just off m50 and would be in office 4 days a week, probably 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Most days I'd be fairly sure of getting out whenever I want. Only the odd time now does something crop up that leaves me there until 5 or after. I also tip away at work in evenings and weekends at the moment as I have always done. Nothingbwould change there.
She works shifts and does 3 x 12 hr shifts a week as a paramedic in south dublin also.

Looking at somewhere in Wexford beside the beach, leaving us both with about a 75 to 90 min commute when we are working. My commute is about 30 mins currently, hers is more or less the same.

Budget would be 390k to buy without a mortgage. But I suppose for a really top notch house we could get a mortgage and buy the very best Wexford has to offer. But I don't think we will need to borrow much.

My idea would also to take the plunge into electric cars, we both have access to chargers at work but I think we'd nearly do return journey without them anyway.

We could move in with 1 set of parents in the meantime, short term between houses selling and buying something, wouldn't be any problems there.

Both houses will sell in quick time, 2 houses on my road sold for a figure I'd be happy with, giving me 150k equity and hers will too.

So, is Wexford to south dublin a realistic commute to live in a house mortgage free and beside the beach in a nice little area?

awec

I think that commute would get very old, very quickly. For you it may improve if you can work from home more often, but your fiance is probably going to hate it.

Imagine doing a 12 hour shift as a paramedic (which I'm sure is pretty tough going) and then facing a 90 minute commute home? On her work days she's away for 15 hours a day. That's 9am until midnight for example.

Either you need new jobs or don't move as far IMO.

Patsy167

Try renting for at least a year first. Have seen too many people move from cities to countryside and the novelty quickly wears off, especially in winter

hurikane

Bonkers, if you’re doing it, move down and get a job there.

airportgirl83

I'd say don't do it "just" to be mortgage free. Think about your lifestyle at the moment in Dublin and your new future lifestyle in Wexford. Try to visualise it...

How will your weekends look like? If you love going out with your existing friends, checking out new restaurants, exhibitions etc., it will be a different experience in Wexford. I'm not saying it's going to be bad as it's a lovely spot, but choices might be limited and your friends might not be willing to visit as often as you'd like (and vice versa). If you're into sports, outdoor activities, love nature etc. you might enjoy it, pick up a new hobby or join a new club.

What about your family and friends? Will you be open to making new friends? Will you be able to maintain the commute if/when you decide to have kids? Or is the plan for one of you to stay at home with little ones?

What if you want to change jobs? Will you be able to sustain the commute or continue WFH? Are there good job opportunities in Wexford for both of you?

I don't think you are mad for planning this move but I would carefully consider things mentioned above. We are currently in the process of doing a similar move but it is all about having a lifestyle that we've always wanted - more time and money to do things that matter to us. We are hoping to work less in not such a distant future, increasing our investments, pursuing our interests and hobbies and most importantly taking a year or two off work completely to go travelling in a post Covid world - something that we wished but never did in our 20s.

What I'm trying to say is that you have an amazing opportunity to design the life that you want so have a good think about how that would look like and then decide....Dublin, Wexford or perhaps somewhere completely different.

perrier

Hi, I've been doing a 90min commute from Wexford to Dublin for the last 15yrs. I do it 3/4 days a week and I have to say its tough going. To spend that amount of time in the car means you have to enjoy your own company. There is very little well paid work in the county and thousands now commute from Gorey and further south. While fine at the moment, traffic can be hellish and it can be very expensive in car running costs with the mileage racked up.

I'd definitely consider renting first. As with anywhere you will pay a premium to be close to the beach and these areas get swamped with tourists during the summer. In the off season most are very quiet and you would get a lot of property for your budget. The popularity of the Gorey area with people relocating has put enormous pressure on infrastructure in the wider region such as schools and creches.

Paulownia

The commute from Gorey to Dublin is hell in normal rush hour and unbelievable on Friday evenings

I'd certainly encourage you to look into it, as you're doing right now but from your post, all assumptions are taking your current as-is position into account- not how your future might look, and that's really where your mind needs to be.

Think about:

1. Kids in the future- schools, child minding, long spells away from home etc so who's going to mind them?

2. Changes in work location or job- are you both going to be employed in the same job/same employer/same terms and conditions for the rest of your lives?


3. As others have said, the commute- I did 1.5 hour commutes for many years and it's not pleasant- up early to beat most of the traffic to get the commute down to under the hour but coming home, a small accident on the motorway and you're locked in to an additional 40 minutes of listening to drive time :P

4. Electric cars still cost money to buy so while you'll save in fuel, you'll still have significant outgoings each month


There's wonderful advantages to being near the sea- I hear ya- swims every day if that's what you're into, water-sports, sailing, walks on the beach etc
But have a think about your future employability - your ability to be self employed/find work in Wexford, your wife getting work locally etc as well as the support network you'll require in terms of family etc, if you have kids in the future.

If you still want "by the sea", consider Donabate in Dublin- OK, so you won't get the grand house you're thinking of but you will get a 1300 sq foot semi-d minutes from the beautiful shores and beaches for just 20K over your current equity.

https://www.daft.ie/for-sale/semi-detached-house-13-beresford-gardens-donabate-co-dublin/3197292

JustAThought

Aside from all of the cautionary comments here already which are very valid I’d like to add -

I had a moment like yours a good few years back. Moved from Dublin to the country. Had been living with my folks in the subarbs at the time and did all my playing and working by commute into the city.

I got a great job offer in deepest darkest country and took the positive approach and moved cold turkey. The people I worked with were very decent and welcoming and in general everyone I met or who decided they knew me were extremely nice and very kind and welcoming to me. That being said.

I think nothing can prepare you for the smallness of ‘the country’ . The attitudes. The ‘o you lived in the big smoke did you and think you’re better’, the ‘o sure you’re from Dublin ‘ mindset and the ‘ o listen to X sure they’re from Dublin wouodnt you know’. It comes out OFTEN and loud - and not with drink- anytime something is said or a difference is there, or an innocent question is made: the bias and remarks come out. And not in a nasty needly way - just a never going to fit in way - them and us - you’re the blow in and always will be.

I didn’t move back because of this but it grated. There are lots of things that you’d never imagine - people you’ve never met before but are introduced to in the chipper or somewhere knowing your business - ALL of it - where you shop, live, work, what pharmicist you visit, over the counter drugs you bought ,the car you drive, where you were last weekend, what you drank last weekend - its endless and dosn’t stop after the tenth, eleventh or twelfth month. And they’re not sharing their information or becoming friends/aquaintences - they’re just letting you know that they ‘know’ ‘everything’ about you. And it does grate and get on your nerves - no privacy and endless comments from people who literally have nothing else to gossip about or talk about & that’s all they do from their home/club/ social circle.

The absolute emptyness. Grass and cows and sheep and coastal emptyness. Sure its spectacularly beautiful and who dosn’t love the rocky coastline. But the emptyness is endless - if you have great wifi and are happy to live your life watching netflix or tv thats ok - but can’t imagine how shrill it is walking in a loop around a one or two horse ‘town’ after work finishes at 5pm and knowing that other than the pub and GAA there is absolutely nothing to do, nowhere that is open and nowhere to go until 9 or 10 the next morning. The nights draw in very quickly after a few weeks of that. Pitch dark by 6pm, lashing rain sideways again, no footpaths to run on, and other than go hime or go to a pub and sit with the alcos or old men a long long empty day/week/month ahead.

Of course you have your fiance with you so you might both be content to sit in, cook, watch tv and be alone together. Ultimatley if your O/H has kids she might fit in and make friends with other young mothers but unless you’re lucky or into GAA and able to break into a team that has olayed together for decades you might be in for a long lonely cycle. Of course pubs, clubs and GAA are ahut now too.

I’d urge caution and rent. I’d also only consider waiting til you are married (less legal mess if a problem emerges) and sell only one house. If you have to revert to Dublin it won’t be a total crisis. And you might not get back on the Dublin property ladder - ever. If you have kids and they want to go to college will they skip all the proper universities - all in Dublin - TCD, C of S, DCU, UCD and go to a regional institute like Waterford institute of technology ( now W’UT’!!!) becUse you can’t afford Dublin rents? What if your job relocates, or folds, or they fold you? What will you do with your house you never see and monstorous commute then?

Having done it, without the drama of the house sale/purchase, I’d really urge caution. Rent. See if you can bear it. And the first 6 months will be novelty and work from home and a huge new house. Wait til the building restarts, the congestion and traffic starts up again, and the hundreds of thousands who have been ‘working’ from home gat back out on the road again. And you f starts noticing that she never sees you between the hours of 7:30 am and 7:30 pm because you are sitting in traffic somewhere on the M50 and when you get home you are too exhausted and drained to do anything other than eat Nd the lie on the sofa because your back is wrecked. What kind of a life will that be?

You’d be better off keeping a house and moving to a different country altogether -together- with decent weather where one of you can work, you have a half hour commute and a beautiful home that won’t cost you an obscene amount of money and decide whether you or your wife will stay at home ot have a smaller less stress job or business and rear your own children or pay obscene amounts every month for some stranger to do it for you and 30 other children while you sit on the M50 in the twilight zone between a desk and a windscreen.

I have a lovely spacious house in Dublin and too a ‘good career’ job a few years back - it turned out not to be the 45 minute commute google told
me but with morning traffic, schools traffic, a buslane bottleneck and comgeation a 1 1/2 to 2 hour commute each way. I NEVER saw my house in daylight. After I finally got in it was another turnaround fir a half hour drive to go out to meet friends/ gym/socialise etc. The job was a great one but that was all I had. It wore VERY thin and damaged all my relationships - and (eating) health.

Paulownia

JustAThought wrote: »

Aside from all of the cautionary comments here already which are very valid I’d like to add -

I had a moment like yours a good few years back. Moved from Dublin to the country. Had been living with my folks in the subarbs at the time and did all my playing and working by commute into the city.

I got a great job offer in deepest darkest country and took the positive approach and moved cold turkey. The people I worked with were very decent and welcoming and in general everyone I met or who decided they knew me were extremely nice and very kind and welcoming to me. That being said.

I think nothing can prepare you for the smallness of ‘the country’ . The attitudes. The ‘o you lived in the big smoke did you and think you’re better’, the ‘o sure you’re from Dublin ‘ mindset and the ‘ o listen to X sure they’re from Dublin wouodnt you know’. It comes out OFTEN and loud - and not with drink- anytime something is said or a difference is there, or an innocent question is made: the bias and remarks come out. And not in a nasty needly way - just a never going to fit in way - them and us - you’re the blow in and always will be.

I didn’t move back because of this but it grated. There are lots of things that you’d never imagine - people you’ve never met before but are introduced to in the chipper or somewhere knowing your business - ALL of it - where you shop, live, work, what pharmicist you visit, over the counter drugs you bought ,the car you drive, where you were last weekend, what you drank last weekend - its endless and dosn’t stop after the tenth, eleventh or twelfth month. And they’re not sharing their information or becoming friends/aquaintences - they’re just letting you know that they ‘know’ ‘everything’ about you. And it does grate and get on your nerves - no privacy and endless comments from people who literally have nothing else to gossip about or talk about & that’s all they do from their home/club/ social circle.

The absolute emptyness. Grass and cows and sheep and coastal emptyness. Sure its spectacularly beautiful and who dosn’t love the rocky coastline. But the emptyness is endless - if you have great wifi and are happy to live your life watching netflix or tv thats ok - but can’t imagine how shrill it is walking in a loop around a one or two horse ‘town’ after work finishes at 5pm and knowing that other than the pub and GAA there is absolutely nothing to do, nowhere that is open and nowhere to go until 9 or 10 the next morning. The nights draw in very quickly after a few weeks of that. Pitch dark by 6pm, lashing rain sideways again, no footpaths to run on, and other than go hime or go to a pub and sit with the alcos or old men a long long empty day/week/month ahead.

Of course you have your fiance with you so you might both be content to sit in, cook, watch tv and be alone together. Ultimatley if your O/H has kids she might fit in and make friends with other young mothers but unless you’re lucky or into GAA and able to break into a team that has olayed together for decades you might be in for a long lonely cycle. Of course pubs, clubs and GAA are ahut now too.

I’d urge caution and rent. I’d also only consider waiting til you are married (less legal mess if a problem emerges) and sell only one house. If you have to revert to Dublin it won’t be a total crisis. And you might not get back on the Dublin property ladder - ever. If you have kids and they want to go to college will they skip all the proper universities - all in Dublin - TCD, C of S, DCU, UCD and go to a regional institute like Waterford institute of technology ( now W’UT’!!!) becUse you can’t afford Dublin rents? What if your job relocates, or folds, or they fold you? What will you do with your house you never see and monstorous commute then?

Having done it, without the drama of the house sale/purchase, I’d really urge caution. Rent. See if you can bear it. And the first 6 months will be novelty and work from home and a huge new house. Wait til the building restarts, the congestion and traffic starts up again, and the hundreds of thousands who have been ‘working’ from home gat back out on the road again. And you f starts noticing that she never sees you between the hours of 7:30 am and 7:30 pm because you are sitting in traffic somewhere on the M50 and when you get home you are too exhausted and drained to do anything other than eat Nd the lie on the sofa because your back is wrecked. What kind of a life will that be?

You’d be better off keeping a house and moving to a different country altogether -together- with decent weather where one of you can work, you have a half hour commute and a beautiful home that won’t cost you an obscene amount of money and decide whether you or your wife will stay at home ot have a smaller less stress job or business and rear your own children or pay obscene amounts every month for some stranger to do it for you and 30 other children while you sit on the M50 in the twilight zone between a desk and a windscreen.

I have a lovely spacious house in Dublin and too a ‘good career’ job a few years back - it turned out not to be the 45 minute commute google told
me but with morning traffic, schools traffic, a buslane bottleneck and comgeation a 1 1/2 to 2 hour commute each way. I NEVER saw my house in daylight. After I finally got in it was another turnaround fir a half hour drive to go out to meet friends/ gym/socialise etc. The job was a great one but that was all I had. It wore VERY thin and damaged all my relationships - and (eating) health.

My goodness, where did you move to? Sounds awful!

catrionanic

I think that sounds like absolute madness when you're both in a comfortable position in Dublin. Unless you can change jobs to somewhere more local or WFH, I wouldn't do it. 3-4 hours a day, every day, spent in the car. And for your fiancé, that is on top of 12 hour shifts - sounds dangerous to me.

It also sounds short-sighted. What happens when kids come along? Those long days would mean not seeing young kids Mon-Fri, and you'll not find childcare that can provide hours like that either. It would be unfair on the children.

Either move jobs to wexford, or sell both your houses and move closer to the coast in the greater Dublin area. Or stay put. Money and a fancy house is not everything.

JustAThought

JustAThought wrote: »

I’d urge caution and rent. I’d also only consider waiting til you are married (less legal mess if a problem emerges) and sell only one house. If you have to revert to Dublin it won’t be a total crisis. And you might not get back on the Dublin property ladder - ever. If you have kids and they want to go to college will they skip all the proper universities - all in Dublin - TCD, C of S, DCU, UCD and go to a regional institute like Waterford institute of technology ( now W’UT’!!!) becUse you can’t afford Dublin rents? What if your job relocates, or folds, or they fold you? What will you do with your house you never see and monstorous commute then?

.

Thanks a lot- I just burnt my chicken gravy as I sat down to read your post :P

You've some great points, especially around kids colleges, fitting into the community itself etc and while I don't think your experience would be universal of moving to the country, "fitting in" is definitely something to be considered.

Probably one point I'd disagree on is "rent first"- we know what the commuting times are so either the OP is open to that, or they're not- after that, it's about just how far away will they be from civilisation.

If they live close to Wexford town, there's all sorts of amenities there so no need to rent to find that out - if they live more remotely, then everything will be a drive- shops, food, friends- and it could get very depressing in a big house with just the two of you and nothing around the area- so that's another fact well known in advance.

To rent for a year will cost circa 15K- a few hours on google will tell you quite a lot and will be much cheaper.

I think if the OP ultimately commits to Wexford, then I'd be advising to stay close to one of the main towns- Gorey, Wexford Town itself etc where you're going to be beside a lot of Dubliners and commuters to Dublin so i don't think he's going to experience the same type of treatment you have experienced.

Saying that, living in an isolated area in Wexford, albeit beside the coast, could well be the exact experience you have outlined.

JPA

Biggest stand out from the OP is your fiancée working 12 hour shifts and then facing into a 75-90 minute commute.

That would be a nightmare and dangerous. I assume they'll be working nights as well.

Would your fiancee be able to find paramedic work in Wexford?

I just don't see 12 hour shifts 3 times a week doing that kind of work with long commutes either side, as being doable long-term.

If you did decide to go for it, I think I'd try to keep the house that is already rented out, and sell the one you're living in, and buy with a mortgage, just in case it doesn't work out and you need to come back to Dublin at any point.

listermint

Living around 15 mins north of gorey and working in South Dublin for 4 years or so now. Driving a motorcycle. Wouldn't change a thing tbh. Wouldn't bring me back to Dublin at all. I walk into my living room every morning looking out at the sun rising over the Irish sea and many mornings blasting the living room with light. The space we have the location the garden, The sounds the peace.

We've about a five minute drive away to a large town which has all the stuff people want cinema , Starbucks, Argos yada yada.

Sure no doubt you can buy the wrong location around here too and your story may be like some of the posters above. Mine wasn't.


Eyes wide open.

Granted I've been renovating this place for the last number of years solely to keep costs absolutely bare minimum because id like it all paid off asap (mortgage) could I get people in to do the work. Yes most definitely but then I'd have to pay them back and elongate loans or mortgages . Nah not for me. House now has an immense amount of equity in it. I guess we were lucky at the time we bought but also the location and various other factors. I honestly don't think we would pay what we did for this place today even with no work done on it probably another 100k on it going by the market now .


So my advice is. Yes it's possible and yes there is a better quality of life. It comes down to the house and the location as anything. It's not all strangers walking into the bar stories like above .

listermint

JPA wrote: »

Biggest stand out from the OP is your fiancée working 12 hour shifts and then facing into a 75-90 minute commute.

That would be a nightmare and dangerous. I assume they'll be working nights as well.

Good points I'd imagine there is alot of scope for new roles down the length of the east coast there are clinics down the coast and wexford hospital.

smokie72

I notice people are talking about the commute and the amount of time you would be spending every day in the car. Also it seems Gorey would be the only realistic choice in Wexford if you do decide to move and commute.

Have you and your Fiancee considered renting in Dublin for a few days a week on a Monday to Friday basis if you did move? It cut out the commute plus the money you save on diesel/petrol would probably pay the rent. You say your Fiancee is a paramedic. If its with the HSE could she get a transfer to Wexford? Maybe you could look for a job down in Wexford eventually.

Wexford town is a nice spot and theres plenty of areas just outside it. My Mother was from Wexford so I'm familiar with the area. The new Enniscorthy bypass means Wexford town can be done in an hour and a half outside rush hour from Dublin. Though it can be bad on the ring road (N25) around 5pm. Im thinking myself of moving there in a few years when the mortgage is paid off but I also work in the public sector and would try for a transfer. If not I would rent a room in Dublin from Monday to Friday and commute down for the weekends. It means I wouldn't be limiting myself to buying in Gorey or surrounding areas which are pricey enough.

It might be a good idea to rent there first to get a feel for the place. If you can survive a winter living in the countryside then that's half the battle won. Country people tend to be more nosey but I couldn't see that a problem in a large town like Wexford.

Buddy Bubs

Thanks for the contributions, folks. Herself getting a new job is a distinct possibilty, and as for me, I am OK with the driving I always make a good few work calls in the car or listen to podcasts/music, I don't mind it really. I'd probably be pushing towards a 3 day week in the office, 2 at home. Me moving jobs is not an option.
Just to note, I wouldnt move to the back of beyonds either, somewhere near a bigger town. May look towards coastal county Wicklow now too, make things a little easier.

Buddy Bubs

Buddy Bubs wrote: »

..........and she has approx 240k equity and I have 150k if we were to sell both. We live in my house and hers is rented out.................................
Budget would be 390k to buy without a mortgage. ...................

No CGT due on hers?
If it's rented out and she's living in your house it's not here PPR presumably.