Moses2013

The poor quality builds are usually the houses on estates that were built during the boom. I wouldn't worry too much and as long as you do a structural survey and use a lawyer, shouldn't be a problem. It might be hard for you to get a rental with so many dogs and to be honest I don't always see the benefit of renting first. If you've done your research and know what you want, it won't change a thing if you rent for a week or a year. Unless it's on the same street, the property you buy will always be different.

Moses2013

Not at all, but when people write this:
I was wondering how the locals take to newcomers, particularly English, given the complex history between the countries?

I'm German/British/Irish and live a normal life anywhere. Please stop the history talk.

billt

[QUOTE=Grondemon123;11607120]Thank you Bllt for your very useful reply. There does seem to be some incredible property bargains at the moment and it's hard not to behave like a kid in a sweet shop but this is a big decision and we have heard about some poor quality builds that would be a liability . We are planning to sell here first and rent in Ireland initially to give us time to look properly but are aware that this may be difficult with seven dogs - unless we can find somewhere with kennels or outbuildings.

Our pensions are both civil service ones ( Teachers and Airforce ) plus a small private one so I don't think they will be taxed. It's great news on the low property and water rates , ours here in Lincolnshire are over £1000 ! .

We are going over on the 13th April just to get a 'feel' for Wexford and drive around and will make our final decision after this visit. Thanks again for everyone's help

Hello,you are very welcome, as you say its a big decision but its a nice place to live and I know that here in Co.Roscommon there are plenty of rural houses with outbuildings for rent.Wexford is probably drier than here(it can't be any wetter surely).We were back in Yorkshire recently and the traffic is horrendous, it was a pleasure to return to the quiet roads here, we have not experienced any crime here whatsoever but we know we are not immune,things happen occasionally. The major downside here is the weather,it can rain for weeks on end during winter and occasionally summer and I must be honest it can get you down at times.
if you have owned your car for longer than 6 months in the UK you should be exempt from the vrt, it was 12 months when we arrived here.They will require lots of paperwork from you, utility bills,bank stuff, proof of sale of your home in the UK etc.There's a comprehensive list on the gov website,anyway good luck with your move and I am sure you will enjoy the Craic with your Irish neighbours, they are great people , very friendly and helpful.

Moses2013

[QUOTE=billt;11607231] I've never experienced rain for weeks and have always seen the sun coming through (even in winter), but like the UK there can be a big difference just a few minutes away. For me the amount of light and sunshine is important and we have no mountains, high buildings or huge trees blocking the sun from our garden. In general most parts of Ireland would get more sun than let's say Bradford in Yorkshire, so it really just depends. Overall the climate is the same and when it's the worst summer in the UK, it will be the worst summer in Ireland and if it was the best summer in Ireland, it will be the best summer in the UK. If we have a bad winter storm, it will hit the UK the next day. If you pick a good location in Wexford, you'll get a good amount of sun and it is known as the Sunny South-East, however it's not warmer or drier than other parts of Ireland.

Grondemon123

I thought I'd post this reply to us from Cross care Migrant project to clarify things for anyone else enquiring about Medical Cards :

A person living in Ireland and receiving a social security payment from another EU country will get a Medical Card under EU Regulations. This means that if you are in receipt of a UK pension (and not an Irish state pension or subject to Irish PRSI) and are resident in Ireland, you will not be required to undergo a means test in order to qualify for a medical card – see: Medical cards.

This is great news for us and we are looking forward to pushing our plans forward - many thanks again for your help

Grondemon123

Hi all, thought I'd update you after our visit to Wexford back in April. We liked Wexford and our visit confirmed our thoughts on making the move, but we have decided to cast our net a bit wider and look at other regions too. Our UK house is on the market now and once we have a buyer my hubby will be going back with our short list of properties ( we can't both go because of having a kennel full of dogs here ! ). We are leaning towards an older traditional house rather than a modern bungalow which was what we originally thought we'd go for. We especially like the stone built cottages and farm houses found in areas like Kerry and Galway. So ...... Fingers crossed for a quick sale here and then we'll be on our way

Moses2013

Sounds great and there are certainly many nice stone cottages around, especially if you don't mind a bit of DIY. Where would you be looking in Co. Galway?

Grondemon123

Not sure , we don't need to be based anywhere in particular. Are there any areas you would reccomend ? .We want rural and prefer a 'soft' green landscape rather than more rugged areas. We found this place in Limerick :

Smallholdings - Charming Irish Cottage With Studio

Moses2013

That seems pretty pricey to me, especially for it's location. You are also very close to Rathkeale, an area most people would avoid for certain reasons (just google). I would look on Daft.ie which is better. It really depends what you're looking for, close to lake, coast, city etc. but Galway in general is a far nicer town than Limerick and more relaxed in my opinion. There are a lot of decent places only 20K from Galway city and then anywhere close to Connemara including Cong in Co Mayo. Abbeyknockmoy is a very quiet area not far from where we live and seen this older type house for sale with 3.25 acres
4 bedroom House For Sale, 'The Beeches', Chapelfield, Abbeyknockmoy, Co. Galway


Even this location would probably be better than Rathkeale. 5 bedroom House For Sale, Woodlawn, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway

If I were you, I would maybe consider smaller houses. Just thought they were similar to your link. When you're retired, you don't really want a huge house and think of all the extra costs (heating etc.) + maintenance. There are nice houses around €150K in good locations with half acre garden (still enough) and you'd have a lot more money left to enjoy life (eating out, holidays). If I wasn't working in Galway, I'd enjoy areas around Westport or Clifden. Feel free to ask.

not2old

agree with moses2013 post#24 as to the price & value for money in Galway as well as 'smaller' in other areas.

IMO, I'd start looking at the http://www.daft.ie or http://www.property.ie
websites instead of a UK one.

If you're looking or stuck on Wexford, then, as an example, it took me less than 30 seconds to find one in Co.Wexford for €150,000

3 bedroom House For Sale, Rosa, Ballyvalden, Blackwater, Co. Wexford

4 bedroom House For Sale, 33 Morriscastle Village, Kilmuckridge, Co. Wexford

Good luck with your UK house sale & search in Ireland

Grondemon123

Oh my, I have just googled Rathkeale - time for a rethink !! . I'll look on line at some of the areas suggested. I guess it's a battle between heart and head. The sensible ( head ) choice would be a modern bungalow near to amenities but we do love character ( our present house is 200 years old ) despite all the quirky problems this brings. Whatever we decide on will need to have no close neighbours so that the kennels don't disturb anyone and a paddock for exercising and training the dogs But i think house hunting will be the fun part, getting this place sold and the sheer logistics of making the move with 7 dogs, 6 hens and a daft duck will will be the trying part I fear .

Thanks again for all your help folks - I'll come back on here once things get going

Moses2013

Out of the whole of Ireland, you picked that area I'm sure it's fine for some people, but that's why we're here to make people aware. These don't seem bad if you don't want direct neighbours:-) 5 bedroom House For Sale, Moyrus, Carna, Connemara

3 bedroom House For Sale, Glencoaghan, Ballinafad, Connemara, Co.Galway, Recess, Connemara

mrhappygolucky

Ballinasloe has its fair share of scumbags - especially when the Horse Fair is on.

mrhappygolucky

Teenage boy injured in Limerick shooting · TheJournal.ie

Moses2013

You'll always find something and a horse fair is only 3 days in Ballinasloe. There are plenty of normal people visiting that festival and I have no problem, as long as people behave and treat their animals right. I also doubt that you'd notice much when you're 20 km away from the scene. Overall, there are plenty of decent areas to live in Ireland and it's just common sense. I've been to Limerick a few times and I know the city has a bit of a bad reputation, but even the roughest parts are not like rough areas in Frankfurt or Berlin