47, good job, love the area, but still in starter home. What are the options?

Really, I think you are exagerrating - those villages on the N25 will welcome the M, rather than being a race track for the c.40 ferry sailings a week.
Wind turbines will be a the edge of the horizon.
coastal errosion has always been a feature of the south east coast..

I rem same arguments in 1980, when the ferrycarrig bridge (look up John Hinde post cards for the old bridge) was changed and the ring road made later.
 
The skerries houses don't look like much of an upgrade on a starter home? And why would the one in crossabeg cost a fortune to decorate (they have been for sale a while I think the thick end of a million for crossabeg is punchy)

Yeh those houses have been up a while, seems mispriced for the area for sure.
 
While it's great to pay off mortgage before 50, in this case, value of home (~400k) is relatively less than the monthly take home. If you buy a home of €1.0- 1.2 million and pay it off before retirement, it adds utility (bigger place for family) and overall wealth.
 
I think your main issue is your indecisiveness. If you want a lovely bigger and better located house, you have the resources for it, so go for it. If you think you just want it because we are conditioned to upgrade and because you can afford it, pick something else to spend your surplus on and enjoy that. But hoarding money away for the what if is not giving anyone in your family any value. Worst of both worlds is a smaller house than you would like and no enjoyment from your hard work and savings. The sooner you decide what to do the sooner you can enjoy it!