Moving down the country, anyone made the move?

T

terrysgirl33

Registered User
Messages
690
Hi all, just thinking things through at the moment, and looking for anyones advice???

We currently live in Dublin, and may think about a move down the country in the future, but as far as I can see it would cost us much more to live down the country? The house prices on myhome.ie for the area I was looking at are the same as our house in Dublin, so no saving there and lots of moving costs to be paid. It would probably mean having to get a second car, and would mean having to drive everywhere instead of having dublin bus on the doorstep. I can't see groceries or other things being cheaper.

So, am I missing something here? Anyone any advice to share? If we moved down the country we would be earning less money, so that's why I'm asking about costs...
 
I would think that the main reason to move away from Dublin is to get away from the traffic jams and the crime. I know housing used to be cheaper and probably is depending on where you are considering moving to, but there are obviously other things to factor in. Like you say a second car is probably a must and my sister had to reconsider her move away because of that very reason. But a second car wont cost you that mucyh in the long run. Insurance is cheaper and you cna get a second hand car for very little. I think you should consider the quality of life you will be moving to if you can afford it. But remember, there are more opportunities in Dublin (careerwise) than any other part of the country. If things dont work out, you may be trapped there for a bit longer than you would like.
 
I'm moving myself but as i'm from "down the country" i go home a lot, know the value (socailly)of living there and am itching to get back! for a start i'm looking forward to getting home from work earlier than 7pm even if i do work till 6! i will miss certain things about Dublin but depending on where you go to, there are obvious savings to be made.....if its financial savings as opposed to better quality life you are looking for! A round of drinks costs less for a sart! dont know about car insurance being too much cheaper....you're car value is the same in the west as dublin if you wrote if off...true maybe crime rates are higher in the big smoke. As for house prices.....would want to move far enough out of dublin to get out of the comuter belt. I have bought a 4 bed detached property with garage in the west for €245K. doubt you'd get that here...but its in a pretty rural location, so we're not talking big lights of a small town here! Car is essential, but then have you every tried to get to the beach on a sunny day in dublin, to me car is essentail here too, but i could be just lazy!!

I spent the first week of the sunny weather we're having in the west, by the beach, sipping a bulmers and wishing i didn't have to do the 8 weeks i've left in dublin to do! might be the best move you make!!
 
I love it when someone else's plan comes together. Best of luck with the move. I think in time many more will engage a personal decentralisation.

BM
 
As this is not really about any particular location (location, location...), but rather about a Dublin vs. rest-of-Ireland lifestyle choice, I've moved it over to Shooting the Breeze.

I'm from Dublin, but living in Limerick (city), and I find life is quite a bit cheaper and a lot less stressful.

(Go on, someone ...crack the obvious joke!) ;)
 
DrMoriarty said:
As this is not really about any particular location (location, location...), but rather about a Dublin vs. rest-of-Ireland lifestyle choice, I've moved it over to Shooting the Breeze.

I'm from Dublin, but living in Limerick (city), and I find life is quite a bit cheaper and a lot less stressful.

(Go on, someone ...crack the obvious joke!) ;)
Click to expand...
No, I like Limerick it's so easy to get around....everything seems to be just a knife's throw from the city centre.
 
i am from the country and needs must i moved to dublin, i lived there for 10 years and every second i wanted out. i now live in laois and couldn't be happier.

i found it hard to find one reason to stay in dublin, i'm 45 mins now from the city centre and living in dublin it often took my longer to get there than that.

as above the level or crime was something i hated, i never wanted to leave my car anywhere.

not to mention the price of everything.

its the best move i ever made getting out of dublin and my family still live an hour away from me so close to family is not an angle i look at.
 
I have read with interest the replies to Terrysgirls post. I was wondering do any of you who have moved to the country miss your friends and family, and have you found you are welcomed into the new community?
 
decembersal said:
I have read with interest the replies to Terrysgirls post. I was wondering do any of you who have moved to the country miss your friends and family, and have you found you are welcomed into the new community?
Click to expand...

This "down the country" business is incredibly silly. "Down the country" includes Navan, Glencolumbcille, Ring and Cork City. However, it does not include Skerries or Lusk. Surely Cork, for example, is not that much of a culture shock for the cosmopolitan Dub?
 
I too have a strong dislike of the term 'down the country' or the general reference to 'the coutry' vs. 'the city' as if there was only one of each. I have moved 'out of Dublin' to be nearer friends and family and now have a life style that I prefer, but it's horses for courses.
 
decembersal said:
I was wondering do any of you who have moved to the country miss your friends and family, and have you found you are welcomed into the new community?
Click to expand...
I reckon I probably see nearly as much of them as I would if I were living in Dublin — which on my salary would probably mean 20 or 30 miles outside Dublin, anyway...

We have young kids, and they make it a lot easier to meet people/make friends/become 'integrated' into the community. I even suspect that my children's children's children's children will probably not really be considered 'blow-ins' in Limerick..! :D

Personally I don't mind being considered a blow-in. I moved around so much as a child — including abroad — that I don't feel any particularly strong attachment to any one place — in fact, 13 years in Limerick is the longest I've ever lived in one place! There are a (very) few things that I miss about Dublin, but moving from it has definitely given us a better quality of life than we would have if we had stayed there.
 
I don't think there is anything wrong with the term 'down the country' being from deep in the woods myself.
 
I have lived "down the country" all my life and while I love the benefits of a city, I really don't think I could cope with the lack of space and privacy involved in living in one. One thing I'd love to be in a city for is all the social events; like concerts, lectures, exhibitions, sporting events etc. People might say "oh it's only 2 hours" or whatever but it never is when you actually want to go to something. A trip to an art gallery turns into a major event. And it's getting worse and worse. If you go to those kinds of things, depending on where you are thinking of moving to, be prepared to drastically reduce you attendance.

Rebecca
 
We moved to the countryside about 5.5 years ago. I am true blue but MrHP was a native of the area. There are many advantages, but there are a lot of downsides too. Here are a few.
Pros
1. No traffic ... or at least none worth mentioning.
2. Better value houses ... you get what you pay for ... but the choice is more limited.
3. Slower pace of life ...
4. Sense of community ... better opportunity to get involved on a local level in voluntary work.
5. The mixture of housing is better ... rich and poor ... no ghettos.
6. There are many excellent theatres in the country that host travelling companies at a fraction of the cost of Dublin ticket prices.

Cons
1. Roads are bad
2. You need to drive everywhere unless you live in a town ... there is no public transport.
3. When the weather is bad it's very hard to find something to do. The weather in Dublin is significantly better than the rest of the country ... and definately not as rainy.
4. Getting to/from the airport has to be added onto any flights ... and without public transport you will need your car.
5. Sports are limited. If you have a particular interest in a sport it may not be available locally.
6. You know what you're missing coming from Dublin ... and there will always be a suspicion about your presence in a rural area.
Good luck whatever you decide.

HP
 
Pavlik said:
This "down the country" business is incredibly silly. "Down the country" includes Navan, Glencolumbcille, Ring and Cork City. However, it does not include Skerries or Lusk. Surely Cork, for example, is not that much of a culture shock for the cosmopolitan Dub?
Click to expand...

I'm currently selling a house that is in a village in the "country" but is 30 mins by motorway to the airport...alot more accessible than some areas on the southside. We sale agreed with a young couple of FTBs from Dublin and they put their deposit down. Couple of days later, estate agent asked us if they could come to the house again as they wanted to show it to her parents. Mammy and Daddy decided that it was waaayyy too far out and they pulled out of the sale the next day. Some people just don't want to see beyond their back yard I reckon.
 
Henny Penny said:
Cons
1. Roads are bad
2. You need to drive everywhere unless you live in a town ... there is no public transport.
3. When the weather is bad it's very hard to find something to do. The weather in Dublin is significantly better than the rest of the country ... and definately not as rainy.
4. Getting to/from the airport has to be added onto any flights ... and without public transport you will need your car.
5. Sports are limited. If you have a particular interest in a sport it may not be available locally.
6. You know what you're missing coming from Dublin ... and there will always be a suspicion about your presence in a rural area.
Good luck whatever you decide.HP
Click to expand...

1. Sorry but dublin roads are no better and speed bumps are a pain in the ass

2. agreed, but there are parts of dublin with little or no public transport either

3. something to do, golf courses all over the place, must regional towns have librarys etc.

4. once again transport to the airport is ok if your anywhere near a train station, same time table as public transport in dublin.

5. depends on the sport, i have tennis, golf, bowls, rugby, soccer, gaa, swimming, slydiving within 10 mins of my house.

6. oh and we all hate the jackeens down the country;)

the above is my view as someone from the county who lived in dublin for 10 years.
 
Ron Burgundy said:
1. Sorry but dublin roads are no better and speed bumps are a pain in the ass.
Click to expand...

Seconded-the roads in Dublin are awful. It seems that when developers/communications providers dig up a road, there is no obligation (or at least it is not policed) for them to fill it in level.

Speed bumps are a different matter and generally a good idea in residential areas,

However on a recent trip to 'God's Country', some of the road from Churchill to Gweedore was a real treat.
 
i meant to add the point about the esb/gas/ntl digging up the roads on a weekly basis,

there is an excuse in the midlands, bog, the road just sinks and there is nothing that can be done over time. in dublin is rubbish planning between these lot.
 
The good thing about country folk moving to dublin is that they will be near their other 14 brothers and sisters who have moved up here and priced the locals out of the market ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top