Dreaming...

[sumi]

I am (im)patiently waiting for our farm to sell so I move back to Ireland, where we stayed for a few months. What I'm hoping to find is a place with enough land for my poultry plans, I'd love a barn of some sort, maybe space for a goat or 3 and a large veggie garden. The minimum space required is 2 acres, though I'm hoping I may get lucky and find something bigger without buying a total wreck!

We lived in the breathtaking West Cork and I'm hoping to find something suitable for sale there in our smallish budget. Prices of properties are dropping like bombs all over Ireland at the moment, which makes me feel optimistic that I'll find the perfect place, but Co Cork seldom throws something out that we can afford. Though I've seen some amazing properties go for a steal further North, Co Leitrim, Co Roscommon, Co Mayo... I just found this beautiful mess of a place in Co Cork, when I checked for new listings and price reductions:

http://www.daft.ie/sales/meendurragha-ballydesmond-mallow-cork/995853/ 9 Acres

O.K. the house needs a few spots of work, but that place has potential written all over it! That price is GOOD for Cork and Mallow is a lovely town, not terribly far from where we lived... Fingers crossed we'll sell this farm soon It is so hard to be patient when you see places like that come up for sale. Though I'd probably take on something in a better condition when the time comes. It is nice to dream

 

[sumi]

The tenants finally came forth with some more information, though nothing confirmed it sounds like they are planning to move soon. Mentioned yesterday that they are organising storage for their extra stuff, have started packing some things already, etc.

DH is trying to find somewhere for us to move to with MIL, in the interim before we go to Ireland. Which will be roughly 2-3 weeks after the tenants moved. Depending on flight availability. It's getting SOON now!

 

[Denim Deb]

We all need dreams. W/out them, we'd shrivel up and die.

 

[Britesea]

When you fix up a place like that, you end up imbuing it with all your own positive energy and it usually ends up being sooo much nicer than a home someone else fixed. The worst energy is in a home that's been flipped because the owners never felt any love for the home.

 

[sumi]

@goatgurl Well said! Will common sense or magic win? I think at the end of the day I will have to be practical and think and buy with my head, not my heart. The island is absolutely amazing, but having no access to land except via boat is going to be problem soon, especially when the weather's bad. That side of the country gets extremely windy and out on sea is not a place you'd want to be when that happens.

@baymule I've spoken to an Irish member on BYC who told me their summers are getting hot now, with temperatures in the high 80's to low 90's not unheard of. I haven't looked at it recently, but anything under 100 will do for me. I do not like heat. Winter was mild when we were there, though not by irish standards. They told us it was the worst winter in years and we had barely an inch of snow. I still smile when I remember people's response when we asked about the possibility of snow. All of them said exactly the same thing: "It never snows here! But it did 2 years ago." 2 Weeks after we had a good snow fall I asked someone about the possibility of more and he also used that line. I just burst out laughing!

I'm from SA and DH is English. We found the Brits will take refugees from anywhere, but make it near impossible for their own to live there with foreign spouses, so I looked into Ireland and found all we had to do was get on a plane and go visit the emigration official at the nearest big police station asap on arrival, to let them know we're there and would like to stay. Didn't cost us a cent either, as apposed to British emigration.

Ireland felt more like "home" to me than SA does and I cannot wait to get back there.

 

[wyoDreamer]

Good luck with your plans, sumi! I hope it works out for you.

We just went through a move, trying to sell our place, while DH moved to a new state and tried to find a new place. It took us over 8 months, but God smiled down on us and we ended up with the home of our dreams. An old farmstead with all the outbuildings in decent shape and 25 acres.

Dreams do come true!!

 

[Britesea]

@Smart Red
Property Description:
Classic renovation project comprising derelict cottage, outbuilding on circa 3 acres partly hilly land. House has been empty for decades, and is now a roofless house shaped pile of stones with a hawthorn tree growing inside, and full of brambles. Situated in a quiet, rural, somewhat out of the way location with river running near the house. Access from the public road by drivable track . Numerous mature trees on site. Small scale quarry on site. Major project for the adventurous. Could be wonderful.

Now that's a proper spin!

 

[sumi]

While we're waiting, here's a few pics from our last stint in Ireland (click on pics to enlarge)

 

[sumi]

 

[baymule]

I am so happy for you. The small frustrations will vaporize when you get underway. The little things, you can handle. The big things, God is in control and he will take care of them for you.