@Britesea Jobs are very hard to come by over there, any kind of job. Thankfully I work online, so I've got that, but I do plan to start some money generating activities on the farm, which is part of the reason I'm aiming for more land.
@baymule Same thing happened there. They were a poor country and then became part of the EU, who took away their fisheries and forbid them to grow sugarcane, which were two of their biggest earners... They threw money at the people like you won't believe. Our neighbour told us how someone arrived on his farm with a brand new BMW, complete with his name on the number plate, telling him he can buy that car, no problem. He didn't, but many people did and more. Then the world economy bombed and the EU needed Ireland to start paying back their debts and many people couldn't. Now you see a lot of things like this:
http://www.daft.ie/sales/clonoose-ballyheelan-cavan/659933/
http://www.daft.ie/sales/monellan-crossroads-killygordon-donegal/942244/
We looked into building costs over there and I promise you, it cost more than those asking prices to get these two houses to where they are.
People are leaving Ireland in droves, up to 250 people a day. They're cutting their losses and leaving the sinking ship. Though the Irish government is working hard to save their country, they are repaying their debts and I feel over time they will get back on their feet again.
@goatgurl That is what I'm going to do. I'm going to buy my farm, see how things go and invest in more property, as and when my finances allow. I can now get a small house or a flat for as little as e12 000. That could be a nice nest egg for us, or a possible future home for my son when he leaves home? A good investment for when things come right?
I do actually have small news on our present house. There is a guy in town here who works as foreman for one of the local big farmers. He is renting a house in town, but that house sold, so he came here to see if we'd rent him and his family our main house. We agreed, warned him that our place is also for sale, etc, etc. He left to go get his wife to come look at their new home and when he came back he started asking DH about our price etc. Looked very surprised at our asking price and started talking about his sons wanting to possibly buy a house with him and that he could get a home loan and he'll talk to his boss about helping him get a loan... He said one of his sons is coming for a visit next week and he'll talk to him about buying our place. It's still just talk, but you never know? Something may just come of this
