Saturday, April 22, 2006

A house in the Sun... well, sort of.

The time has come for us to buy a house here. After nearly 5 years in Ireland we are finally in a place where we can - and we'd better do it soon because with house prices having risen on average by about €30,000 in the first quarter of this year, if we don't do it now the market is going to move out of our reach again.

So we've started looking, in earnest. We saw one during the week that we made a tentative offer on. Tomorrow we'll go check out what we think will be that one's opposition. Things work really differently over here though.

In SA, if you want to sell your house you put it on the market and then the buyers beat the price down until you settle on the final amount.
Here, people advertise their house for sale at a minimum price, and then the bidding begins and the price keeps going up until eventually the house goes to the highest bidder. This system definitely does not favour the buyer.
Trouble is, the population here is just exploding - people are moving here in droves and there are just not enough houses to keep up. The amount of construction going on is phenomenal, and still people are queuing in their cars overnight to secure the purchase of houses not even built yet.
It's all terribly frustrating for people like us, who just want to find a home to live in. You'd think it would be easier than this, but finding a house is like hunting for hen's teeth.

But apart from the frustration, I am getting so very excited. If all goes according to plan, then within the next few months we'll be living in our OWN place, with a garden, and I will be able to hang pictures wherever I please, and paint the walls whatever colour I choose, and, and... oh boy, it will be so nice to have our own space!

12 comments:

Linda said...

Wow Terri I am so excited for you. Good luck finding a house. A garden sounds wonderful. Flower garden or vegetable garden? Either one they are awesome. Nothing like home grown tomatoes, green peppers, baby potatoes, green beans. I am getting carried away. lol :)

AngelConradie said...

ugh, i am SO jealous! on my salary alone i don't stand a chance of buying my own house... at least not where i WANT to buy a house... SO frustrating! HUGE congratulations t- bidding on a house like that must just make it that much more special when you get your own one!

LiVEwiRe said...

That is very exciting news! I hope you get the one that is just right for you. I do agree that the system for selling/buying there seems a bit different. When all is said and done, I think you'll be very happy having your own place; best of luck!

L said...

Lots of luck Terri.
A garden and painting what ever color you want is something to be excited over.
xoxo

DelBoy said...

Typical Terri, shopping before you've even sign the papers! ;-)

Good luck Cuz!

Jeff said...

Good luck with your house shopping. It can be a challenging but also exciting time. :)

anne said...

Good luck on the house hunt, but mostly, have fun doing it!

Brigitte said...

My biggest dream!! I cannot wait till we can buy our OWN house either. At the moment we will have to wait and be patient - but it is still something I SO look forward too!! Hope everything goes smoothly for you and you are in you new house soon!

ChittyChittyBangBang! said...

Sounds exciting!
Have fun and good luck.

Terri said...

Beads - Hubby has grandiose plans of planting lots & lots of roses. I'm more of an indoor pot-plant person myself ;)

Angel - The bidding thing is more frustrating than exciting, I gotta tell you. And as for the waiting, well... grrrr!

Livewire - Thanks, I'm sure I'd be happy living in a shoebox, if it was mine, hehe!

Lori - I've already decided where I'm going to hang my pictures, too.

Del - Ja, well, patience was never my strong suit, and shopping is such fun!

Jeff - At the moment the excitement is overshadowing everything else, although the worry levels are starting to rise as it becomes more real too. Hopefully it'll all be signed & sealed soon though.

Anne - Ogling other peoples' houses? How could it not be fun?!

Spookie - I know the waiting game only too well, but it's worth it in the end.

Chitty - Indeed :-)

-Ann said...

Good luck. There is nothing quite as satisfying as moving into your own house. (And also nothing quite as nervewracking as when the first major item has to be replaced.) But no, really, it's all good.

Terri said...

ann, I just have to get through the whole waiting thing now. And I Can't Wait!!!