← Part 1 – Why I Wanted to Up Sticks and Move to Ireland
Was this secluded property going to be the key to realising my off-grid dreams and fulfilling Helen’s wish to return to her roots? The answer wasn’t quite as straightforward as we’d hoped.
Despite this first property being at the top of my wishlist, we’d arranged to view nine properties over our three-day house-hunting expedition in Wexford. It would have been rather short-sighted to travel all the way to Ireland just to view one house, wouldn’t it?
After thanking the estate agent, we headed off to property number two. While decent enough, it paled in comparison to our first viewing. But it was the third property of the day that truly changed everything.
An Unexpected Discovery
The journey to the third viewing was an adventure in itself. The final stretch involved navigating a rather steep, rutted narrow road—immediately raising concerns about how our motorhome would manage such an approach.
However, any doubts were momentarily forgotten as we reached the summit, where an impressive electric gate swung open to welcome us.
Several cars were already parked outside—this was an open house viewing. The moment we stepped through the entrance, I knew we’d stumbled upon something extraordinary.
The entrance hall alone was a statement of intent: spacious and grand, it set the tone for what was to follow. Every surface, every fixture and fitting spoke of superior quality. The impressively tall ceilings in each room added to the sense of grandeur.
If I’d rated the first property a 10 out of 10, this one somehow managed to push the scale to 11.
A View to Remember
But it was the exterior that truly took our breath away. The 360-degree panorama of Wexford’s rolling green hills was nothing short of spectacular. We were utterly dumbfounded—until reality came crashing back.
The estate agent informed us that someone had already bid €20,000 over the asking price, and the offer had been accepted. He confided that in all his years in the property market, this was one of the finest properties he’d ever seen. I couldn’t have agreed more.
The Plot Thickens
Over the next two days, we visited the remaining properties on our list. Some were pleasant enough, others were definite nos. Then came news about that very first property—the one that had sparked this whole adventure.
The seller had previously had the house on the market at a higher price, but the deal had fallen through when their buyer’s property chain collapsed.
Now seeking a quick sale, they were only considering cash buyers, putting us, unfortunately, out of the running despite the attractive price.
A Bittersweet Beginning
While disappointed, I remained optimistic. Surely it wouldn’t take long to find another suitable property… Oh, how wrong I was.
Please tune in next week as we uncover the real state of Ireland’s property market and the significant hidden challenges that await us.
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