Moving to Galway and renting

englisharcher

Hi,
I have been offered a pretty decent and well paid job in Galway. I'm from England with a young family.
We're very excited to move.
Before I applied for the job we look at houses and they seemed very reasonable in the rural areas (which is where we would want to live) and you get a lot for your money compared to England.
However, in the first instance we'll probably have to rent while we sell our current house and buy one in Galway.
The problem is rental properties in Galway seem to be 1) Very expensive, 2) Require 1 year minimum lease, 3) Rarely allow pets (we have a dog and a cat).
Is it normal that rent is so high? It would be around 3 times our current mortgage - the houses I'm seeing are €1000 - €1200 per month. Even with a pretty decent salary this seems excessive.
How does anyone manage if they lose their job? You can't pay that for long with no money coming in.
By the way, the job is west of the city so I am only looking for properties west of the river really.
Many thanks for your replies.

Michael D Not Higgins

Rent in Ireland is experiercing a crisis at the moment, caused in part by the reduced supply from the housing bubble bursting. This has caused a constriction in the rental supply and thus an increase in prices. With limited supply, it's a landlord's market and they're unlikely to rent to someone with pets if they can get an equally good tenant without pets. 1 year leases are also pretty much standard in Ireland and shorter terms would likely command higher prices still.

Graces7

Where are you looking please? I mean via daft ie or individual agents? There is a wide range in Galway and many for less than that. Some are pet friendly

QuantumP

If you're planning on renting in or around the city be careful that you don't leave it too late to nail a place down, during the summer the 20,000 odd students that study here compete for accommodation and nearly everything will be taken by the end of August/start of September.

CatFromHue

You should come over by yourself for a few weeks while your family stays back home and sells the house.

That way you might get a long stay in a hostel or something short term just for 1 while you get a feel for the place and chat to work mates about places they'd recommend.

Mrs OBumble

englisharcher wrote: »

However, in the first instance we'll probably have to rent while we sell our current house and buy one in Galway.

I would suggest renting a least until you pass probation in your new job.

I don't know about UK employment law, but Irish employment law is quite hard-ass, and it's not unheard of for people to sell up and move the family here, only to be let go after 3 months.

englisharcher

Graces7 wrote: »

Where are you looking please? I mean via daft ie or individual agents? There is a wide range in Galway and many for less than that. Some are pet friendly

I am looking on daft and myhome mostly.
I am not finding a lot of suitable ones really.

Mrs OBumble

englisharcher wrote: »

I am looking on daft and myhome mostly.
I am not finding a lot of suitable ones really.

Ahh, from previous posts, I'm picking that you and Graces7 probably have very different needs and expectations.

Graces7

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Ahh, from previous posts, I'm picking that you and Graces7 probably have very different needs and expectations.

Yes , I had realised this! But even so over E1000? For a short term rental...

Mrs OBumble

Yup, easily 1000+ for a 4brm house in a reasonable area close-ish to jobs in Galway.

My 2br city centre apartment is 815, down from 850 in 2007.