Renting in Carlow

Gerrupouttadat

Any tips on renting in Carlow?
Moving there shortly for college as a mature student with herself. So hoping to get an apt or house.
Bit ould in the tooth to be sharing with teenagers.
After weeks of searching I've saw maybe 5 suitable places but fierce pricey.
Making it extra difficult I'll probably be looking for hap payments to get by. Would landlords generally look down on that sort of thing?

Owryan

Depends what area you are looking at. Like all towns some areas would be more desirable than others so this should be reflected in the rent.

Renting as a couple should stand to you though, some landlords have had bad experiences renting to students so would be reluctant to do so again. I know a couple of mature students who struggled to find accommodation simply because they were a student.

Gerrupouttadat

Owryan wrote: »

Depends what area you are looking at. Like all towns some areas would be more desirable than others so this should be reflected in the rent.

Renting as a couple should stand to you though, some landlords have had bad experiences renting to students so would be reluctant to do so again. I know a couple of mature students who struggled to find accommodation simply because they were a student.

Cheers, that's the type of info I need. We are a fairly quiet couple so we should definitely play that up.
Location wise, anywhere in town is grand except for the real rough areas.
I can't seem to find any local newspaper classifieds, used to be my go-to when renting.
Could there be any other avenues I'm missing? besides, letting agencies,daft etc

Owryan

Don't read the local rag but most people probably just use daft.

Ray Maher or Carlow Property Management are 2 of the main letting agents that I can think of.

Monacurragh/Green Rd area would be popular areas for students and there are a couple of estates that are all student accommodation.

Depends which college you are going to and if you are going to be driving/walking.

If you are assured of a place it might be worth it to try get accomodation sorted early before the cao offers are out and people start looking themselves.

the_syco

If the students union is still open, see if they're still doing the accommodation leaflet.

Also, maybe ask here; http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=318

Gerrupouttadat

Owryan wrote: »

Don't read the local rag but most people probably just use daft.

Ray Maher or Carlow Property Management are 2 of the main letting agents that I can think of.

Monacurragh/Green Rd area would be popular areas for students and there are a couple of estates that are all student accommodation.

Depends which college you are going to and if you are going to be driving/walking.

If you are assured of a place it might be worth it to try get accomodation sorted early before the cao offers are out and people start looking themselves.

Yeah trying to get in early as possible.
I'll be attending the IT and walking.

Which brings up a possibility stupid question: Would any of the surrounding villages have reliable bus services in and out of town?

Gerrupouttadat

the_syco wrote: »

If the students union is still open, see if they're still doing the accommodation leaflet.

Also, maybe ask here; http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=318

Good call I'll try there

iwillhtfu

If you're a mature student and not looking to be considered as a typical student look outside the typical student haunts around the college.

Id be looking on the outskirts of town and get yourself a bike to spin in and out. The college is no more than 10-15 mins by bike from anywhere in town.

I know a lad that rents several properties in town and has said he's noticed a massive demand for properties by families and that he would have a dozen private families looking to take a house so wouldn't entertain students at all as they aren't worth the hassle.

If I were you I'd play down the student part and if any landlords ask tell them you're relocating with work and will probably do an evening course in the IT

Nokia6230i

Gerrupouttadat wrote: »

Any tips on renting in Carlow?
Moving there shortly for college as a mature student with herself. So hoping to get an apt or house.
Bit ould in the tooth to be sharing with teenagers.
After weeks of searching I've saw maybe 5 suitable places but fierce pricey.
Making it extra difficult I'll probably be looking for hap payments to get by. Would landlords generally look down on that sort of thing?

Lad, get yerselves down the Co. Co. offices on Athy Rd. there; bring a tent, sleeping bag, some signs, selfie stick, camera, Go-Pro etc.

What you'll get; 1. Free Supermacs nightly 2. Free gaffe even if you're not homeless.

Contact Carlow Housing Network on FB for further!

Nokia6230i

On a more serious note no harm joining this Student House Share Carlow FB page; it's mainly aimed @ IT Carlow students & the moderator is/was SU President or VP this year too > https://www.facebook.com/groups/604884966328376/

Gerrupouttadat

Nokia6230i wrote: »

Lad, get yerselves down the Co. Co. offices on Athy Rd. there; bring a tent, sleeping bag, some signs, selfie stick, camera, Go-Pro etc.

What you'll get; 1. Free Supermacs nightly 2. Free gaffe even if you're not homeless.

Contact Carlow Housing Network on FB for further!

Ha ha
Nice one, I'll start me own mini occupy movement on the council's lawn.

..Brian..

Gerrupouttadat wrote: »

Yeah trying to get in early as possible.
I'll be attending the IT and walking.

Which brings up a possibility stupid question: Would any of the surrounding villages have reliable bus services in and out of town?

There's a daily bus service from Leighlinbridge and Bagenalstown stopping at the IT so consider those areas also! Rent might be a bit cheaper.

mrs.doubt.fire

Gerrupouttadat wrote: »

Any tips on renting in Carlow?
Moving there shortly for college as a mature student with herself. So hoping to get an apt or house.
Bit ould in the tooth to be sharing with teenagers.
After weeks of searching I've saw maybe 5 suitable places but fierce pricey.
Making it extra difficult I'll probably be looking for hap payments to get by. Would landlords generally look down on that sort of thing?

I don't understand why you'd find rental prices in Carlow ''fierce pricey'' and then you want landlords to take hap payments when only last November you were asking on boards.ie about buying a 50'' / 55'' tv. Why are you wanting landlords to take hap payments when you can afford such a large and costly tv ? Are you homeless but pretending to be a mature student ? Regardless..you'll need references to pass any letting agency to be even considered and yes your references will be checked out before the letting agency let you view any property.

mrs.doubt.fire

iwillhtfu wrote: »

...If I were you I'd play down the student part and if any landlords ask tell them you're relocating with work and will probably do an evening course in the IT

Landlords and letting agencies will ask for a reference from your work as proof that you are indeed working, be up front and honest and you'll have better luck finding a place. They will contact your work place and ALL your references will be checked out so no point being a smart ass thinking you'll fool landlords and letting agencies. We have heard all these excuses before and know a liar when we see them. So be up front and honest from the start and you'll have better luck finding a place regardless if it's in Carlow town or a near by town.

iwillhtfu

mrs.doubt.fire wrote: »

Landlords and letting agencies will ask for a reference from your work as proof that you are indeed working, be up front and honest and you'll have better luck finding a place. They will contact your work place and ALL your references will be checked out so no point being a smart ass thinking you'll fool landlords and letting agencies. We have heard all these excuses before and know a liar when we see them. So be up front and honest from the start and you'll have better luck finding a place regardless if it's in Carlow town or a near by town.

Not necessarily true.

bisset

Are students eligible for the HAP payment. Are you on the Back to education scheme,?

mrs.doubt.fire

iwillhtfu wrote: »

Not necessarily true.

It's very true!

iwillhtfu

mrs.doubt.fire wrote: »

It's very true!

I beg to differ

Gerrupouttadat

mrs.doubt.fire wrote: »

I don't understand why you'd find rental prices in Carlow ''fierce pricey'' and then you want landlords to take hap payments when only last November you were asking on boards.ie about buying a 50'' / 55'' tv. Why are you wanting landlords to take hap payments when you can afford such a large and costly tv ? Are you homeless but pretending to be a mature student ? Regardless..you'll need references to pass any letting agency to be even considered and yes your references will be checked out before the letting agency let you view any property.

Wasn't unemployed when I was searching for the tv. Turned out I couldn't afford it anyway, hence I asked here instead of just walking out of Curry's. I'm not homeless no, but I will be shortly unless I find a place. Still I have sent all relevant references.

Gerrupouttadat

bisset wrote: »

Are students eligible for the HAP payment. Are you on the Back to education scheme,?

I've been told I need to find a place in Carlow to apply for BTEA but I should be eligible.
According to citizen's info HAP is based on your income regardless of where it comes from.

Gerrupouttadat

Thanks for your responses
The craic is anyway I've been traveling up and down every week to no success yet.
Seems like every landlord goes through the letting agencies who understandably weren't too eager when I mention I'm not working.
Had very positive experiences with the few private landlords I spoke to. Didn't get the place but at least I felt I was considered.

I have to say I'm blown away with how unbelievably sound everyone is in Carlow. Seriously everyone I've met, even random people on the street, were bending over backwards to help me out.
Ye've a lovely town there lads, fingers crossed I get to join ye soon.

Board.surf

Carlow is far over priced for what it offers. Many letters are disillusion. 950 for a 3 bed house worth 175k, yet in Kildare a house worth 500k would rent for 1,500. There are very few options, and the housing stock is atrocious. Letting agents are typically useless here, even more so than most other large towns. You would have the most luck, searching for a house mate rather than a house. People often advertise for house mates on that area of daft or otherwise. Best of luck with the search.

iwillhtfu

Board.surf wrote: »

Carlow is far over priced for what it offers. Many letters are disillusion. 950 for a 3 bed house worth 175k, yet in Kildare a house worth 500k would rent for 1,500. There are very few options, and the housing stock is atrocious. Letting agents are typically useless here, even more so than most other large towns. You would have the most luck, searching for a house mate rather than a house. People often advertise for house mates on that area of daft or otherwise. Best of luck with the search.

Supply and demand.

Board.surf

iwillhtfu wrote: »

Supply and demand.

Squeeze the supply, demand will increase, thus price. An Incompetence/Greed hybrid has resulted in hundreds of empty houses, in order to increase the cost of housing. Housing in Ireland is run like OPEC.

iwillhtfu

So you're really just bitter then?

Get mortgage buy one of the thousands of empty houses problem solved or is this a side issue to the housing list crisis?

EmoCourt

Board.surf wrote: »

Squeeze the supply, demand will increase, thus price. An Incompetence/Greed hybrid has resulted in hundreds of empty houses, in order to increase the cost of housing. Housing in Ireland is run like OPEC.

We all act in our own self-interests. If someone bought during the boom they'll be delighted to see themselves getting out of negative equity. Just because the rise in house prices is bad for YOU, doesn't mean it's bad for Ireland as a whole.

Some of the perpetual wasters in this Country should be paying more attention to the job vacancies, and less on the house vacancies.

Board.surf

Waster? Sure. Whatever. I'm probably more educated and harder worker than both of you combined. An artificially inflated housing market is bad for everyone! Compare to houses in any developed country. Irelands houses are mould ridden garbage. Way over valued. Houses built in the 1920s being sold for 250k in the arsehole of nowhere. Stating that people who bought houses during the bubble years are now in positive equity further proves my point. The houses were never worth that much. Idiots bought them at over inflated prices. The same idiots are now pushing for them to be raised even higher. This will obviously result in another burst.

The rise in house prices isn't bad for me. I never said it was. It's bad for the country when there is no balance and the prices reach unsustainable levels. But yeah, the country will go down...again.... but obviously you two will gain.

Also the presumptions are ridiculous. I should be looking for a job as I'm a perpetual waster? Have one. I am hurt by this? No some of us are objective and have a brain. Presuming I'm on the housing list? This shows more about you than me. I'm bitter? No, just realistic and don't want to have to immigrate again because of entitled clowns who don't know the value of property. I'm happy to own a house to live in it. Not as some kind of gob****e investment that only the most backward of Irish people believe in. Positive or negative equity ( which I doubt you even understand), a house is for living in. Unfortunately, the greedy leprechauns just don't get that. You don't have to tumble it every time prices go up, or walk away from your mortgage every time prices drop.

As for advising someone to "get a mortgage" and just buy an empty house, the empty houses are, as I stated, being squeezed. They are not for sale. And many of my friends can't get a mortgage because your generation did a job on the country. Working or not. After you oldies managed to leave us as the only generation in history, poorer than the last, it's classic to hear these kinds of lines. Pathetic.

EmoCourt

Nobody is calling you a waster, or saying you're on the Council waiting list. There are, however, many out there who are tracksuit clad wasters and broodmares who expect the keys to a house to be dropped into their hands. One of them was in the paper not long ago, camped outside the Carlow CoCo offices. What a person does with their private property is the business of absolutely nobody except the owner, as long as it's legal. There are plenty of places for sale in the town that are sub 120k in price. That's about 280 euros each for a couple. Who the hell can't afford 280 euros a month? If a person can't get a mortgage for a property under 120k then the problem isn't the economy, or the banks, it's the person themselves and their bad credit history or their employment status..or lack thereof.

There's no artificially inflated housing bubble in Carlow. If you're talking about certain areas of Dublin then go vent your bile on the Dublin forum. Carlow property is still priced about 30%-40% lower than the boom times, which were 10 years ago. Property in many parts of Ireland is selling for BELOW the construction cost. How is that an artificially inflated housing bubble lol?

Board.surf

EmoCourt wrote: »

Nobody is calling you a waster, or saying you're on the Council waiting list. There are, however, many out there who are tracksuit clad wasters and broodmares who expect the keys to a house to be dropped into their hands. One of them was in the paper not long ago, camped outside the Carlow CoCo offices. What a person does with their private property is the business of absolutely nobody except the owner, as long as it's legal. There are plenty of places for sale in the town that are sub 120k in price. That's about 280 euros each for a couple. Who the hell can't afford 280 euros a month? If a person can't get a mortgage for a property under 120k then the problem isn't the economy, or the banks, it's the person themselves and their bad credit history or their employment status..or lack thereof.

There's no artificially inflated housing bubble in Carlow. If you're talking about certain areas of Dublin then go vent your bile on the Dublin forum. Carlow property is still priced about 30%-40% lower than the boom times, which were 10 years ago. Property in many parts of Ireland is selling for BELOW the construction cost. How is that an artificially inflated housing bubble lol?

1. This conversation was about rental prices. Rental prices in Carlow ARE outrageous vs Kildare when the value of the property is taken into account. In turn, rental value increases sale value as investing landlords buy. In other countries, rental value is based off of property value. It's logic. Not greed. In Ireland greed rules, this are major issues. This, in Carlow, is artificial inflation. Monopoly of the cost of rentals. It's backward economics that leads to a sure burst. Societal issues result, as rather than a family buying at a reasonable cost, a landlord prices them out of the purchase, and then rents to them at a rate he sees fit.
2. No, not everyone in a job can get a mortgage. A family with one working parent and 2 kids would need to be earning over 70k per year to get any kind of mortgage. Not a whole lot of people earn that much in Carlow.
3. Nothing about Carlow indicates the value of the property here should be any higher. It's a 1/2 horse town. Dublin, if anything, justifies the value of properties there.

If you respond to someone with words such as waster and "housing list" it's more than implied.

P.s if prices are 30% below a bubble that burst, that would make them healthy or even expensive. If they are equal to a burst, then obviously......they burst.

iwillhtfu

So you are just bitter then.

Take care now and don't let that chip drag you down.

Board.surf

iwillhtfu wrote: »

So you are just bitter then.

Take care now and don't let that chip drag you down.

Enjoy the next burst. It wasn't the banks. They just enabled you

iwillhtfu

Board.surf wrote: »

Enjoy the next burst. It wasn't the banks. They just enabled you

For someone who claims to be more educated than 2 random strangers on the internet you really haven't a clue do you?

You honestly sound like a spolied teenager that isn't getting his own way.

Board.surf

iwillhtfu wrote: »

For someone who claims to be more educated than 2 random strangers on the internet you really haven't a clue do you?

You honestly sound like a spolied teenager that isn't getting his own way.

Sure. Go build/sell/rent some shabby houses, will you? Or are you too busy responding to randomers online out of paranoia, because they touched on the issues of your profession and how terrible it is in this country? You're viewpoint wouldn't hold water in any other country. And in this one, it's the reason for the housing issues. Boom, bust, boom, bust. Let me guess, you protest water charges, loves Sinn Fein and blame young people for everything? Banks and the government are the reason for all issues we encounter? You made a lot of presumptions so it's only fair.....Thanks for the laughs.

EmoCourt

Board.surf wrote: »

A family with one working parent and 2 kids would need to be earning over 70k per year to get any kind of mortgage. Not a whole lot of people earn that much in Carlow.

You're living in the 1980's where the housewife stayed at home and Paddy was the breadwinner. That's a luxury these days, and only for those who can afford it. If you cant afford to feed, clothe and house your family on one income, then the norm is that both parents work. The same goes for however many kids you want to rear. If you want two kids, then you should do your sums to ensure you can afford two. It's not up to the state to ensure prices are kept artificially low so that you can work a menial job and your wife can stay at home cooking the dinner and bring the kids to the swimming pool.

Board.surf

EmoCourt wrote: »

You're living in the 1980's where the housewife stayed at home and Paddy was the breadwinner. That's a luxury these days, and only for those who can afford it. If you cant afford to feed, clothe and house your family on one income, then the norm is that both parents work. The same goes for however many kids you want to rear. If you want two kids, then you should do your sums to ensure you can afford two. It's not up to the state to ensure prices are kept artificially low so that you can work a menial job and your wife can stay at home cooking the dinner and bring the kids to the swimming pool.

Agree but lots of people are in that scenario. If he works too, it's still a 70k+ scenario. If you think both would earn 35k+ on average in Carlow town then your the one who is off. Reality is reality and you don't live in it.

And again, so I can work a menial job? So my wife? Who said anything about my situation? More offensive personal nonsense and presumptions. Fact is, if a couple with two kids even earn forty thousand a piece, a mortgage is currently out of reach. Read up on it. The calcs used by banks while underwriting loans take more into account per kid. By your standards then, nobody should ever have a kid. Your attitude toward a stay at home parent is also nothing short of disgusting. You also seem to think I assume a women should be at home. Again, you said it not me. Often, a man or women does stay home with the kids. On 70k it should be possible.

I also never said it's up to the state to do anything. I'm fairly far to the right in my belief system, but stick to your nonsense guns. In reality, it's not as simple as a family popping in to get a mortgage. Carlow families can't afford the cost of houses in Carlow. I know plenty. If a family earns 70k a year, there is something seriously wrong, if they can't afford to live in Carlow.

iwillhtfu

Board.surf wrote: »

Sure. Go build/sell/rent some shabby houses, will you? Or are you too busy responding to randomers online out of paranoia, because they touched on the issues of your profession and how terrible it is in this country? You're viewpoint wouldn't hold water in any other country. And in this one, it's the reason for the housing issues. Boom, bust, boom, bust. Let me guess, you protest water charges, loves Sinn Fein and blame young people for everything? Banks and the government are the reason for all issues we encounter? You made a lot of presumptions so it's only fair.....Thanks for the laughs.

You're the only one making assumptions on here.

I also retract calling you bitter. You're actually insane.

Board.surf

iwillhtfu wrote: »

You're the only one making assumptions on here.

I also retract calling you bitter. You're actually insane.

Yes, because people with different opinions than you are insane. Basic economics is insane.

EmoCourt

People on low incomes struggle with bills. The world is so, so, unjust. When did this mind blowing eureka moment dawn on you? Because it has always been that way. My parents struggled, and their parents struggled. Seems you like to blame 'oldies' for high rent and you look back at some makey-uppey halcyon era when you could rent a place for half a crown and tuppence and Mary would be sitting at home knitting a loaf of soda bread with the sewing machine. You're the type that would have voted for Brexit.

Board.surf

EmoCourt wrote: »

People on low incomes struggle with bills. The world is so, so, unjust. When did this mind blowing eureka moment dawn on you? Because it has always been that way. My parents struggled, and their parents struggled. Seems you like to blame 'oldies' for high rent and you look back at some makey-uppey halcyon era when you could rent a place for half a crown and tuppence and Mary would be sitting at home knitting a loaf of soda bread with the sewing machine. You're the type that would have voted for Brexit.

Low incomes? 70k is a low income? Twice the national average. Wasting my words here. Brexit? What? Looking back at a cheap era? I never lived in Ireland in a cheap era. Owned property all over the world but left at the start of the burst to work then came back. I wasn't alive for previous recessions.

And sexism? I believe women and men should both be working or if a man wants to stay at home and can afford it, then great. You mentioned women staying at home.

People on high incomes CAN pay their bills but there is no decent housing for them. It's not rocket science. Even if they can afford everything else, and have massive savings. It's not the case in other countries. It's what happens in third world nations. This is Carlow, not Dublin! Again. A hardworking, high earning family shouldn't have to live in some semi d mould ridden dump because that's all Ireland has to offer. Rentals are disgusting and way over priced in a small town. To purchase, it is also over priced. Athy road for example, houses for 1/4 million with no heating systems. They also shouldn't "have" to purchase because there is no decent rentals. Should I rewrite that? This situation hasn't existed since independence. It's bad. You don't think so. It is bad for the country. It will cause massive economic and social issues.

Biggest irony? People buying houses, that just sit there' wanting to make buckets of money off of it. Laziest, most ridiculous way to expect to make money. Then they whine if it drops in value as assets do. The same people then tell other people to work harder for their money! While they sit back, and whine when lazy assets drop in value. And Expect (!) said lazy assets to make them a living.

Ireland - the only country in the world, where people think their second hand garbage should be more valuable than a new product! That's just nuts.

iwillhtfu

EmoCourt wrote: »

People on low incomes struggle with bills. The world is so, so, unjust. When did this mind blowing eureka moment dawn on you? Because it has always been that way. My parents struggled, and their parents struggled. Seems you like to blame 'oldies' for high rent and you look back at some makey-uppey halcyon era when you could rent a place for half a crown and tuppence and Mary would be sitting at home knitting a loaf of soda bread with the sewing machine. You're the type that would have voted for Brexit.

A quote I read in an article recently. "When I was saving for my first house I wasn't going out on a Saturday morning drinking organic coffee and ordering smashed avocado on gluten free bread." It's amazing what people complain about before taking a long hard look at their own actions.

Board.surf

iwillhtfu wrote: »

A quote I read in an article recently. "When I was saving for my first house I wasn't going out on a Saturday morning drinking organic coffee and ordering smashed avocado on gluten free bread." It's amazing what people complain about before taking a long hard look at their own actions.

Not in any way relevant. Not to me. Not to any house watchers. Not to the reality of the Irish housing mess. The Carlow housing mess, or anything relevant.
Life isn't about buying a house, but in Ireland it is. A new build should never be as valuable again, as it was the day after it was build, barring natural inflation. But in Ireland is it. Irish people are obsessed. Meanwhile the housing stock is somehow useless and backward. hard workers can't get houses to rent or buy. That's that. It's a problem.

For most people, no matter how hard they work, save, or earn, a nice house is not possible to obtain around here. Avocados aren't relevant.

byhookorbycrook

Mod warning: Keep it civil please.