We'd like to move to Ireland

Irish Stones

Hi everybody,

My greatest dream is to move to Ireland along with my wife. I (we) had this dream about 25 years now.

We were born and live in Italy, we are both Italians, but we visited Ireland so many times that I can't even remember, for a total length of time in excess of 14 months since 1994. We have visited every county, we stayed in not less than 350 towns (and cities and villages), we drove through or stopped in several hundreds, thousands of other towns. We know much about the Irish custom and rules, things to do and not to do, how to behave, etc. We also made friends with a few people across the country.

We witnessed the evolution and development of the country, from a rather rural nation to an advanced one in very few years, and saw how many small towns nearly doubled up in size over the years.

We love just everything of Ireland, especially people and lifestyle. We love the history of the country, monuments, landscape, environments, the way Irish respect rules, even the food. Maybe the weather could be a subject of dislike, but I think we could easily get used to that. Italy could be a nice place, at least so they say, but it isn't the country where I find myself comfortable. In the last few months this wish to move has grown stronger.

I would like to hear from you if this is a good idea, and, especially, I would like to read opinions about the cons. Why shouldn't we do such a thing? Is there any particular reason why we should stay home instead? What should we know about Ireland that maybe we don't know?

We'd like to buy a detached house, mainly in the west or northwest (not co. Donegal, very beautiful and fascinating, but too remote). We're just the two of us, so we don't need a large house. I've been browsing the most famouse EA websites, like MyHome and Daft, and some ads were quite interesting, though we just watch them.

Would buying a house from remote be feasible? Is there anything that we should be aware of in the house market? We know that the advertized price isn't the price the house will be sold at. Anything else, please?

We are both in the second half of our 50's. I have a rather good English, my wife is much less able to speak it. I could adapt to nearly any job that doesn't involve animal abuse and mistreatment. Would a single salary be enough for living?

Is/are there place(s) or area(s) of the country that we could ignore, and others that we should prefer? Any kind of suggestion, comments, advice are welcome. If you have any questions, please ask away.

Thanks in advance.

Brussels Sprout

Would buying a house from remote be feasible? Is there anything that we should be aware of in the house market? We know that the advertized price isn't the price the house will be sold at. Anything else, please?

Make sure to get any prospective house checked out by a structural engineer. This is a common service here. They will issue you a report afterwards.

Brussels Sprout

Also this forum appears to be for people wanting to leave Ireland so you are likely to get a lot of negative answers here about the country. Perhaps this forum would be more suitable as it's for people wanted to move back to Ireland: https://www.boards.ie/categories/coming-home

Angler1

The cold and damp seems to impact new long term arrivals. We have long wet periods of mist, rain, cold and dark winters. I've heard natives of the continent describe the cold as damp rather than the crisp cold they're used to.

Isolation is also a potential issue. To combat this plan to join clubs, bridge, golf, GAA funding groups. If you don't break into the goodwill of the natives the isolation can be devastating.

At your ages it may be appropriate to consider somewhere within ease of access to a hospital or medical facility. We are older that you and this is a factor in where we live.

I hope this helps. I love living in Ireland but I am a native. I wish you both the very best.

Irish Stones

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119651229#Comment_119651229

So, it is possible to do such a thing? Buying from remote? Any idea of the costs involved in the check by an engineer?

Thanks!

Irish Stones

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119651281#Comment_119651281

I think I have a rather good experience about Irish weather and its effects on spirits. One of our trip to Ireland was in winter, so we experienced the very short daylight as well.

Yes, winters in the continent may be damper too, especially where I live. Don't know where a crisp cold could be in Europe during winter.

Joining some group of people for some activity is a very good idea. Hopefully there is something that I like to join. Not much in the sports world myself.

Also, I appreciate you insight into the medical facility access.

Thank you!

Irish Stones

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119651239#Comment_119651239

Thanks for your reply.

Yes, I know this forum is for Irish who want to leave. I tried to find a proper forum for my request but couldn't find it. On the other hand, I found a couple of similar posts in this forum, so I thought to have try.

The forum you mention is about Irish coming back home, which would be not really what I'm looking for.

Mods: Please, move this thread to where it's appropriate, if needed.

Brussels Sprout

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119653804#Comment_119653804

During the Pandemic lockdown people were buying houses without every seeing them in real-life because house viewings were banned. If it was possible then I presume it is still possible now. I wouldn't recommend it though. Buying a house is a massive commitment. You really should see it for yourself.

I don't actually know how much a structural engineer's report would be but I just googled it and prices seem to vary from €240 - €750 depending on the detail - so they're not cheap. They really are essential though. Subsidence is a big problem in parts of the country - that can cost hundreds of thousands of euro to fix. Dampness can have a bad affect on some buildings as well. All of that would be investigated.

Irish Stones

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119655247#Comment_119655247

Your input is very informative and welcome. Thanks so much!

Irish Stones

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119651239#Comment_119651239

On a second thought, reading negative comments and opinion may be very useful. I could learn and understand aspects that I can't see from here or haven't seen or felt during my many many trips.

So, if anyone has some negative opinions and points of view, I will welcome them too.

FreshCoffee

Earlier this year there was a thread in the 'Accomodation & Property' forum about a Canadian couple/family looking for information on moving to Ireland. Might be worth a read:

www.boards.ie/discussion/2058235392/canadian-family-moving-to-ireland-2023-best-town-for-young-outdoorsy-family-2-2-small-kids/p1

looksee

When looking for a house, be aware that cute cottages are not as attractive to live in as they appear, especially when you are getting older. They require a lot of maintenance, can be cold and damp and have often had incorrect treatment making these issues worse rather than better.

Make enquiries about health insurance, if either of you have existing medical issues you may have difficulty getting insurance.

I do not know what state pensions are like in Italy, but the cost of living here tends to be higher than other countries, on the other hand pensions etc tend to also be higher. Consider what entitlements would you bring from Italy for pensions etc.

I am a Brit living in Ireland for over 50 years, and I would not live anywhere else. I have had that length of time to get used to it though!😀 Going anywhere on holiday, regardless of how much time this adds up to, is not the same as living in a place.

Edit, on the face of it the state pension in both countries appears to be identical.

Fysh

One thing I would suggest doing some investigation into is housing prices in Ireland. Obviously there are lots of variables based on location, how much space you need etc, but given the current discourse around the (un)affordability of housing for many in Ireland it is the first thing I think you'd to investigate - particularly if you are looking to get by on a single household income.

Also consider that you may well need to have a car, depending on where you would be living - so you'd need to take into account insurance and running costs. (Depending on where you are in Italy this may not be any different than what you are used to, but I moved to Cork for a few years as an adult after living in Spain and found public transport in Ireland more expensive and less reliable).

Irish Stones

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119662472#Comment_119662472

Interesting thread for sure. Very long, though, it'll take some time to read it all.

I wonder whether that forum would be more appropriate for my requests.

Thanks for your reply.

Irish Stones

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119662481#Comment_119662481

Yes, some cottages may look attractive, but I would like a dormer, they have some more style, don't they?

Thanks for the health insurance advice. Over here the health service is free and paid by the State, moving to Ireland would mean that we have to review this habit. I do not have any existing medical issue, so in my case it could be much easier. My wife has some minor issues that of course must be taken into account.

Yes, I know that being on holiday isn't like living in a place, no matter how hard one can try to understand the local life. And I also know that getting used to a different lifestyle, community and environment at a certain age is much harder than doing the same thing at 30 years of age .

Please, could you explain your last line better? What "both countries" are you referring to? Thanks so much!

Irish Stones

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119663967#Comment_119663967

I've been looking into housing ads on two main websites for years now, if you mean this by "doing some investigation".

We would like a detached house, dormer style if it's possible, outside an estate, in a small town. We could consider nearly any location, though we've left our heart in the west.

Having a car is a must, I guess, and of course all the running costs have been taken into account. So bad that we could take ours due to the different position of the steering wheel 😁

blindsider

I had been going to suggest that you rent for a year while you explore the West and find your dream home....and then realised that we're in the middle of a housing crisis :-(

5 mins searching on Daft produced this....its close to the west, on a lake, but not completely isolated...not sure what Portumna is like, but I'm sure there are poeple who can advise...just to start the conversation...

https://www.daft.ie/for-sale/detached-house-portland-portumna-co-galway/3913335

I've no idea what your budget is so it could be way off...

The suggestion of living vaguely close to a hospital is a good one...

Other considerations (in no order):

Transport links

Proximity to airport

Distance to shops

Spare room for guests

Broadband/wifi

BER Rating (Energy efficieny cert - A1 is perfect and almost unobtainable, G=avoid...C2 - B1 is ideal.)

Hope this helps a bit and I look forward to following your progress.....

looksee

Please, could you explain your last line better? What "both countries" are you referring to? Thanks so much!

I was suggesting that Italy and Ireland have similar state pensions.

Graces7

I moved here from the UK over 20 years ago having lived in Co Mayo for a couple of years a while before. Rented until my UK house sold. The only way to do it is literally to do it. The things that you may not be seeing now will only emerge when you are here.

The time renting was the most valuable and helpful thing I did. It gave me space to get used to Ireland without a permanent commitment. Yet was a commitment. And easier by far to search for a house that would really suit, As others have rightly said there is a huge difference between visiting Ireland however many times and living here full time.

Especially the climate. Visting once in winter gives no real idea.. It was easy for me as I moved from Orkney..But winters here are very dark and .. wet. A damp cold.

Settle on an area... It was easy for me as I knew Donegal and loved it and knew Mayo and loved it.

Life here will be different. In ways you will not be aware of until you are here.

Like looksee I would never go back to the UK. And knowing that? The rest will work through.

Ubbquittious

If you rent a house bring a few big bottles of "antimuffa"

Irish Stones

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119672703#Comment_119672703

Thanks for the tip.

I know Portumna because I stayed there two days. But I know about it only what I could see in those two days, which is very little. Not a bad town. Maybe.

The house in the ad looks great, it also has a sauna, which would make my wife extremely happy. The only thing is that it's a bit off my budget, if we consider that the price in the ad won't be the final sale price. The Irish housing market is different from ours. Over here in Italy, say you see a house at €200k, you already know that house will never be sold at that price, it will be sold at a lower price. Potential buyers would start offering €180k, the seller could wait and see if someone else offers more, like €185k, and if they're lucky they could eventually sell it at €190-195k six months or a year later. In Ireland it's the opposite. So if a house on the Irish market is for sale at €285k I can guess it will be sold at €350K?

That's why we're considering something less expensive.

The suggestion of having a hospital nearby is a very good one, like the other ones you mentioned. I would add that having a 24h vet clinic within 15-20 minutes from home would be another must for me. My two cats are very important to me, I would never be completely relaxed if I don't know that a vet is close at hand.

Renting for a while is something that someone else suggested to me. But as you have pointed out, the housing crisis wouldn't allow this at the moment. Furthermore, through my past researches in this field, it is very hard, if not impossible, to find a landlord who would allow pets on their property. And last, renting for a year or so, though it would allow me to explore the environment while looking for the right house for my needs, would also drain my finances and affect my purchase power. Yes, I know, it is hard...

Your reply is great. Thanks.

Irish Stones

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119673651#Comment_119673651

Renting would be a great idea, even because we wouldn't like to sell our house here, until we are totally sure that things are working fine once we move.

But, as I wrote before, renting would also drain my finance and impact on my purchase power.

Irish Stones

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119673739#Comment_119673739

Why is it important in a rented house and not in a purchased house? 😁

Ubbquittious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119675021#Comment_119675021

If there is a problem with the purchased house where its seeping through the walls or otherwise be a lot of work to fix your surveyor will hopefully tell you and you can decide not to buy it. Rental place might be OK the day you move in because owner gave it a lick of paint but after a few months not any more

Irish Stones

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119673261#Comment_119673261

Our retirement age is currently 68 years, but we can leave "early" is we have at least 42 years of service, though with a reduced pension.

This is what I know about here, but I have to admit I'm not much into it because things tend to move/change rather fast ,so I find pointless to gather information when I'm so far away from both target.

How is the pension system in Ireland at the moment?

looksee

Everyone is entitled to a basic non-contributory pension but if you have sufficient work years you are eligible for a contributory pension which is a higher amount. Retirement age is still 66 I think, but will be going up. Many people also have a private pension through their job. This does not affect the government pension.

Irish Stones

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119675822#Comment_119675822

Is there a pension based on seniority, rather than the age? Something like 40-45 years of service and then the pension regardless of the age?

frag420

My only advice is don’t mention Scillacci…

looksee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119676949#Comment_119676949

Not for the state pensions, there could well be for private pensions, but they would vary depending on contract/agreements.

gipi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119675822#Comment_119675822

Not everyone is entitled to a non-contributory state pension. It is means-tested, so getting it depends on other income, savings, etc.

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119675795#Comment_119675795

You would do very well together information on the situation as I suspect you will be surprised at the outcome....

Firstly, EU citizens to not have a right to retire to another EU state, unless they can show that they have sufficient funds into the future not to become a burden on the state.

Secondly, the state paying the majority of your pension is responsible for your healthcare. Presumable the majority, if not all of your pensions will be paid by Italy, which means you do not have a right to access Irish healthcare services and you will need to check how and what services the Italian government is will to provide you in Ireland.

Just to give you an example, I am an Irish citizen, born and bread on the west coast of Ireland. I have been refused access to the Irish healthcare services because the majority of my state pension is paid by the Swiss government, as a result if I were to retire to Ireland I would need to continue paying Swiss health insurance in order to get healthcare services in Ireland.

looksee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119677133#Comment_119677133

Yes, you are of course correct, the contributory oap is not meanstested though.

Irish Stones

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119677369#Comment_119677369

What I know is that lots, thousands, of my fellow citizens have retired to Portugal, and they are entitled to get their Italian pension on their Portuguese bank account, tax-free (but this is a peculiar agreement between the two governments) for 10 years. I don't know about healthcare.

Anyway this is good information, thanks!

EDIT: I re-read your post under a new perspective and thought about it, and I think that the Italian health service would provide any service wherever in the EU. Our health system is entirely under the state care, and I believe that as long as I remain an Italian citizen, they should cover any medical expense in the EU. This is what I believe, but I should check it better.

Irish Stones

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119677038#Comment_119677038

I know nothing about football 😁