I am an out and proud culchie, oh yes! I even have a membership card somewhere..
Himself has lived in the city before, so paired with his insider's knowledge and my enthusiasm and love of property websites, off we went!
We didn't have a kajillion* euro to spend on a big swanky pad, but we just wanted somewhere safe and clean for just us two.
It has been.. eventful!
One place we went to was about the size of shed, had holes in the ceiling and the landlord did the electrics himself. To quote, "Snip here and snip there, sure it was all grand!" OK, no.
After searching for a few weeks and coming up against a few dead ends, we found somewhere! It's not big, but not tiny! We even have a little balcony and a BATH! Oh it's the simple things in life like having the choice between a bath or a shower that can make my day!
Yet we came away from the apartment hunt with a few lessons learned, so here are my tips:
1. Photographs can be ridiculously deceptive, seriously. With the art of lenses and angles, a cupboard can look 'spacious and modern'.
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| OK, so maybe not this bad, but you get the idea! |
2. In Dublin, (and in other cities too I'd imagine) you have to move fast. Very fast!
3. You have a lot more stuff than you think you do. Uh-huh, you see those cupboards and those bookcases? They all hold stuff. Lots and lots of stuff. Think you have enough boxes? Get more! And plenty of bin bags. But don't cheap out on them! One of the worst first impressions you can give is letting your new neighbours see you pick clothes up off the road and stuffing them into a torn black bag... Trust me.
4. Go with your gut, if you don't like it and you can't put your finger on why then leave it.
5. Accept help from family and friends. They'll forgive you if the place looks like a tip, understand that you can't find anything. They accept that you'll probably be chaos personified, wearing a bin bag and crying because you can't find the kettle or the Christmas tree ornaments. If they didn't care, they wouldn't be there. Hm.. that rhymes. Could put that on a t-shirt.
6. Remain calm. Even if there is a flat tyre, or something goes missing. You'll get there. Rome wasn't built in a day, and some moves take more than one trip!
*Might not be real amount
Thanks for sharing those tips, Lisa! Well, experience is the best teacher indeed. To make things easier, you should consider hiring a broker. Also, have you tried asking your friends or relatives for referrals? Asking for help can make the search a little bit easier and faster.
ReplyDelete-Casandra Roberts @ GatewaySelect
I agree with you, Lisa. Seeking advice from your friends and relatives can be really helpful, as it can help with your predicament. And as much as possible, refrain from making decision before everything is settled, so that you can narrow down your options to what you think is best. That way, you won't have any regrets later on. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteJeffery Ramsey @ Inner City YYC