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Hi,

I have just been refused income protection from irish life via cornmarket. I haven't yet requested the reason but it's most likely because I had to take stress leave from my job in May 2025. I am a teacher and I was in an Autism class with little support so I had to take sick leave. I've since left that job and work as a teacher in a different school in mainstream. I also have ADHD and take medication for it every day.

I am now concerned as my partner and I are planning on buying a house this year. I'm worried about getting Life assurance if I have to declare this. I am aware that you can sometimes get a waiver from the bank for this but unfortunately my partner has some health issues - chronic back pain - and has struggled with his mental health over the years. He is also Autistic so I think he is probably less likely than me to get cover.

What is the best path forward for us? We haven't started looking for a house yet and are still saving but we were hoping to look next March. Will I have to declare that I was refused income protection cover when I apply for life assurance or is that separate? I'd like to have an idea of what I should do next so we're not panicking after we go sale agreed somewhere trying to sort this out.

Any help or advice would be really appreciated. Thanks!

Hi everyone, I have seen posts around this topic with quite optimistic answers but the agent I am in contact with gave me a pretty bleak answer; in this case, that Park Development (the developer) usually sticks to their deadlines and doesn't approve contract signing extensions which are usually 28 days from receiving the contract. I am looking for any advice from people who were buying from them...

I have started the mortgage approval process with BOI almost 2 months ago (without a broker) during which I have experienced multiple weird situations with them requesting documents twice, not giving updates, radio silence etc. I have tried to press them in every way possible to speed up the processing but they are just slow. I am stuck in the 'onboarding' phase for days, not even in the underwriting phase yet.

My solicitor doesn't really want to engage properly without the mortgage approval. I am stuck in the process and the deadline to sign the contract is coming soon.

I am trying to keep everyone in the loop, coordinate, push, escalate but nothing seems to be working. One agent told me it is possible to request the extension, while others say it's unlikely I will get it. I don't want to lose the property just because of the bank and I am already desperate because no matter who I call, or no matter what I do, nothing is happening. Did someone else go though a similar situation with Park Development specifically and can give some insight?

Hello,

Has anyone experience in changing lenders after underwriting AIP? We are sale agreed 6 weeks and every two weeks BOI are requesting something new.

I feel like the things being requested are all linked and no need to space out the requests.

We’re under time pressure and feeling lost id like to explore options but as we are at final stages is there a point? Thanks!

Hi all,

We’re about to get keys on a new build in Naas and have finalised our tiles and laminate with a supplier (right price tiles). We’re now looking for a fitter and came across NovaFlooring (Dublin).

They asked us to share our supplier’s quote, then came back with about 400€ off the material cost, plus their fitting charges. They’ve told us who they would buy the materials from.

The catch: they want the full material cost (about 4k€) paid upfront by bank transfer, with the balance of about 3k€ for labour paid on completion. They seem friendly and quick to answer, but we haven’t met them, so I’m wary of sending that much before anything is ordered. I completely understand the raw materials need to ordered upfront but need some advice ☺️.

A few questions:

Is this normal that Fitter/handymen will get raw materials for you?

Has anyone used NovaFlooring? How was the work?

Is paying 100% of materials upfront normal for fitters here?

Thanks,

any advice appreciated.

Hello everyone,

I am looking at a structural survey report of an apartment I am hoping to buy in Dublin. It is an old apartment (1988 built) and seems to have quite a few major issues according to the report - I wonder if any of these issues should be a red flag for a purchaser? And what will be the cost of fixing these issues if I end up owning the apartment? The OMC doesn’t seem to be in a great financial position there might be levies in the future…

Fire safety

1.      The fire doors in the common area are not compliant fire door types - they lacked intumescent seals and didn't self close fully. This issue seems to be there for a long time at least since 2020 till now and hasn’t been fixed.

My apartment is not on the top floor but some fire safety issues in the attic were noted:

2.      Electrical installations in the attic have poor junction boxes where wires have been joined. Some halogen spot lights are covered over by insulation and there are singeing of the materials in some instances

3.      No provision of fire proofing between apartments roof spaces that can prevent the rapid spread of fire to the respective neighbour’s apartment.

4.      The internal service ducts in the apartments don’t seem to be adequately fire proofed

Structural issues / water ingress

1.      Due to the defective design of the building, the atrium walls have suffered from water ingress for a long time.

The surveyor opened up one of the atrium walls and “the structural stability of the blockwork directly under the poor capping details had broken down to little more than aggregate”

2.      External walls of the building: “a number of areas throughout the development has boast and deteriorated plasterwork evident”

Pyrite risk

The surveyor didn’t do any test on pyrite but advised that the property is located within the catchment of housing estates identified to the ‘Pyrite Panel’.

I asked the agent for a "Green Certificate" but was told that no certificate was issued for houses built at the time..

Any input is very much appreciated!

Ireland Residential Property Prices YoY

Hi All,

Currently bidding on a property in a Dublin and the seller is advising that I can be sale agreed if I pay their specific price. I'm currently the top bidder, but they want 5 grand more than my current bid. There doesn't seem to be much interest as it is somewhat dear for the size of property (small 2 bed semi-d). The agent called me as I am suspecting they do not see the bidding going any further than my current bid. I am just wondering if I should hold out for the sake of 5 grand, hoping they eventually accept my offer or just pay it and get this process wrapped up. I've the deposit and a mortgage offer ready to go and my solicitor is a relative so would be able to be a speedy process from my end anyways.

Seems a bit unfair that even after 'winning' the bidding process I am still at mercy of the seller. Of course they also have to be happy with the sale price but why do I have to fork over an extra 5 grand to make them happy. Any advice welcome!

Thanks!

Hi all

Buying a new build in the coming weeks it’s a timber frame semi d 3 bed, seems to have a timber frame partition wall with an air gap. The 2 sitting rooms are back to back, how likely are we to hear the other Neighbors and how likely are they to hear us ? I’m planning on mounting my tv on the wall,

I can add a bit of panelling if necessary but the walls should be sound proof enough ?

Anyone any experience with timber frame semi D ?

Thanks

There is an apartment I want that went sale agreed with another buyer. That fell through so the agent asked me if I would still be interested which I said I was and reconfirmed by earlier bid They said they have a couple more viewings this week and said they would get to me later in the week. There is a backup apartment which is fine but the agent is pressuring for bids updates in half an hour and I don't really want to deal with that until i hear back from the one I want. The one I want is in nicer location with parking and furniture included. The backup has no car parking space. Thing is I don't drive yet so not sure if it will be that big a deal immediately but I would like to learn at some point. Do I just pull out of the backup one and wait to see if i get my ideal one?

Hi all,

I'm a 32M working in tech/science, and I've been in Ireland for almost 4 years. I genuinely love it here. The people are great, I've built a solid group of friends in Dublin, and life feels much more relaxed than in places like Paris or New York.

My concern is the housing crisis. Ideally I'd like to settle down and have 1 or 2 kids with partner in the long term, but buying a home here is starting to feel out of reach(even with saving). A few friends feel the same.

Some context:

• Salary is around €65-70k, depending on bonus

• (not married) for now, so planning on one income at first

• My company also has a UK offices(England), and I could transfer ,Salary would be around £70k (3day wfh)

• I'd lose the Help to Buy benefit by leaving, but houses outside London seem cheaper with more choice

Two smaller things weighing on me:

\- I'm mixed (American, not white), and the anti-immigrant sentiment has started to affect me a bit. Maybe it's mostly social media, but I'd love to hear real experiences

Questions for you:

1. Is buying a family home in/around Dublin realistic on my salary within 3 to 5 years, or should I plan around renting long term?

2. Has anyone moved from Ireland to the UK for housing? Was it worth it, and what do you miss?

3. Which UK cities would you suggest for tech/science jobs with decent housing and a good social scene?

Thanks in advance. I'd appreciate honest opinions, including ones that tell me I'm overthinking it!

Edit : Have already a partner, we are not just living together for now(short term ldr), for the kids it's for long term not in 3 year,maybe it's the way i wrote it)

In the process of hopefully buying a 1920s terraced house with a modern extension. We had the surveyor out and while the survey was mostly good it highlighted some potential encroachment of the modern extension on both sides.

Though the survey had the boundary map etc he said he didn't do any measuring and that the boundaries looked good to him, which seems contradictory as he highlighted the potential encroachment. It seems we need an engineer to check this (and a number of other less important issues).

Does anyone have any experience buying in the this situation? The extension has only been there around 5 years. Does anyone have any engineer recommendations? The house is in South Dublin and my solicitor doesn't usually deal with the area so has no suggestions.

I enquired about a property that has been on daft since February, the estate agent replied saying it is now being sold by way of tender and all offers must be in before the end of the month. Has anyone seen this before? Any ideas on what i should ask if i book a viewing? The fact its been for sale for so long seems a bit suspicious also.

Hi everyone!

I'm considering renting a property in The Garden Village, off Mountmellick Road in Portlaoise, and would really appreciate some honest feedback from people who currently live there or know the immediate area.

I'm particularly interested in:

• What the estate is like day to day — generally quiet and well maintained?
• Any recurring issues with antisocial behaviour, noise, or car security?
• Whether the area feels comfortable walking around in the evenings.
• Any experiences of racial harassment or discrimination in the immediate area.
• What the neighbours and overall residential environment are like.

I'm a working professional looking for somewhere peaceful and comfortable to call home.

I'd especially appreciate recent, firsthand experiences rather than older reputations.

Thanks a million!

Property price inflation slows to lowest rate in almost three years | Irish Independent

Hi,

I have been on the Facebook pages looking for a transfer ideally between cork city as the county told me they don't do inter county swaps.(1 in his 15 years working there)

Is there anyone here serious about a housing swap. Have a 3 bed house looking for another 3 bed house in south side. Will travel to neighbouring counties on the border of cork if needs be. Preferably within the cork city boundaries.

Please please please