Now that is a house price crash!

[MarillionFan]

Rent seems to be holding up. Once the house prices hit the bottom could be a good investment opportunity here.

An analysis of recent trends in the Irish rental market

[The_Equalizer]

Rent seems to be holding up. Once the house prices hit the bottom could be a good investment opportunity here.

An analysis of recent trends in the Irish rental market

I've been noticing houses coming up for sale in Belfast which would give you 8-10% return with all costs (rates, voids, repairs etc) taken into account. You could get more if you went for the rougher parts.

[scooby]

I looked into buying last year, and was reading reports of unfinished housing sites, hopelessly and optimistically over priced, and even they'd tanked 60% then. 3 Bed Townhouses down from €325k to €130k and still falling fast. Some of them had become squalid slums for homeless people, or were completely fenced off and patrolled night and day. Dublin is a horrendous example of overconfidence.

I reckon another year or so, also see how their budget vote goes and pile in. Or run a mile and buy somewhere else.

France is also a good place to look mind. Out in the sticks, there are droves of Ex-pats desperate to come home, as their dream has gone sour and they just can't give their rural idyle away; no one wants to buy it, no Frenchy lives in an old house, no brits are going there anymore as they cant find work and it's too expensive for them to retire there.

We bought a 4 double bed Farmhouse in Charentes late last year, sat in an acre, just fully refurbished 3 years ago. Price in 2010 was €320k. We paid in Dec, €125k, and hes thrown in a 6 year old 318d. Felt kind of bad, as he was desperate and pretty much emailed us monthly from early 2010 dropping his price, until it got so close to being perfect, we then offered.

If you do, one thing to take notice of, is that house selling is hard in France, for the above reasons. we've bought as a long term holiday home, and probably somewhere to pop off to when we finally retire.

But some kind of bargains out there in the Ex-Pat community. The French don't drop a penny and would rather stay in a place than 'lose' any money. So if you are interested, get onto the French Ex-Pat forums and watch away...

Pick your spot too. Deux Sevres they are almost givign places away. We saw a lot under €100k there and parts of Brittany.

This is something we're looking at. did you use any websites to help? can you PM me please?

[Zoiderman]

This is something we're looking at. did you use any websites to help? can you PM me please?

PM sent, please ask away if there is anything else you want to know. There are a couple of pitfalls to watch out for, as well as some 'tax efficient' ways of buying it.

[vetran]

oh interesting, may be a way of getting rid of this nice newly printed money.

[MarillionFan]

Allsop LLP Irish index of lots

May Auction.