53. Erika Bernath, my diplomat client, shares her experience of moving to Dublin

Get the inside story on Irish country house purchases in this week’s podcast as we look at the transaction from the inside out with Philip Guckian, SCSI, Associate Director of Sherry Fitz, Country Homes and Estates You might have seen Philip making lots of sense and being a brilliant agent on the recent RTE series of Selling Ireland’s Dream Homes? If there’s one thing that becomes crystal clear during my conversation with Philip it’s that buying a country home is a marathon, not a sprint.  Join us as we talk about: What distinguishes a country home from the many homes that are currently for sale in this country Who are the main buyers of these houses and are they cash buyers or borrowers? Why do estate agents like to feel that viewers have done a bit of homework before arranging to view a property Is there one nationality more than another who is buying these properties? The advisability of doing a survey before going sale agreed especially if the property is particularly old or rambling Where the delays can occur in the buying process.  Philip’s contact details are:  [email protected] Tel: 01 237 6309 About Breffnie O Kelly Buyer’s Agent.  I’m Breffnie, a licensed property-buying agent practising in Dublin, Ireland, where I was born and bred. I love the process of assessing neighbourhoods and properties, looking for the features that will enhance the lives of my clients as well as the resale value of the property. I'm a graduate of the Institute of Technology Tallaght (winning the Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers Prize for Leadership) and a prize-winning (Sheehy Skeffington Prize in French) graduate of Trinity College Dublin. I'm also an external examiner on the newly launched National Auctioneering and Property Services Apprenticeship programme. I love what I do. I know that finding and agreeing terms on a property can be stressful, and I relish the fact that I can offer you a road map of the journey ahead, expert knowledge and a guiding hand until you have keys to your new property in your hand. Thank you. Book an introductory call with Breffnie: https://calendly.com/breffnieokelly/15min 

Do you really know what you're buying? Let's talk property boundaries If you’re buying a country house in Ireland, you’ll almost certainly be buying an acre or several acres of land around that house.   Most buyers have no difficulty comprehending the size and extent of the house they are buying, but the extent of the land can be trickier to understand.   It’s the land part of your purchase that we’re talking about today.   I am thrilled to be joined by Sarah Sherlock, former Chair of the Society of Chartered Surveyors of Ireland Geomatics (Geomatics refers to the methods and technologies used to collect, distribute, store, analyze, process, and present geographic data.) Sarah has several years of experience spanning many sectors, involving many notable and high-value real estate transactions both in Ireland and the UK. Standards are a matter that Sarah considers very important. She currently sits on a number of standard-setting committees – making sure measurement is carefully considered– in Ireland, the UK, and Internationally. Sarah served as a member of the Irish Defence Forces for c. 17 years.   You can contact Sarah at: [email protected]   During our conversation today, Sarah mentions a “16 Prepurchase Boundary Questions” Guide, prepared by the SCSI ( Society for Chartered Surveyors Ireland). You can download this prepurchase guide here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iM96uvwaB_oDs6dfQF73AKpA3fnOVyVX/view

Today we’re looking at your house purchase from a legal perspective. Your offer has been accepted on a property… you’re excited, maybe a bit nervous and you’re starting to make plans. Yes, you’re right to feel thrilled that your property search has got to this important stage but there is a bit more plot left in this saga yet!  Enter, centre stage, your solicitor.  It’s your solicitor who will direct the action from here on in and be assured, there can be plenty of twists in the tale before the happy ending.  In this episode, I talk to James Ryan, a solicitor with PP Ryan & Co.   James is a solicitor I work with regularly. I value his pragmatic, calm approach and I value his good humour and responsiveness too.  In this episode, James talks me through exactly what a solicitor does, where the delays can occur in the conveyancing process and shares some examples of tricky issues he encountered while working with clients purchasing property….always resolved in the end of course! James Ryan, solicitor, our guest today works with PP Ryan & Co.  You can contact James at Tel (+ 353 ) 505 46145. About Breffnie O Kelly Buyer’s Agent.  I’m Breffnie, a licensed property-buying agent practising in Dublin, Ireland, where I was born and bred. I love the process of assessing neighbourhoods and properties, looking for the features that will enhance the lives of my clients as well as the resale value of the property. I'm a graduate of the Institute of Technology Tallaght (winning the Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers Prize for Leadership) and a prize-winning (Sheehy Skeffington Prize in French) graduate of Trinity College Dublin. I'm also an external examiner on the newly launched National Auctioneering and Property Services Apprenticeship programme. I love what I do. I know that finding and agreeing terms on a property can be stressful, and I relish the fact that I can offer you a road map of the journey ahead, expert knowledge and a guiding hand until you have keys to your new property in your hand. Thank you. Book a 15 minute introductory call with Breffnie: https://calendly.com/breffnieokelly/15min

In episode 2 of our series on Buying a Country Home in Ireland, Breffnie chats with Colleen about her move from America to Ireland. At first, Colleen was in California just browsing properties online and thinking about a move, next she considered different European countries before deciding on Ireland as a destination. And then... Colleen arrives in Ireland for the first time to set about purchasing a home. Does she do it on her own or does she need help? What were Colleen's concerns about relocating to Ireland? How the process worked and the differences Colleen saw between the Irish and American purchasing processes. How Colleen's integrated into her local village community. What advice Colleen would give to those considering moving to the Irish countryside? and much more! Book an introductory 15 minute call with Breffnie: https://calendly.com/breffnieokelly/15min 

Anyone can buy a property in Ireland, but does buying a property entitle you to Irish residency or a visa?   If you’ve been thinking about buying property in Ireland, retiring to Ireland or even spending a couple of weeks in Ireland, it’s highly likely that you’ve wondered about any legal or visa hurdles you may need to jump. Well, it’s these types of questions that we’re discussing in this week’s podcast and we’re lucky to be joined by Aaron Flynn. Aaron is a qualified solicitor specializing in Immigration under Irish and European Law. He heads up the Irish practice of Envoy Global, a global company which prides itself on a smooth Immigration experience. Aaron talks us through the following topics: Who is entitled to live in Ireland? Which nationalities require a visa to live in Ireland? Does purchasing a property mean you can live in Ireland? What is stamp zero and what does it entitle you to? How to apply for stamp zero. Useful links: For a list of countries that require/don't require a visa visit: https://www.dfa.ie/media/missions/belgium/visas/List-of-Visa-Required-Non-Visa-Required-Nationalities.pdf For more information on how to apply for stamp zero visit: https://www.irishimmigration.ie/registering-your-immigration-permission/information-on-registering/immigration-permission-stamps/ Contact Aaron Flynn at: [email protected] You can find more on how to purchase in Ireland here: https://www.breffnieokelly.ie/ Or get in contact if I can help in any way: [email protected]

Breffnie follows up with Karin from episode 58 who was searching for a countryside home.  Since they last talked lots of progress has been made. In fact, Karin and Connor have since moved and are now enjoying country life!  Find out how the search went, where they are now and how they are getting on post midlife countryside move....

Ready and waiting for a new life in the country? The unlikely fairy godmother  called Covid, might just make your dreams come true.  This week we are joined by my city dwelling bee keeping, vegetable growing friend, Karin Stierle, about how this odd time has proved the catalyst for a move out of town.  We look at the delicate choreography of selling one home to finance another and getting the timing right

Inspired by a recent conversation with a client about which of two properties they should bid on, I've outlined 8 ways in which the site of a property can be compromised  to such an extent that I would be reluctant to buy it eg. steep slopes, presence of water, "over built" site etc.    I always welcome feedback. Get in touch! To book a one hour property coaching call with Breffnie, click here: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=17262788     To find out more about working with Breffnie as a Buyer’s Agent click here: www.breffnieokelly.ie

Living abroad and need finance to buy a property in Ireland? Then you won't want to miss this conversation with Niall Coughlan, Senior mortgage advisor with Irish Mortgage Corporation. Niall is expert in helping Irish abroad get home loans in Ireland. Key take aways from this podcast episode are: you'll need a minimum deposit of 35%,  the maximum loan term is 25 years,  your loan approval will be valid for 12 months, you'll get good "home owner" rates if you are buying for your own use rather than buying to rent, which can be a little more complicated. Also you'll need to meet Niall in person at some point before you draw down your  loan, so if you're home for Christmas make sure to take five minutes to physically meet with Niall who will do his best to make himself available.   Tune in for truly granular and usefu information.  Contact details for Niall are: [email protected] Phone number is: + 353 86 894 4607   If you'd like to book a call with me,  just go to my website and scroll down till you see the calendar link. www.breffnieokelly.ie    Thanks for listening.