Rush to the Country – Are Home Buyers Leaving the Capital?

The pandemic saw many, especially younger, people leave Dublin and return to their places of origin. This became much more practical as remote working moved from being a tentative experiment to a proven success.

Has this translated into a permanent exodus? A recent IPAV report on house prices shows some of the biggest price increases were for properties in the rural locations of Wexford, Clare, Mayo and Donegal. The four-bedroom house was the home category with the biggest price increase. Some experts suggest this confirms families moving out of town and/or a move towards working from home.

While the jury is out on the extent of the phenomenon and how long term it might be, at Thomas Barry & Co we have seen some evidence towards rural drift with Dublin based clients relocating to the country. In our case they tend to fall into two categories – people with young families who want to move to an area with which they have a connection or retirees looking for a lower cost and slower pace of life. The fact working from home is now an accepted feature certainly allows the first category an option that might not previously have been available.

Among the things to think about before moving to the country are:

  1. The Pros & Cons Of More Space
  2. The Effort Big Gardens Require
  3. Will The Pace of Life Suit You? Will You Miss the Culture, Restaurants, Busy Life of the City?
  4. The Transport Links
  5. Your Commute
  6. The Effects On Your Work
  7. The Schools Nearby
  8. Your Network and Support System
  9. The Local Community
  10. Whether You’re 100% Sure – If it Does Not Work Out Can you Afford To Move Back?

If you are thinking of buying or selling we would be delighted to hear from you.

We act for clients throughout Ireland and abroad. Distance is not an object. Our team has adapted and works very effectively from both remote locations and in-office. While you are welcome to call and sometimes face to face is better, practically everything can be done remotely and conveniently over the phone, email, post or on Zoom calls.