EMPTY HOUSES in Ireland (+ how to GET them!)

Time Stamps:
00:13 - Reaction to my recent video
02:36 - Derelict Houses
07:38 - Improper Planning Permission
08:27 - Low Demand Areas
09:12 - Airbnb
10:17 - Ghost Estates
11:23 - One Possible Solution
17:50 - New Course Coming Soon!
Article mentioned re: squatter's rights - www.independen....
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[@davidbellew]

Imagine if entire communities took over the ghost estates. The county would be far better off

[@beeheart6324]

Tara, you are a gem! I love your videos! Thank you for being YOU! You are helping many, I am sure of that! Blessings to you, may the Fairies be with you ;-)

[@DiaryofaDitchWitch]

Thanks Bee! I hope you mean 'may I be in good standing with them, preferably quite far away from them' though 😅

[@Grumpyoldman037]

I just happened onto your site and I found it really interesting. I am in the USA, and have been considering moving somewhere else. Seems I have Irish ancestors and have remodeled several houses, moving to Ireland may be a workable option. Thank you very much for giving me this idea. And, of course, I subscribed.

[@thecornerhouseproject]

❤ I blooming love your frankness and honesty! Always look forward to your videos! 😊

[@psychedelicpegasus7587]

Funniest thing I ever heard is when my uncle came home after living in the UK and wanted to do up a house. He went to an auction for a fixer upper and there were only two other people bidding. When the other two bid past his budget he cut his losses and left. In the carpark he was chased... CHASED to his car. The two lads told him he could have the house, and asked how much he would pay. They obviously were hired by the estate agent who thought he could use fake bidders to inflate the price. Can you believe that??? Seems there's cowboys in nearly every profession. Madness!

[@DiaryofaDitchWitch]

That doesn't surprise me one bit unfortunately! 😬

[@serenakeenan6906]

The is so sad

[@aideenm5233]

How long ago was this? You can report them to their governing body and get their licence revoked. PSRA it's called. They're giving everyone a bad name.

[@boboutdoorsireland]

Absolutely loved this, great editing and very humorous..butter vouchers :) :). I too have recently gotten land and a derelict cottage to share with freinds in LEAKY Leitrim. Its funny cause I discovered your channel literally the same week as the land fell into my lap. I look forward to seeing more from you on here, I have only watched three of your vids so far but your little content corner is right up my street and i will get around to checking it all out. I was part of the occupy dame st movement on Dame st back in the day too :)

[@Michael.Moran.33]

Wow amazing video

[@eileencregg6754]

I know you're brilliant and absolutely love how you put it, I love you

[@eileencregg6754]

Yes loves totally still with u, wouldn't have it any other way💚🍀🇮🇪💯💚💯🍀🇮🇪

[@anthonykinneen8443]

Thank you so much for some good advice as everyone else is sending me in mad directions with no benefit. Starting at the start , I have a brain injury after a road traffic accident some years ago. I moved to loughrea co Galway to care for my father (a retired Limerick Garda) before his passing early in 2017. Since then I have had nothing but problems with landlord, social welfare, Gardai and even some of the locals. So now I want to move off grid as I am been driven mad with the constant noise outside my window (traffic, music from pups, delivery trucks, drunks, and the list goes on) and I am paying more than half my disability payments to a greedy landlord. Enough is enough so I want to move to a quieter place somewhere else and with your tips, I think that it will help greatly. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE and I am now subscribed to your channel

[@DiaryofaDitchWitch]

Thank Anthony, hope you get sorted before too long, it's a terrible situation to be in. I have another couple of videos about moving to the countryside on a small budget that might be useful at some point too.

[@lukeeastwood]

We bought a shitehole (empty 20 years) for 50k and after 2 years of fixes it's done. It cost a lot less than buying one ready done and in Kerry there are hundreds of empty houses for one reason or another. The council don't care despite young people being unable to buy homes and workers commuting say to Dingle to work because everyone is doing AirB&B! Grants come at a cost of government snooping on what you do, having to hire expensive contractors and in fact much of it has to be repayed eventually - waste of time IMO

[@stephengrimmer35]

Absolutely. I installed solar panels, well researched, quality panels, inverter and batteries bought online, and installed with the help of my son (and engineer). The cost came in at less than the 'authorized' contractor cost minus any grant 'aid', even if I had paid myself €40/hr for my trouble.

[@pennyrowe9705]

Yes! I am looking forward to your class.💜

[@janissteadman285]

what a brilliant outcome for yer man!!Ive known many who have taken up residence in those empty cottages on the west coast and nobody said a dick bird, the locals were happy to have more people about and more cash coming into the local community. We bought a cottage in Sligo 30yrs ago , on the same lane as one you mentioned in a previous vid, the cottage with 3.5 acres, lavally ballintogher, friends of ours squatted that cottage for a few yrs! Love your videos and wish yous loads of luck with the cottage restoration, yous are pure champs XX

[@DiaryofaDitchWitch]

Fair play Janis, and thank you! That whole comment made my night 😊

[@bardwiththeeternalluck7087]

The last part of what you said is so sweet, Tara. It reminded me why I fell in love with this country in the first place, and why I came here despite the housing disaster.

[@NatureFolklore]

Huge applause !!! Wonderfully researched and presented Tara. Personally, I have seen squatting work very well in the UK, so lovely to get the Irish story as I often wonder, ‘why not here?’. Maybe the ‘notions’ thing still hovers. One huge squatting example now quite forgotten is the popular tourism city of Bath, Somerset with its many house and buildings of unique Georgian architecture. During the late 60s and early 70s the Bath City Council was condemning up to half of those buildings and giving out dereliction orders. But the squatting movement got underway quickly, and while squatting got to work on building issues that was getting the buildings condemned. There was an amazing man, the late Charlie Ware who spearheaded this, who later did similar with old Morris Minor cars that his team rebuilt with 22 year warrantys !!! I remember staying a few days in one squat and Hawkwind played, including Stacey doing her thing. That brough a lot of attention to the campaign, the band, not Stacey. A branch of ‘Release’ moved into town too. This was an organisation of solicitors and lawyers who provided council and defence initially for dope smokers, but squatting took over their work. Your video here reminded me very much of the Release presentations. Again, well done for getting this video out there, and in an incredible clear professional way.

[@DiaryofaDitchWitch]

Thanks John! I've been veey inspired by the squatter's movement in UK for sure. I often wondered 'why not here' too. I spoke with a SF representative about it once who had actually squatted in both UK and Dublin. He told me it was a lot harder to do it here these days. A quick google search of all the cases where the squatters were evicted in the end confirms he was right. But it's not impossible, and that gives me hope.

[@NatureFolklore]

I think it’s very scary how the government seems to delight in more homelessness and more empty buildings, but that’s opening the gates to an angry political thread. I do think movements and gatherings working out together how to squat would be much more powerful than street march style protests or just bullying into empty property. One NAMA protest I liked years ago was a bunch of people who squatted empty NAMA properties to grow fruit and veggies. That seemed to work well for while. Does not deal with homelessness, but handles another essential community matter.

[@HHHarmony777]

Great video …. Informative and entertaining delivery!!! ✨✨✨

[@stefanjakubowski8222]

Same here in the states, we have people that buy houses and "renovate " and flip them I watched one house that was left empty for years, get a superficial make over and sell for hundreds of dollars, then left empty again, as I watched they "renovate" they kept a rotten corner in place and just put siding over it And we have empty houses with corporations and foreign owners that don't pay taxes and get away, while older people and low income people get pushed out of their homes to be bought up by wealthy investors Housing prices have tripled in our area in 2 years

[@pennyrowe9705]

There is a huge housing problem in the US too, along with a huge homeless problem. The government won't help because of capitalistic greed.

[@betsysutton13]

Love your videos! Always look forward to when you give us new ones. Thx!

[@DiaryofaDitchWitch]

Thanks Betsy!

[@greendragonpublishing]

I would LOVE to buy one of those cottages... but I need to get a company to sponsor me for a work permit first, so I can move there! (Yes, I'm sending lots of resumes)

[@dinty66]

Great stuff , amplify the issue &get the skids under the Dept; of Housing . Try to push the concept of housing societies/co-ops for occupation of the Ghosties & CPO.' s for the ones that have just been abandoned !! I love Lietrim BTW !!

[@DiaryofaDitchWitch]

I love it too! 😀 Thank you, yes hopefully it'll get a few shares and at the very least it might provide someone some comfort in impossible times to know they're not alone ❤

[@reginafinan2819]

We're currently renovating a cottage that, while not completely derelict, was condemned years ago. Got lucky as it was in the family so didn't have to go through the process of bidding on a place, just the hassle (and cost) of getting it signed over into our names. I had hoped it'd be liveable by Samhain but unfortunately everything moves so slowly and it's all stalled currently while waiting on the fella to be free to come pour the floors. Honestly I'm getting sorely tempted to start mixing concrete and have a whack at it myself. 😅 *Edit: just noticed I'd written flours instead of floors!!! 😅😅

[@DiaryofaDitchWitch]

I feel ya Regina. We had planned to repoint this summer and apply for the grant. But by the time we got the site ready it was too late to organise, and then someone pointed out that if we want the grant we shouldn't start doing work. Bleurgh. Timing is very frustrating 😅

[@reginafinan2819]

@@DiaryofaDitchWitch Oh gods yeah! These grants are wreckin' my head. There's so many caveats attached to them. Kinda feel like that might be why only 4 have be successful to date on the one you mentioned.

[@bergannon6585]

Elections coming up this year, you'd get my vote for Minister of Housing 😊👍 Another brilliant informative video.

[@DiaryofaDitchWitch]

I feel like they have traps to prevent people like me from getting anywhere near a government building 😅

[@colinmcgee5931]

What are the green covered books behind you? They look like a set of Dickens titles my dad used to have.

[@DiaryofaDitchWitch]

Bingo!

[@kategreen-adarkcarnival6747]

Very well said Tara!

[@anthonykinneen8443]

Can you please give me as much advice as possible in regards to obtaining an abandoned house in Ireland

[@taralambert9343]

You're wonderful! Blessings to you

[@christinaplaisted9563]

Glad I found this beautiful ladies videos ,❤❤❤❤❤

[@witchyvicar]

I feel this. I keep seeing people grumbling about housing in Ireland, and my wife and I (we're buying in Roscommon Co.) were like "Huh?" because there's so much property in rural Ireland that's pretty reasonable.

[@DiaryofaDitchWitch]

I suppose it's how inaccessible they are to the average person. It's a very frustrating and stressful situation to be in - so many houses and you start to feel like you just don't deserve one, or it's just too far out of your reach.

[@witchyvicar]

@@DiaryofaDitchWitch yeah.. for sure… and like you said, it’s a much bigger problem than just availability… it’s systemic

[@kneeneart3208]

As well, for example, my family have been born and bred in Dublin for generations. I've got lots of family there. My Ma was the first to move out, to Kildare, cos Dublin was too expensive. My bro works in Dublin but has bought a house in Meath (getting further away). Leaving families and communities behind is a big deal. Nevermind the difference between living urban vs rural. I live overseas and went back home for a while after my partner's death, thought about staying, but the fact that I'd only be able to afford to live the opposite end of the country to my family made it redundant and I left again.

[@jennifermaceachern2155]

Oh girl your a riot. If your not doing comedy expand your wings 🎉🎉😂

[@jimjohandes]

Hilariously informative. Wonderful!!! Jim in California

[@DiaryofaDitchWitch]

Thanks Jim!

[@hattyflame3889]

Your a brave soul Tara,good for you !!🙏💗👏

[@eileencregg6754]

Hi love I've been checking out the Brehon Academy, just wondering what you think about that? I did also sign up for Herb Magic on Pagan school, so long as can pick it back up because my phone stopped working had to get new one. Can I still use the class as I can? I just lost my partner of 30yrs , me and my son are still working through the things we have to take care of. I was at hospital for 12 days and rushed over to Hospice 10/15/2023 family made it that day. Everyone left at , 10:30pm. At 12:30 am 10/16/23 he passed with his hand in mine. Still a mess, and my health is physically fading with now my heart💔. I will look for your reply and much approve in myself..w/ love Eileen 👀💯💚🍀🍀🇮🇪💯💔💔💚

[@DiaryofaDitchWitch]

Oh Eileen I'm so so sorry to hear that. May gods rest their soul, agus ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam. Take it easy. Look after yourself. I will light a candle for you both. For what it's worth I don't rate the Brehon Law Academy, and am working hard to produce my own classes in Brehon Law x

[@eileencregg6754]

So want to come meet you, because you remind alot of my explanation of life to my kids and some people very few but along the same principles....

[@anntennyson2493]

Love your lamp.

[@DiaryofaDitchWitch]

Buy and sell, thanks Ann!

[@Larry-j2y]

Hello from Texas USA. I live in Farmersville Tx.

[@ajarms86]

What a fucking class video!! Absolutely brilliant! 👏👏👏 ps adverse possession is a real legal process q

[@kendall7041]

I'm gonna want that treason video asap Tara!

[@harpress]

yass, we wan't the Tara Tine Treason Tale!

[@LeeCurrid]

I wonder if you'd be able to track down William Tuohy , would make for a very interesting interview a decade after and how it all panned out!

[@DiaryofaDitchWitch]

I would love to talk to him Lee, but I'm also keenly aware how the public attention might be a negative thing for him too, and I wouldn't want to take the chance. If he were to approach me in an effort to speak out and remove the stigma for others I would certainly give him a platform, but from personal experience I can fully empathise with not wanting to volunteer for that.

[@newfoundland3238]

Kind of suspected what you are saying we were looking to move possibly to Ireland from Connecticut.THe costs and to spend that much money and get aggravated at our age,...hell no!

[@brandyjean7015]

Ha ha ha... I was thinking that a ghost estate was a haunted grand house!

[@greendragonpublishing]

Same! :)

[@jmck6320]

Love your ethos!!

[@DiaryofaDitchWitch]

Thank you!

[@eileencregg6754]

This is exactly what has happened in America since I can remember.

[@HHHarmony777]

Thanks

[@eileencregg6754]

Id think If their was a ghost, sometimes you may find one that wouldn't mind company, neither would I. As long as it's not a politician 👻🍀👀💯💚🍀

[@janechamblesswright119]

GREAT video. Well done, you! I will add something that has always baffled me about empty real estate here. In the states - you pay vast amounts of property taxes. (Our home in NY set us back $18,000 a year - just an small example) If you don’t pay - the local authorities CLAIM your property - and sell it to whoever can pay the back taxes…. Here? Fuck all - it will sit quietly rotting away until the week AFTER Hell freezes over. No consequences. Nobody can claim the property and put it to good use. The local councils should have the right to claim any unused property within a set time period (five years?) - and move it forward into the market of people who are hungry for a home of their own. Maybe even offer assistance to those willing to invest their work and sweat into making it their home? THIS is where the grants should come into play - give with an open hand, and stop slapping folks who want to reclaim the buildings nobody wants. But I digress… Thanks for a terrific analysis of a complex subject.

[@DiaryofaDitchWitch]

Thanks Jane, and I see your point and in theory it's spot on....but there's something about the thoughts of Irish County Councils having the power to claim people's property that I find even more terrifying than the current situation 😅

[@janechamblesswright119]

@@DiaryofaDitchWitch - I see your point. Just an idea - and as somebody who has spent years inquiring about purchasing the land and derelict cottage next door - NOBODY has any accountability. Have been told lie after lie - who owns it? Why is it crumbling away when we would gladly restore it ? Because there are NO consequences for leaving it to rot. I don’t have the answers - but the way it’s currently designed - people who would give ANYTHING to have their own home, must sit quietly by and watch these great old buildings crumble into the dirt. It’s stupid. I hate stupid.

[@nairbvel]

There's a small part of me thinking, "Thank God, we're not the only idiots not letting homeless people do anything for themselves while fat cats sit on perfectly good vacant properties." There's a bigger part of me thinking, "Oh, crap, there are other governments with positions on homelessness as screwed up as mine, we are all doomed." I hadn't heard that the housing crisis in Ireland was *that* bad, but it seems to be a steadily-growing global epidemic. Good luck to all who need it...!

[@phillipstroll7385]

It's very simple. People don't take care of the things they don't have to pay for. It's that simple. Give free housing to the homeless and they'll destroy it. Also, the law. If people live in s place is hard to get them out. Also the law forces owners to go above and beyond to avoid lawsuits.

[@DiaryofaDitchWitch]

As a formeraly homeless person, I find this rather offensive tbh.

[@seanohaimheirgin1047]

I'd say you could get a great deal in Ukraine for land or a house

[@Art-is-craft]

Taking property without knowing who owns the property or what their future plans are is not a good thing. Allow such things to happen and nobodies property will be safe. If people want more property they need to pressure government to deregulate the planning process.

[@DiaryofaDitchWitch]

First off, who suggested taking a property without knowing who owns it? Secondly, suggesting that people who are homeless or in danger of becoming homeless should somehow organise and start a long and arduous campaign of political lobbying, which may or may not end in more access for people who need housing (which may or may not ultimately include themselves), and which would threaten to bankrupt both the finances and the emotional/psychological stores of the lobbyists, shows a fundamental and profound lack of understanding on your part towards the actual growing endemic problem of unprecedented homelessness amongst working class (and occasionally these days, what we would even call middle class) in Ireland. The man I discussed didn't want MORE property, as you suggested. He wanted *A* home that was stable and solid for his children, amidst the uncertainty of an unprecedented economic crisis. He even offered to pay rent. So with all due respect, you either haven't actually paid much attention to the video, or it's been quite some time since you did a realistic check-in with the very concrete reality that inspired it.

[@Art-is-craft]

@@DiaryofaDitchWitch I am not trying to insult. When a person or group squats there is no way that they can understand who owns the property or why they do not have the property active at that point. They maybe trying to get funds together or may want to sell it in the future. Maybe a business owns it and at some point has a reason for their actions. This housing crisis has been several decades in the making.

[@DiaryofaDitchWitch]

@@Art-is-craft I'm afraid you'd have a long way to go if 'insulting' me is a consideration 😅 You do however seem to be attempting to educate me in things you don't seem to understand particularly well, and I get the distinct feeling you either didn't watch the entire video or you weren't paying close attention. Apologies if I'm wrong, but I have no idea what it is you thinking was lacking in my research tbh.

[@AuraTrimCoMeath]

I had a chat with solicitor. In case of elderly owner is in nursing home, the money from selling goes in full to nursing home. So family sit tight until death. Same with renting such property. Then there is an issue after death, to gather all descendats and reaching agreement. So the houses are never sorted within a family.

[@stephengrimmer35]

The reality is probably a lot more than 20,000.

[@Thomas-pq2qz]

Tara you are the funniest of presenters but I do wonder what the case is here.Either you get others to do up the cottage and land and the income from you tube is the real driver or it’s all just the usual driftwood from your country. I worked with a chap from your part of the planet and in the talk of day he once said he had built a grand house on a plot of land not too far from the capital.Not too strange a possibility! However some time later he had forgotten the lie and it resulted in the embarrassment of the person.I recall thinking [WTF can you believe]

[@atropa42]

Not sure about this, but I think the corruption stats are the other way round, ie high score = least corrupt. That would make IE the 8th least corrupt state in Europe. Have a look at this: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption_Perceptions_Index

[@Shivnio]

Came here to say the exact same thing 😁

[@DiaryofaDitchWitch]

Thanks for the correction! I must have missed a footnote somewhere....but now I'm slightly horrified at how much worse it must be in the rest of Europe if we're the 8th best! 😱

[@atropa42]

@@DiaryofaDitchWitch Well, it's only perceived corruption, and public sector rather than governments. But I imagine it's hard to gauge. Russia coming first (last) does make sense tho!

[@arbicuswoo]

@@DiaryofaDitchWitch Sorry, I just left a comment correcting you about the corruption index before I saw this. 🙂