Things that make you go What the F**k?

[Milltown Row2]

https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2025/1119/1544755-property-prices-up-7-6-in-12-months-to-september/

No sign of the bubble bursting yet.

House prices now 23% higher than they were the time of the last crash.

I wonder how house prices in the north compare.
Every now and again I take a look on propertypal and houses seem really expensive. a 4 bed detached is a 350k plus and plenty of them well into the 400k mark.

my kids haven't a hope of getting on the ladder.

Not if the criteria for their first property is a 4 bed detached house.

Not what I was suggesting at all. Only used that to illustrate the house prices.
A quick ProperyPal search for Where I live, anything less that 150K is ex-council property with 1/2 beds that would likely need substantial spend to  renovate. That 150K house will prob finish up costing 180K by the time it's renovated, and even then its a small house.

There are a small number of semi's in the the 180-200K range which look like you move into without much additional spend.
So lets go to the lower range of decent semi @180K. First time buyer so no stamp duty. With a 10K deposit, probably another 3-4K on solicitors and fees, that first time buyer needs about 15k of savings. Then they have a monthly payment of £860 for the mortgage over 30 years.

I'm going to guess a new graduate will be earning 30K ish a year starting out (I'd guess plenty don't get close to this), thats about 2K home/month.
Spend 1K immediately for mortgage & insurance. Then utilities, food, car, etc. That person will have no money left each month.
God forbid they get married or have kids....they'll be on the breadline.
I'd say you need to earn about 40K to be able to comfortably afford a 3 bed semi at 180K. I know plenty of people working a long time who don't earn anywhere close to 40K.

So once again, my kids haven't a hope of getting on the property ladder.

Yeah, bonkers. My daughter and her 2 friends have moved into a shit hole on the Lisburn road area, £550 a month each, that's £1650 rent for a place I wouldn't bring my dogs too incase they got ill!

Getting on the ladder will be impossible unless they get help from........ their parents! That will be the only way they get on that ladder with some help..

We gave the kids money towards an incentive from the government recently, so that if they go for a mortgage they government will give up to £5000..

Yeah if the parents have it! Not that many parents I would suggest have that much disposable cash laying about either.
I've heard something about that incentive, is it a LISA? Basically an ISA for buying a house.

One of my kids is at uni and I'll have 2 more potentially heading that way within the next couple of years. With the cost of rent, I was considering trying to buy so at least when paying out it would be coming off a mortgage rather than lining a landlord's pocket. But, 2nd home or Buy-To-Let makes it even less affordable.

Also the complication of them possibly not all going to the same place so I'd still be fooked. lol.

Yeah it did come up in conversation for a second but then I realised I'd no money lol

[LC]

https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2025/1120/1544996-new-affordable-homes-scheme-launched-in-co-kildare/

An 'affordable' housing development yet 3 bed houses start at €365k....

[Rossfan]

€375k on the open market in Mullingar

https://www.daft.ie/new-home-for-sale/semi-detached-house-ree-ballinderry-gardens-ballinderry-gardens-mullingar-co-westmeath/6288237

[Milltown Row2]

https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2025/1120/1544996-new-affordable-homes-scheme-launched-in-co-kildare/

An 'affordable' housing development yet 3 bed houses start at €365k....

One bedroom apt, 243,000 grand 

f**k it, I'll have two!

[Tony Baloney]

Student Christmas in Belfast.

[Armagh18]

Student Christmas in Belfast.

Seems to be all over the country. Queues outside pubs in Cork since early morning

[Tony Baloney]

Student Christmas in Belfast.

Seems to be all over the country. Queues outside pubs in Cork since early morning

I knew Cork had it and there's always massive queues but there were massive events last night in Telegraph etc. Some money-spinner. The young fella home today feeling sorry for himself after a long day's session!

[Munchie]

Galways was a few weeks back, there's a bridge they all gather under but this year had they had guards patrolling it so no one got down.

[imtommygunn]

The pope catching a tyrone gaa jersey...

[AustinPowers]

The pope catching a tyrone gaa jersey...

He  sensibly threw it away  fairly sharpish . As would any  right thinking person 

[Milltown Row2]

Suicide remains leading cause of death for men under 50 in the North!