Friday – August 16th, 2024


I’ve found my home in Dublin!


It was an odyssey, to be sure. But let me start back from the beginning…

The Dublin housing market is challenging – that’s the first thing anyone will tell you when you ask about living in Dublin. It’s a constant refrain, with a background as complicated and varied as the options for apartments. From historic issues, to modern politics, to banking issues and even American Prohibition… all leading to apartments and houses that range from beautiful small renovated cottages to soaring skyscrapers with American burger joints in the basement.

I’d been in touch with a relocation company since March, making sure that I would be able to find something in the two weeks that I had a short-term rental for. Back in Brussels, we’d made a short list for placed to see, and we systematically visited as many of them as possible in the first week and a half.

Every place I saw had some compromise – A beautiful modern build was in a location that felt more like LA than Dublin, a gorgeous cottage had a kitchen the size of a thumbtack, an amazing home by the sea was a 45min commute to class… there was always some fairly major issue to overcome. I mean, heck, one place didn’t even have a freezer!

Finally, though, I was able to find a place that worked. The compromise was on price, but thankfully it wasn’t so far out of my original range that it would infringe on my living expenses… and, even better, it had a whole slew of helpful amenities that would help (hopefully) save a few bucks in the long run.

I signed the lease, and moved in.

Here’s a toast! To having a firm home in Europe!