1,500 made homeless as repossessions increase by 80%

Home repossessions rose by a massive 80% in 2015 with an extra 1,500 people declaring themselves homeless across the country, according to the Peter McVerry Trust.

Some 758 repossession orders were granted by the Irish court service for the first nine months of 2015. And there was a total of 1,088 repossessions occurring over the same period.

Other types of repossessions recorded included buy-to-lets, as well as unknown properties.

Cork had the highest number of primary home repossessions by a distance, with 112 compared to 86 in Dublin and 56 in Laois.

Peter McVerry Trust CEO, Pat Doyle, said that victims of these repossessions are set to become the latest group of people to be homeless.

Mortgage arrears is an issue that has been regularly highlighted, said Mr Doyle.

The signs are there to suggest that repossessions by financial institutions are leading to increasing numbers of sitting tenants being evicted into homelessness.

The repossessed homes and rental units are then left empty until such time as the financial institutions see fit to make use of them.

This practice goes unchallenged, despite the most acute housing shortage on record and ever increasing homelessness.

David Hall, of the Irish Mortgage Holders Organisation, told the Irish Independent that the eviction process is currently having a tortuous effect on many families.

There are 17,000 people in the courts who are at risk of losing their homes, Mr Hall said.

Theres a slow, sluggish process through the courts and a significant delay in a lot of cases. Many are saying thats down to a low number of repossessions.

We have had a low number of repossessions, but the banks are not taking these court cases for the craic. Each of those are a tortuous and stressful experience for the family, he added.

The McVerry Trust states that only four counties Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick have more than 100 people declared as homeless.

Therefore, it insists that 100 housing units, or fewer in the remaining 22 counties, would solve the homeless crisis in those areas.

Mr Doyle said that there is no chance of long-term homelessness being eliminated in 2016, with yesterday being three years to the day since the homelessness policy statement.

While there has been an increase in funding for homeless services, he said it is only going into emergency accommodation.

The overall homeless figure continues to rise despite a record number of people leaving homelessness in 2015.

In fact, even though an estimated 2,000 people left homelessness last year, there were still 5,400 people homeless at the year end a net increase of 1,500 people, Mr Doyle said.

This points to a huge number of people becoming homeless, which is fundamentally undermining efforts to end long-term homelessness and the need to sleep rough.

The majority of those new homeless presentations continue to come from people being forced to exit the private rental market.

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Moo Cow Monday - Number 3 Cow

WARNING!

Graphic Photo

We had to get in one of our favorite cows.

Number 3 is the first cow to the truck!

She is normally the one to stick her head in the window to say HI!

She had to be penned because she had a hurt foot.

She knocked it or scraped it on something, and possibly got a splinter.

We noticed a bit of oozing from her pastern and thought it best to get her into the chute to take a closer look.

The injury didn't appear to be a major issue.

Flower Boy squeezed the gunk out of the wound.

The wound was like a pimple.

Once popped, the swelling was down and she was back to normal.

Iodine was applied to the affected area.

She was also given a shot of antibiotics, to prevent further infection.

The cow never appeared to be injured or in pain.

She never walked with a limp or favored the foot in anyway.

Our thought was to leave her in the pen for observation and return her to pasture the next day.

The next day, SHE WAS GONE!

She had broken out of the pen!

She actually broke through the cables of the pen.

This is not the photo of the break out area, but it is very close to what it looks like.

The hunt was on!

We searched the roads.

There was no sign of her.

We searched the creek.

There was no sign of her.

We talked to neighbors.

There was no sign of her.

We sent out messaged to surrounding cattle owners.

There was no sign of her.

The next morning, Flower Boy saddled Charlie Horse.

There was only one place she could have gone.

She had to be in the pasture south of the house.

You know...

The one where the fire was a few weeks back.

The cows are due to start calving, February 26th.

It was possible that the stress of gathering her, penning her, placing her in the chute, and doctoring her foot, she could calve early.

Since cows like to hide when they give birth, the pasture south of the house was a likely hiding spot for her.

After a long hard ride, in extreme south winds, there was still no sign of number 3 cow!

Flower Boy did find a few tracks but nothing that assured us she was there.

The next morning, the girls and I made a 2.54 mile hike into and around the pasture!

We happened upon fresh tracks!

COW TRACTS!

But still no sight of number 3!

Later that evening, when the wind died down, we entered the south side of the mile section, onto another property owner.

With their permission, we drove the property line and honked the horn.

Normally, if any of the cows hear the feed truck horn and the sound of the truck, they come running.

After about an hour of honking, more walking, and driving the property line, still no sign of number 3 cow!

We went on to do the other chores, with the thought that on our way back to the house, we would stop in another neighbors pasture and try honking at the west fence line.

I place a text to Cathy, the other property owner...

"Hey there! Is it possible for us to go into your pasture and attempt to call up the cow? We still haven't seen her."

Cathy:

"Sure thing!"

She provided directions through the pasture down to her south gate.

We had looked in her pasture the day before, but hadn't driven through the south gate.

As we drove through Cathy's pasture, I told Flower Boy, "STOP!"

"I think that is number 3 coming behind us!"

When you spend the amount of time we do with the cattle, you tend to know their walk.

Sure enough!

Here she came!

Nose in the cake spout and head at the window!

She had somehow crossed the fence and mated up with Cathy's cattle.

Such a relief to know she was safe!

Yesterday morning, we called all the cattle to Cathy's catch pen, and number 3 cow was returned to her herd!

The search was over!

XOXO,

Rancher Girl

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Book Review - What Alice Forgot

I fell in love with Liane Moriarty when I read Big Little Lies back in 2014. In fact, I loved that book so much that while I wanted to jump in and read everything she'd ever written, I was also afraid to read any of her other books for surely there would be no way any of them could measure up to that one. Does that ever happen to you? Do you read a book by an author that you fall in love with and then get nervous to read their other books? It's like when an author has packaged something up so perfectly that you simultaneously want to devour everything they've written but are also skeptical that anything could be as great as the first one you read.

Okay, enough with my crazy book reading antics. I finally did it. I heard some chatter that What Alice Forgot was in movie production and that Jennifer Aniston would be starring in it which caused my curiosity to outgrow my fear.

And boy did Liane deliver. Yes, we're on a first name basis now. YOU GUYS, this one was soooo good! It took me a while to get going. The first chapter or two didn't totally grab me, but then the story really took off from there.

Brief synopsis - Alice is in a spin class and falls over and bonks her head HARD. (Which by the way is one of my biggest fears, which is exactly why I've only ever taken three spin classes in my entire life. This may be why it took me a chapter or two to dive in........worst fears realized in the first few pages....but I digress.....) She comes to and is carried away to the hospital where it soon becomes very clear that she's basically forgotten the last 10 years of her life. That's one serious concussion! She thinks she's newly married to the love of her life and 29......turns out she's actually 39, has three kids and is getting divorced. How do you forget going through child birth three times?! Anyhow, the whole of the story is Alice figuring out how she got to where she is now in life and whether or not remembering the last decade will be a good thing or a bad thing.

I really loved this story. It was thought provoking, heart warming and witty; a combination that Liane does so well. And it makes you realize how trivial we can be as we live out our daily lives. If you'd forgotten the last 10 years of your life would you be surprised at where you are in life now.......would you be surprised at who you'd become?

I myself am currently in this middle stage of life......and I'm finding that there are so many books, movies, television shows painting images of "this is 40"......... "this is marriage and divorce after 10, 15, 20 years........after 2, 3 kids" and so often they portray life at this stage of the game in a hilarious, yet totally depressing way.........but this book.........while it paints a very real picture; it's interesting and at times a bit gut wrenching, but I didn't find it depressing in the least. I thought it was refreshing.

And I really hope Jennifer Aniston plays Alice. She'd be perfect!

Are you a Liane Moriarty fan? Which of her books should I read next.....The Husband's Secret or The Last Anniversary?

How can we curb the cost of living to help people feel a recovery?

This day next week the country will go to the polls to elect a new Government.

For the last few months and most certainly in the seven days ahead, we'll hear all sorts of promises most of which will involve allegedly putting money back in our pockets.

Everyone should be a little better off already based on the gains from last year's Budget, with the level of USC reduced on wages since January and the minimum wage increased ever so slightly.

However, those slight gains are little good when the cost of living is going through the roof.

According to the Consumers' Association of Ireland families are being devastated by rip-off rises in the cost of living that means, for a lot of people, there financial situation is set to be worse in 2016 than it was last year.

Amongst the rises include a 30% surge in car insurance over the past year, a 7% increase in home insurance premiums and a 2% increase on health insurance plans.

Those renting have also endured an average hike of 8%, putting a further dent in the hopes of saving for a mortgage deposit, while education costs, most notably at third level, have also increased.

Dermot Jewell of the Consumers' Association of Ireland said that much of the population continues to struggle with rising costs which are "working against families."

That means that talk of recovery by the Government is not really being felt at all in people's pockets.

"The cost of living is rising, there is no question," said Jewell.

"People are not necessarily better off at all. I hate to be miserable about it, but these are not good signs from January as to what will happen with the cost of living over the next six months."

The figures show a widening chasm between home owners and private renters as the costs of private rents continued to climb. Private rents soared in the year, while mortgage interest costs have fallen 7.3%.

The huge housing costs chasm will likely widen further if new ECB measures widely expected next month were to keep mortgage costs here lower for longer.

Despite the entire hospitality industry being handed a special Vat cut in recent budgets, restaurant bills and hotel prices also continue to go up.

Mr Jewell said consumers believe that they are "being ripped off again", with price hikes eroding any benefits people might receive in their pay packet.

So with the election on the horizon we ask you:

• Have you seen your economic situation improved?


• Are you struggling to pay basic bills?


• Will the extra money in your pay packet or the hikes in bills effect how you vote next week?

Have your say below...

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trip report - San Antonio

Last Friday the hubs and I headed out on a little two night getaway to San Antonio. He won a trip through his job whereby he was awarded two free domestic airline tickets and a two night stay at any Hyatt hotel. Valentine's Day weekend seemed like a great time to take advantage of his trip award, and so we chose San Antonio based on two things. 1. We could easily fly there from Charleston, SC without too much time spent in traveling and 2. Neither of us had ever been there. Oh and I also requested a warm destination. I didn't want to risk getting caught in a snow storm somewhere, and I'm just not a huge fan of freezing temperatures.

San Antonio did not disappoint. What a cool city! I really loved it and would love to go back with the kids sometime.

What we did?

We stayed at the Grand Hyatt which has a nice bar area and rooftop pool, plus is right in the middle of everything which makes it easy to get around on foot. We opted not to rent a car and instead used Uber to taxi around when needed. Mostly we just walked. The weather was perfect! Nice and warm during the day and slightly cooler at night. We spent quite a bit of time at the River Walk and did a boat tour.

I love that my hub doesn't even think twice when I stop to take a picture of a staircase. He's like of course she wants to wait until there is no one near so she grab a shot. I mean, that picture would make a great addition to a gallery wall. This is clearly what he's thinking when he stands around waiting ever so patiently. ;)

But really, how beautiful is that staircase?!

We stopped in the historic arts village just off the River Walk and did a little shopping.

I really loved this little area. There are so many cool shops with mostly handmade goods. I especially loved B & C Leather Designs & Unique Finds. Every thing they sell is handmade and most jewelry pieces are made on site. I brought home a really cool leather cuff for my mom as Valentine gift and thank you for taking such great care of the kiddos. The cuff was made from vintage leather and hand painted.

We visited the Alamo. What an experience that was.

We also popped over to the Imax theater and watched the 50 minute Alamo movie. The hubs had never been to an Imax theater, so late that night we went back to see a 10 o'clock showing of Deadpool. Ryan Reynolds on that large of a screen? The answer is yes. every. time. ;)

Where we ate?

Crazy thing is we didn't eat any Mexican food at all! Crazy! I know! We did try. Many of you on Instagram recommended Mi Tierra's, and we had planned to eat there one night; but they don't take reservations and when we arrived it was an hour and 45 minute wait! For Mexican food?! Must be some seriously good food! But we just couldn't wait that long..........Ryan Reynolds was waiting for me. ;) So we walked around the area for a bit then moved on to something else.

The hubs and I both LOVED Biga on the Banks, on the River Walk. The menu changes daily. They had no problem at all catering to gluten free concerns, and everything we ordered was ridiculously good.

We sat outside overlooking the river and enjoyed a nice, quite view with our meal.

I realize this dessert may not look that great in this night time photo, but this here is a mojito souffle; and it was so different from anything I've ever had before and really, really good. The hubs and I shared one, but I kind of wished I had ordered one of my own. ;) It's not too often that a restaurant offers anything gluten free on their dessert menu, so this was really a treat.

I could have drank that mojito sauce. For realz.

We did a little google search for gluten free food in San Antonio and Max's Wine Dive came up as offering gluten free fried chicken. So duh, we had to try it right?! They have a fantastic brunch menu!

And the gluten free fried chicken did not disappoint......and neither did that chipotle honey. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

We also big time loved Ocho at Hotel Havana which had a Cuban flair. The restaurant itself is just gorgeous and the food was really good!

I'll tried to fit that table and chairs in my suitcase. #hearteyes

We basically loved everything about this place so much that the hubs and I have decided if we make a return trip we want to stay at Hotel Havana. It's gorgeous and designed so, so beautifully! You really need to go check it out online. My photos hardly do this place justice.

All in all we had a great little two night stay in this beautiful city! But really spending one on one time with this guy is always special no matter what city we're in, and I hope I never take our time together for granted.

Happy Weekend friends. I'm excited for a weekend at home. And I foresee an all day pajama day in my near future. Do you have any big plans for the weekend?

A quarter of people worried about housing costs

Homeless charity the Simon Community say more and more people are living on the edge of homelessness. Further figures show that 25% of people are worried about being able to afford their own housing costs while over 30% are particularly concerned about increasing rents in the private sector.

Nearly one third of people are worried about the number of people sleeping rough on the street. The figures are released as housing and homelessness continues to be one of the major issues of the election campaign.

Niamh Randall, National Spokesperson for the Simon Communities said it's not surprising that people are concerned about the rising cost of rent and the severe shortage of housing given the current housing crisis and the severe pressure on housing services.

"Data from the Private Residential Tenancies Board demonstrates that rents are continuing to rise at a time when the number of properties available is at an all-time low.

"The Simon Communities see the devastating impact of rising rents and reduced housing supply daily - people and families on low incomes and those in receipt of rent supplement can no longer afford rental payments.

"They cannot access the private rented housing market. They don't have any other housing options. Private rented supply is at the lowest level on record."

"There are at least 90,000 people on the social housing waiting list and by the end of September 2015, Local Authorities had built just 28 homes. The vast majority of private rented properties on the market - 95%, are beyond the reach of people who are in receipt of state support."

Ms Randall said people can help to keep the issue high on the political agenda by asking about housing.

"We are hearing lots of election commitments and promises. We are urging people to ask all candidates what they will do to address the housing and homelessness crisis. It is essential that election commitments translate into meaningful action once the new government is in place.

"It is unforgivable that there are local authority houses and state-owned properties lying empty around the country when there are people sleeping on the street or stuck in emergency accommodation.

"The current system is scandalous where housing remains vacant while maintenance work is undertaken, which can take months to complete. Idle homes won't solve this dilemma.

Cutbacks over the last few years to funding for housing support, for health services, social protection services, education and training services etc., have all contributed to the current crisis."

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Organized kitchen drawers and cupboards

Alright friends. Kitchen organization. Let's do this. :) I've been working on getting my kitchen organized from top to bottom. At some point I'm going to do a post that shows inside every cupboard/drawer in my kitchen - how everything is organized and where everything is located. But that post overwhelms me because it's so [...]

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pros & cons of selling a home without an agent

Since we sold our home in Kentucky last July I've fielded quite a few questions regarding selling a home without a listing agent. Obviously every situation is unique as is every real estate market, but I thought I'd share a few of the pros and cons from my personal experience. Whether you're in the market to sell soon or not I hope you'll find some information here to be helpful.

This was our second house of the 6 we've called home that we sold without using an agent. In this specific situation we didn't have to move but we wanted to; so selling quickly or even selling at all wasn't something that needed to happen. In other words we didn't have to move for a job or for school district concerns.....we hadn't grown out of our home........we loved our house very much.......it just wasn't in Charleston, SC where we've always dreamed of living. So we went for it, we listed our home just to see what would happen and as it turned out in just three weeks from listing day we had a signed sales contract.

We used a flat fee listing agent which cost $300 and enabled us to list our home for sale on the MLS - multiple listing service - (a database used by real estate agents). Because we had done this before we were pretty familiar with all the forms and disclosures we needed to fill out, but the flat fee listing service we used actually walked us through all the paperwork. In addition to prepping our home to get it ready to sell, we did a bunch of overall market research to arrive at a listing price and to see how our home compared to others in the same price range. While we chose not to use an agent to list our home for sale, we made sure to include that we would pay the buyer's agent in the listing.

We chose not to host any open houses at all. I personally think open houses are a giant waste of time and even if we had hired an agent I would have requested that they not schedule any. Call me crazy but I feel like they attract more Curious Georges than actual buyers. But maybe I feel that way because I myself have been known to spend a random Sunday after church going through open houses just for the fun of it. It's way more fun when you're not the homeowner who has opened up your home in hopes that someone will want to make it their own. ;)

PROS to selling without a listing agent?

- One is the most obvious - The cost-benefit of selling without an agent is kind of hard to beat. Instead of paying 6% on the sale of our home; we paid 3% since we only paid the buyer's agent. The 3% we saved by not paying a listing agent helped to pay for our out of state move (which isn't cheap let me tell you!).

- Second - We were in the driver's seat the whole time. Waiting on feedback kills me. And when you're working with a listing agent, chances are you're not their only client. Being in the driver's seat meant that we didn't have to wait too long for information or feedback before or after showings. When a buyer's agent would call to schedule a showing I would ask a few questions about the buyer to see how serious they were and if they were planning to buy with a contingency to sell a home of their own. Not all listing agents will share those kinds of details about all of the potential buyers that come through your home, but I like knowing all of the details. In addition after each showing I personally made follow up calls to see how everything went during the showing and to clarify any questions they might have had. All in all I liked being in control of the marketing strategy and not dealing with an intermediary.

- Third - You don't have to spend any time interviewing agents. Interviewing realtors can be super tiresome. And even if you feel confident in hiring one it doesn't guarantee that you'll be happy with the service he/she provides. We had a bad experience with the realtor who sold our second home. She had a lot of listings at the time....and our little ol' second house wasn't exactly a priority.

CONS?

- Selling your home on your own is a lot of work! And the truth is getting a signed contract is just the beginning....and it takes a lot of effort to just get it to that point. You're prepping your home, than researching and pulling comparisons to arrive at a sales price, writing up the listing, filling out all the paperwork, taking photographs, creating a marketing flyer, scheduling showings, maintaining a clean house (with kids and dogs!), and then hallelujah you get an offer.....but is it an offer you'll accept? Is there a contingency? Are they open to negotiate? Then you arrive at a mutually accepted agreement.....and then there are appraisals and inspections, meanwhile you're packing because hello! you're moving!..........and then there are often more negotiations and possibly a repair list, and again this all happening while you're simultaneously packing, dealing with moving companies (oh hello nightmare) and trying to buy a house because now you need a place to live...........and goodness gracious by the time you get to closing day you feel like you need at least two bottles of champagne to properly celebrate that it's all finally over and done.........Or at least that has been our experience both times we've sold without an agent. So while saving that 3% is great, if you're not up to dealing with all of that than get an agent who will work hard for your benefit. Because if you let the ball drop during negotiations you could completely negate that 3% savings.

- Some buyer's agents will try to take advantage of the fact that you have no representation, so you really need to be well informed.

- Pricing your home right is so key, and a good agent will be able to do that really well. I think it's hard as a homeowner, especially one who has poured a lot of love and hard work into updating a home, to detach yourself from all of that and just look at the numbers. You really have to take a step back and be totally objective. That can be really tough to do though. Having a listing agent walk and talk you through all of that will probably make it a whole lot easier.

All in all, I'm not sure I'd do it again.......but the control freak, numbers cruncher in me would probably jump in again if the time came and the market was right. ;) It's a lot easier to sell by owner when you're in a desirable area and inventory is low. When those tables are turned a good agent is worth their weight in gold. It's a great deal of work and I have a lot of respect for real estate agents who negotiate these stressful situations every day. Whether you choose to work with a listing agent or not I really believe that the most important thing you can do besides pricing your home right is to add good high quality photographs to your listing. Real estate has become such an internet game and good photos help to generate more interested buyers and showings.

What are your thoughts? Have you ever sold a home without a listing agent and lived to tell about it? ;) Any real estate agents out there I'd love to hear your thoughts as well!

Majority of voters want to see review of Central Bank lending rules

A Newstalk/Red C poll released today has found that a majority of Irish voters want to see a review of Central Bank rules.

77% of Irish voters either slightly or strongly agree that "Mortgage regulations should be reviewed to make it easier for buyers to get on the property market or to trade up" - with 56% agreeing strongly, and 22% slightly agreeing.

Mortgage adviser Karl Deeter was in the studio with Pat Kenny this morning to discuss the poll results, and the Central Bank's mortgage rules.

Deeter believes the rules hit first-time buyers the hardest, and he wants to see a finessing of the current rules, whereby reckless lending is still ruled out but larger loans are available to some borrowers, in the right circumstances.

"I'm definitely not in favour of reckless lending, reckless lending is awful. But a first time buyer getting a 90% loan when it's done sensibly is a good thing."

Current rules enable banks to have discretion on lending, lending 15% above 80% of a loan and 20% of loans can be above three times a borrower's income.

This leniency is however taken up by "the best ones," Deeter says. Those with the best jobs and salaries get preferential treatment, he says, with the result that people on the average wage will face a major problem in getting the backing to buy a home.

"Finance discriminates. It always has, it always will," he says.

"If you're a real regular Joe, by that I mean you're earning the average wage in this country, about EUR35,000, and you're looking to buy a house, you're going to have to save up a huge amount while if you're renting in the area paying out an extortionate amount of rent.

"The stringent rules are exacerbated by high prices in the rental market, which act like an unofficial tax," Deeter says.

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instalove #fifthhousegallery

Hey friends and happy Tuesday! The hubs and I had a wonderful weekend in San Antonio. I can't wait to tell you all about our time there! But since the kids were out of school yesterday for the holiday I'm moving a little slow for a Tuesday......because it feels more like a Monday. Cry me a river right?

Anyhow, today I'm officially kicking off an idea I've had swirling around in my head for a while now. I've been thinking of starting a new instagram account for such a long time......you know, because what I need most in my life is more social media......where's the sarcasm font? Anyhow, I've long thought it would be fun to have an account focused on my love of art and gallery walls.

This floral beauty was painted by mom, and I just got it back from the framer's at Hobby Lobby. Unfortunately for me I didn't inherit her art skills, but I did inherit her love of art. I love discovering and sharing new artists! I also love seeing how others use and display art in their homes......nothing adds more personality to a home than art...........hence the birth of FifthHouseGallery. I'll still be posting to my main instagram account OurFifthHouse where I will continue to share design updates at our new house and a bit of life behind the scenes.......

but over at FifthHouseGallery I'll be featuring artists, showcasing vintage art pieces/finds, and sharing ways to display art in your home.

This is where I'd love for you all to join in the fun! Every week I'll be featuring favorites from whatever that week's theme is. This week is all about gallery walls. So show me your gallery walls using #fifthhousegallery for a chance to be featured.

And be sure to follow along with FifthHouseGallery if you love art as much as I do! I'm so excited for this fun new adventure!

Our February tradition.. sharing the LOVE

I hope everyone had a happy Valentine's day today! I'm sharing what our mudroom doors have looked like this week. This was our mudroom locker doors "before." And after. :) For years we have had a fun family tradition of writing love notes to each other on hearts during February. I started this years ago [...]

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Apartment tenants could face big increases in rents next year

Apartment tenants who secured rent freezes last year are set for big headline increases in 2017, according to the state's largest private landlord.

David Ehrlich, chief executive of Ires REIT, told The Sunday Business Post that while his company was precluded by law from hiking rents until next year, the sector was likely to experience significant increases then.

"Under the new regulation where rents will increase every two years, we believe that rents will continue to grow during that period - just that they will not be able to be captured until 2017," he said.

"We believe the rate of growth that we would have had will be reflected in 2017.

"Our ability to generate growth is also driven by strong market fundamentals and the significant supply and demand imbalance in the Dublin housing market."

Ehrlich told analysts on a conference call last week that average monthly rents across Ires' portfolio of 2,065 apartments were up to EUR1,372 at the end of last year, an average annual increase of EUR82 per apartment.

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How to achieve your goals and a to-do list that works

Do you ever have planning sessions? Just for you? For your life? For whatever it is that you're working on.. to help achieve whatever goals you have? I never did. I mean I've always been a list person. And my husband is currently planning our 2017 family vacations before we've even been on our 2016 [...]

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Guest Bedroom - Change of Design Plan

Sometimes in design you start heading down a path and don't get too far when you realize you're just not feeling it at all. At least that's what happens to me sometimes. I'll come up with a design plan I'm excited to execute and then as things start to come together I jump ship because it's not really working the way I had hoped it would. Case in point, my original plan for the guest bedroom.

I thought I wanted to go with a fun, preppy, happy, classic, bright colors vibe, but just as things were starting to come together I found myself less than thrilled with the way things were looking. The bright and cheery colors felt a little too bright and too cheery. I wanted the room to look fun and interesting......but I also want it to feel restful. And the original direction was a bit too overstimulating.....at least I thought it was after it was starting to come together. So rather than forcing myself to keep working on it, I took a long pause and started working on other things until I finally figured out how to correct course. And I'm glad I stepped away rather than pressing on and spending any money on a design plan I wasn't really feeling.

Does any of that sound familiar to you? Do you ever change course and alter your design direction? If so, you're not alone. I think it's perfectly acceptable to change your mind.....it is after all, your house right? So if you find yourself in a place where you're not feeling all together enthusiastic about how things are shaping up in the decorating department. Take a step back. Move on to something else. And I'll bet in the time you've spent doing or thinking about something else inspiration will once again strike.

For our guest bedroom, I started with a clean slate.......a plain white comforter that's soft and textural. And then I fell in love with these suzani embroidered pillows I found at Pottery Barn. They have become the color inspiration for the whole space. I love the more subdued colors and the mix of warm and cool tones. The leopard sheets and floral pillow I already had and they add some interest to the plain white bed. So now, I'm auditioning wall colors and am debating diy'ing or buying a headboard. I ran across an upholstered one I really liked at a local consignment shop, but it was priced a little high and I think I could possibly make one for far less........the thing I need to decide is whether or not I want an upholstered piece or something made of wood. Hmmm.......... thoughts?

There's a great deal left to do in this space. I'm really just getting started, but this time I'm liking where things are headed. I'm using the boy's desk from his old room in here. I found some really cool pulls at HomeGoods which really dressed this little red desk up quite a bit. The ghost chair I already had, and I like that it keeps this desk area from looking too bulky. It takes up less visual space which is great as this is a walkway on the side of the bed. I found the lamp at the Goodwill, and it just so happened to be the perfect shade of blue to play off the blue in the pillows from the bed. Lampshade was a Target find. The plan here is to bring in a mirror over the desk to create a vanity space for guests as the guest bathroom is a bit on the small side.

There's a tall chest of drawers on the other side of the room next to a window. Not much going on over on that side just yet.....but this is a start.

So that's where things are in the guest bedroom. I'm never in a rush to decorate any of my spaces. I find I'm happier with the results when I take my time and follow my instincts......even if that means taking a step back and redirecting from time to time. This new plan isn't completely different from the original......just a little more soothing in the color department and not so in your face. And I like this new direction much better and am excited to keep working on this room!

AIB set to waive fees for existing mortgage customers

AIB is set to announce that it will waive banking fees on current accounts for its existing mortgage customers as long as they pay their home loan by direct debit.

The move comes months after the state-owned bank said it would not charge current account fees for new mortgage customers who open a current account and make payments by direct debit.

According to the report in today's Irish Independent, it is expected to benefit around 90,000 customers and could see them saving up to EUR100 a year each.

Customers are due to get letters next week, telling them about the new move to waive maintenance and transactions fees.

The 'no-fees' benefit is now being extended to existing mortgage customers after being made available to new home mortgage customers in September of last year.

The new offer does not apply to EBS mortgage customers who have an AIB current account. But EBS interest rates are slightly lower than the AIB ones.

AIB was one of the few banks here to respond to Michael Noonan's last July deadline to reduce variable rates.

It has made three cuts to its standard variable rate and loan-to-value (LTV) mortgage rates for its owner-occupier customers over the last 16 months.

The bank said the savings on current accounts and the three mortgage rate cuts would save a couple with a EUR250,000 mortgage over 30 years around EUR33,000 in repayments over the lifetime of the mortgage.

AIB's head of mortgage business, Ken Burke, said: "This benefit is positive news for our home mortgage customers and a further example of AIB's commitment to support our customers throughout their mortgage lifetime. We are offering both new and existing customers real, long-term value if they have a mortgage with AIB."

The post AIB set to waive fees for existing mortgage customers appeared first on MyHome.ie Advice & Blog.

Campaign running to force banks to lower interest rates

One of the ongoing issues in relation to the property market is the disparity in interest rates that homeowners are paying.

Leaving aside the tracker versus variable/fixed argument, Irish homeowners are still paying far more than their European counterparts.

Around 300,000 families nationwide are on variable rates, which see them paying up to EUR4,000 extra a year on a EUR200,000 mortgage compared with the average in the Eurozone.

Recently a campaign was launched called One Big Switch aimed at closing this gap.

The consumer powerhouse are attempting to secure mortgage savings by hammering out better deals from lenders.

A recent survey from them found that mortgage repayments were forcing nearly half of all homeowners to cut out holidays and socialising, while a further 18% were forced to work overtime to meet their repayments.

Co-founder of One Big Switch Oliver Tattan said he is hopeful that their campaign can lead to savings.

He said: "We put that collective together and use people power, a big community, and go round to the different banks and say, 'Here's the cohort we have, can you step up and give us the best offer you can?'

"We're in the depths of negotiations. Mostly what happens is we get an offer, sometimes the offer beats the market and sometimes significantly so.

"We're certainly seeing interest from the providers."

One Big Switch is hopeful of putting an offer on the table within weeks from a bank prepared to take on thousands of customers' home loans.

The deal is better than what they're being offered now and the target is to get 10,000 householders on board.

If each one has an average mortgage of EUR270,000, that's EUR2.7billion worth of business to a bank prepared to cut interest rates.

Speaking about his firm's online survey of 7,000 homeowners, Mr Tattan said: "It found over 40% of Irish households have worked longer and taken fewer holidays to pay high mortgage costs.

"The respondents were asked to nominate what sacrifices they have made to help meet the high cost of mortgage repayments in Ireland. The results showed 18% worked extra hours, 25% took 'fewer' or 'no' holidays and 19% socialised with their friends and family less.

"The results of the survey yet again point to the growing social, as well as financial costs, of the relatively high price Irish consumers are paying for their mortgage.

"Recent Central Bank figures show the average interest rate for a new loan in Ireland is 3.38%, significantly higher than the European average of 2.02%.

"Over the life of a mortgage, this Irish interest rate gap could cost many consumers tens of thousand of euros."

Mr Tattan said the research was a reminder of the real costs of high mortgage rates here.

He added: "It's not just pressure on the household budget, it's also pressure on the family unit because it means more time at work and less time to spend with family and friends."

The post Campaign running to force banks to lower interest rates appeared first on MyHome.ie Advice & Blog.

so I married a blogger - an interview with the mr.

Hey friends! Happy Friday! Today I'm participating in a fun blog hop style series with an inspiring group of creative women.......and their significant others. In celebration of Valentine's Day a group of us bloggers have decided to gift burden our husbands with an interview featured on our blogs for Valentine's Day. They were all super thrilled with us. ;) Oh hey honey, I know you have a real job and all.....but I need you to answer these 17 questions for my blog. Cool? Okay, thanks, love you!

So without further adieu.......Let me formally introduce you all to Mr. Fifth House. Well, I guess he should now be referred to as Mr. Sixth House, right? His name is Brad......actually it's Bradley, but only his mom and mine call him that. We met in 1998. He's 7 years my senior......a little known fact I hardly ever let him forget.....I'm totally gracious like that. We got engaged in 1999 and married in 2000. Round numbers make it easy for him to remember how many years we've been married. No honey, it just feels like it's been 30 years......this October we'll celebrate 16 years of wedded bliss.

All joking aside, he's my favorite person. I can't imagine doing life without him. He doesn't complete me; Jesus does.....but it's nothing short of an honor to be his wife. He makes life an adventure in all the best ways possible.


Huge thanks to Claire Brody for organizing this fun interview series and for coming up with all the questions!


1. How involved are you with Carmel's blog?

I usually have an idea of what she is working on. Not that she asks for my opinion......ever. ;)

*Does this mean he wants me to ask for his opinion about blog stuff?

2. How often do you read the blog? Are you an avid reader or do you see enough at home?

Once a week.......but admittedly once I start I will usually read several posts and all the comments.

*Surprised! I didn't know he read that often!

3. How much time does Carmel spend on her blog? What are her hours like?

She spends A LOT of time on it. She will work most of the day while the kids are at school, then a little after they go to bed.

4. Are you the cheap manual labor or is there hired help for that? In other words, does Carmel use you for your handy work?

I'm HORRIBLE around the house, so it is seldom that she asks me. On those rare occasions, it is almost always captured on film, like a bigfoot sighting.

*Ha! This is absolutely accurate! The tools around here are mine. He helps on occasion, but he'd rather poke his eye out than diy anything. For the bog stuff we hire out.

5. Describe Carmel's style.

Chic, but reserved, with a touch of whimsy.

* I. am. speechless. I've never in my life heard him say the word whimsy. I guess he really does read the blog weekly. ;)

6. Describe your style.

A cross between Peter O'Toole, Steve McQueen. Part dapper, part cowboy. As if that were a thing.

*Best description ever! And pretty much spot on.

7. How often does your home change?

It changes daily. Like every. day.

*Didn't realize he noticed.

8. How many different sofas have you had since marrying Carmel?

6?

*Actually, I think the correct answer is 9.

9. How often do you offer decorating advice? Does she consider your opinion?

I offer it.......she considers it.......then does what she planned on doing before I offered it. She thinks I need to leave the 60's.

*Ha! That's not totally true. I just love a good mix of styles. And what is it they say about a happy wife........

10. What's your favorite room in the house? Why?

My office. It's the perfect space for me. Clean lines. Heavy furniture.

*His office in our fifth house was a favorite space of mine as well! All of the same furniture moved into his office in the new house. Though the room is hardly "finished" I'm glad to hear he's already loving his space. His office here won't have those gorgeous floor to ceiling bookcases, so it's going to be a little different design wise but still led by what he loves most - 60's inspired design details.

11. What does it really look like behind the camera?

She is an exquisite homemaker. She keeps a very clean house. Not that it's always clean, but she is usually working to get it back to clean (2 kids, 2 dogs, me).

*Exquisite? Someone's trying to earn brownie points.

12. What is a project you hate but have never voiced (or maybe you have)?

I don't have one. Even the REALLY feminine projects (pink bathroom in house 5) have ended up looking great.

*Again with the brownie points.

13. Do you know Carmel's blogger friends? If so, who's your favorite?

I know of a couple. Freckleschick is my fave. ;)

*Uh, not sure what that winking smile is all about, but she's a favorite of mine as well. :)

14. What's your favorite aspect of Carmel being a blogger? Least favorite?

I like that our house is fun, changing and always looks well designed. My least favorite is reading GOMI and reading derogatory opinions of the sweetest person I know from people that have never met her, but it's kind of hilarious at the same time that they care that much.

*This was the only answer of his I considered editing. For one thing some of y'all may not even know what GOMI is, and second I hate to give any traffic to a site that is primarily dedicated to gossiping and trash talking bloggers. But editing my husband's remarks felt disingenuous. And if that truly is his least favorite part of me being a blogger, than I feel like I should honor his feelings instead of editing them.

GOMI stands for get off my internets. In the forums section of the site people basically post all sorts of less than kind words. I get it, my style isn't for everyone. That being said, not all of the comments about my blBlogThis!