DEIRDRE CAREY
RICHARD DOWLING & AMY MARAH
Deirdre Carey felt she was just working to pay her rent before she was selected for Cork’s first cost rental scheme at Lancaster Gate in the city centre. “I genuinely didn’t know such a scheme existed until I read an article about it in the ‘Irish Examiner’ and showed it to my friend. Then I suddenly thought ‘why am I not applying myself?’.” Working in hospital administration, she filled out the eligibility forms and was one of the 73 people who were selected from an audited random selection Now renting a two-bedroom apartment, she pays €561 rent every fortnight (45% below current local rental rates) and that includes waste collection and bike storage. The Western Road premises is managed by Clúid, whom she can’t speak highly enough of. “Genuinely, any issue that I’ve had, they’ve addressed it”.
After being repeatedly outbid in their attempts to buy a first home, Richard Dowling and Amy Marah had resigned themselves to another bout of ‘hardcore saving’ when friends mentioned that a new development near Amy’s family home included an affordable housing scheme in association with Cork City Council. Some online research on corkcity.ie revealed the two 31-year-olds met the eligibility criteria and in January 2023, the engineer and dental receptionist applied - via an online portal - for homes at Crann Darach, Montenotte. A month later they were informed they were successful and last October, they were handed keys to an A-rated new three bed semi-detached home. “We love the house. It’s toasty thanks to air to water heating and has amazing views of Blackrock Castle, Passage West and Cobh. Also, we both work in town and can walk to work in half an hour. We’d really encourage people to look out for affordable housing schemes as they’re a brilliant opportunity to get your first home in a very difficult housing market”.
“You couldn’t get a better location. I can walk to Fitzgerald’s Park, to the English Market, to Marina Market. You really couldn’t fault this place, she said.
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