Life is grand

I am a foreigner in Ireland, on a yearly work-permit to be exact. Buying a house is easy. All you have to do is have the price in cash and the rest is paper work.

Getting the cash though is another matter. No mortgage provider I have spoken to will loan me something that will take 35 years to repay. I see a bit of logic in it but at the same time I see an opportunity for a mortgage provider willing to back foreigners who plan to live in Ireland.

I should clarify “foreigner”: I am from Africa, South Africa to be precise. Thus something that may work for EU foreign-nationals (e.g. Polish) probably won’t work for me.

My two options are; wait 4 years until I become a citizen and then get a mortgage. Or, go 50/50 with an Irish citizen who I trust since it will be their name on the deed.

Anybody have any other options? Anybody know of a mortgage provider who backs foreigners?

I’ve been sitting on WebTwoZero.com for too long and want to sell it. Has anyone had any luck with eBay or a site like Sedo? I reckon it is worth a few bob.

I had some plans for it but my day time job is going so well I don’t really need to be hassling with side projects.

I must say that after ten years of “Please register” wait screens and dodgy hacks it is nice being able to open a ZIP file with WinZip without any of that. It has taken me far too long to buy a license and give back a little that the great and venerable WinZip has given to me.