I don't really have much time for 'actual' real life hobbies, but one thing I have done ever since my very fist internet connection (over 15 years ago) is to surf property websites.
I'm quite specific, I only ever surf Irish property websites like Daft.ie or Propertynews.com . It's a little interest of mine that is easy to fit in to the odd 5-10 minutes when I'm waiting in the card at the school or at an appointment. I love houses. I have always loved wee houses ever since I can remember my mother and I drawing them - we always drew houses with gables and dormer windows when I was small.
I sometimes daydream about having a little cottage by the sea somewhere, it's just a little escapism, but a few years back I had been surfing quite regularly and I could have estimated the price of most properties fairly accurately. - I've lost my edge a little recently, been a tad busy, but I just wanted to share a few of the little gems I found while trawling some sites recently.
Now and again you find the most delicious little out of the way properties - I am hoping that since these are all for sale that the good folks who are selling them won't mind me showing you - I mean, these are all on the relevant internet property sites, I know it's a little voyeuristic, but I'm thinking it's ok... it's not like we are sneaking inside... lol
Isn't this absolutely charming?
Such a view - who would not love this?
Now and again you find a stunning period property.
I love looking at all sorts of houses, sometimes the smallest and most basic are the most charming. I've always been interested in houses and not just for interiors, it's more about location for me. At the moment I live somewhere that's best described as 'handy' but wouldn't it be lovely to live somewhere pretty? Do you live in a pretty area? - I'd love to hear about it!
Stunning homes!
ReplyDeleteMy father had a few hobbies, and he didn't seem to do any half way. One of them was moving and remodeling. We lived in 8 states and two countries (US and Belgium) by the time I went off to college. When we had been in an area for a while, we had the obligatory Sunday Drive and stopped at just about every open house we came across.. I'm living in my 31st residence, I really don't want to move again, but every once in a while I'll hesitate when I see an open house sign. Hesitate, but I don't stop : D. Now if I became suddenly and fabulously wealthy... lol
ah good man! he had the ability to actually act on his thoughts, lol, I'm only able to dream. I have moved only once ever (I don't count leaving my childhood home) and I never want to do it again.. LOL. sounds like an interesting childhood tho!
DeleteToo funny--our family outings when I was a kid was to drive around town and look at houses!!! I'm with you and totally understand!
ReplyDeleteyep I do love a good rummage in some of the lesser known roads also... I always take note when I see a for-sale sign...lol
DeleteI love looking at properties, too. These were so fun to see. Sometimes I go to Google maps and click on the little yellow person in the lower corner and move him and drop him in a city or road and just take a drive looking at the scenery that way.
ReplyDeleteYep that's a fascinating thing to do Sandy - that could become an addiction also...
DeleteLike you, I love taking a peek at homes and my favorite site to escape reality for a few minutes is Hooked on Houses. This particular post caught my eye last week....http://hookedonhouses.net/2015/06/09/faerie-door-cottage-in-wiltshire/ My favorite houses are the small charming ones, the older the better, in faraway lands (I live in the US on the east coast). I love seeing how others live and dream of owning a little cottage located in a breathtaking place but for now I can just dream and enjoy. Thank you for posting these homes; I enjoyed seeing them.
ReplyDeleteOOh I must check that out Izabel - thank you so much for the link! Yep I have a 'thing' for aged properties also...
DeleteClaire I too have a love of homes!!! And especially "cottage-style" country homes with gardens and views. The ones you shared are charming and oh the beautiful views! I took live in a handy area too but I think of retiring to an area with a view.....maybe someday! :)
ReplyDeleteoh yep Jill - it sounds like a plan - It doesn't hurt to dream! :)
DeleteEspecially love the little cottage with the water view. I definitely live somewhere "handy" - a suburb of a very large city. It has its pluses and minuses. But I've created my own little "view" with my garden.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to have green thumbs but I'm afraid my garden is a non-event - it's fairly low maintenance sort of thing, which DH looks after but there's o frills, it's mostly grass and mature trees - I've always thought a wildflower border would be nice though...
DeleteLoved your share of the house pics! I love to look at houses too and would love to someday have a home where I could see the sunsets every night! The house I grew up in had remarkable views of the sunsets, and I'm afraid that I just didn't appreciate them as much as I should have as a teenager!! Where my house is now doesn't have good views, but at least I'm in a small town in the Calif wine country and even if our house is small, we live where other people go to vacation! The ocean is just about 30 miles away, we live in the midst of the Redwood Tree ranges, San Francisco is 60 miles south, and the Sierra Mountains (Tahoe, etc) are only about 3-4 hours away. I can say that I really am blessed to have ended up here!! But one place that is on my bucket list now, thanks to you, is Ireland!! It looks so amazingly charming and beautiful, and I would LOVE to see the ancient buildings that you all have there! Anything old here is about 200 yrs old!! Over in your country that would be a new building!! :-) Have a great week Claire!! Hugs, h
ReplyDeleteOh Helen, yep if it's old you are after, this is the spot. I started out dreaming of castles and was making my way round all the best ones in Ireland, taking pictures - that was back in the day before digital.... I'm gonna have to do it all over again now that digital cameras are the thing...:) Yep - my last house - the kitchen window faced West and watching the sun go down every night made the dishes not such a chore. The house I'm in now runs on a N/S axis and I can't see either the sun up or sun down, but the space is worth it....I do less dishes tho....
DeleteI'm with you on that Claire, I love looking at property too - I love the little thatch! I live in two pretty places. For work purposes during the week we live outside Paris, but in the countryside. So a half hour train ride takes me into the heart of the capital but fields and forests are just outside the door. At weekends we live in our 'proper' house, a beautiful rustic farmhouse surrounded by fields with the best neighbours we have ever had!
ReplyDeleteSounds like Heaven Kate - I'm hoping to travel to France in the next 2 years - sort of half planning a family hol - so don't be surprised if I bend your ear for a good location some of these days!!
DeleteI would be only too happy to help. I know France reasonably well now and know lots of wonderful places to stay. Accommodation here is much cheaper than in the UK. We have stayed in some amazing places for basically very little money - 14th century fortified houses, small manoirs and chateaux always with the most charming hosts. We are off to a cottage next to a beach in Normandie next week. I'm still taking some stamps though!!!!
ReplyDeleteCheers Kate - I will drop you a line nearer the time then - much appreciated!
DeleteWaving hi! :) A little cottage like that looking out on the water would be just dreamy. I'm sure life would be filled with happiness ALWAYS if I lived there! Since I turned my hobby into a business, I've found myself without a hobby, too.Unless you call watching YouTube videos a hobby.. that's how I usually pass my time waiting on the boys. LOL
ReplyDeleteWhat a great hobby! The houses you find in Ireland are much more interesting than the houses I find when checking out my own city (Brisbane), lol!
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