Generation Rent: ‘I’m 45 now – if something doesn’t change, I will be 65 and still renting’

When I was in my 20s and even 30s, I thought I would be well settled with a lovely house of my own at this stage – but, unless my family decides to move out of Dublin to a county where prices have not soared in the last decade, it’s not looking likely anytime soon.

It is not because our combined monthly income is low.

Considering average salaries, myself and my husband are doing fine, even quite well, but when we take into account what the bank will lend us against prices, well, we are dreaming.

We are renting in Dublin 6. OK it’s fierce pricey to buy here, but we are very flexible as to where we would settle in Dublin – yet a decent-sized family home is far out of our range.

House prices are insane. There is a two-bed cottage in Dublin 8 we could afford, at a stretch, but as a family of six that’s going pure Angela’s Ashes style.

I look around at neighbours and friends who have bought and it strikes me that, even for professionals with two sizeable incomes, many have had their folks helping them out.

Mortgage rules were tightened since the financial crisis – with the result that unless you are earning a very good salary, have sold a business or have the bank of mum and dad offering a leg up, it’s difficult to buy a family home in Dublin anyway.

Unfortunately we are both from large families, so the bank of mummy and daddy is not a runner.

We are lucky we are renting a lovely house and have lovely landlords – an Irish family living abroad.

But we live in terror of them returning. I’m not sure what will happen then.

And there do seem to be a lot of Irish people I know moving back to Ireland after Covid, including my brother and brother-in-law.

And they have cash to splash on houses, which might also be helping to push prices up.

However, people are starting to say prices will fall.

I really hope so – even though I would feel sorry for those who may suffer negative equity.

In the last crash, I kicked myself; we had a deposit and could have bought, but we were living abroad and put it off.

The same houses we considered then are 50pc more expensive now.

I tell myself not to think, ‘What if?’ but it would be so lovely to own a home.

To be able to tell the kids we won’t be moving again.

If something does not change, I’ll be 65 and we will still be renting – it’s crazy.

Hopefully by then my kids will be successful and might buy me a house.

That’s my hope these days – the reverse of a dig-out from the bank of mum and dad.

It’s depressing renting when you are in your 40s.