Starter Home Supports Podcast

Tom and Jasmina Mahoney planned to spend just one year living in a cabin in the back garden of Tom's parents' home while they saved to buy a house. Eight years later, they were still there, now with a young son and little hope of finding a home they could afford. Tom had even begun making plans to leaveIreland.
Meanwhile, in Clondalkin, Gemma Giltrap was living at home, working full-time but struggling to find somewhere to rent with her partner. Despite applying for countless viewings, she rarely received a response.
In this episode of the Starter Home Supports Podcast, PatrickHaughey meets Tom, Jasmina and Gemma to hear how they discovered Cost Rental - a government-backed housing support offering eligible renters rents at below market rates and greater long-term security.
They share their experiences of applying, how they navigated the process, and what finally having a secure place to call home has meant to them.
Find out more: For information about Cost Rental, includingeligibility and how to apply, visit gov.ie/starterhomesupports.
The Starter Home Supports Podcast is brought to you by theDepartment of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

For Lareina Kirwan and Ivana Mesaric, owning a home had begun to feel out of reach.

In Tramore, Lareina and her husband Ross were raising three children in a rented home when they discovered that getting the mortgage they needed wasn't going to be straightforward. In Navan, Ivana and her family were facing the uncertainty of having to leave their rented home, with few alternatives available.

Both eventually discovered the Starter Home Purchase Scheme, a support that could help bridge the gap between what they could afford and the cost of a new home.

In this episode of the Starter Home Supports Podcast, Patrick Haughey meets Lareina and Ivana to hear what led them to seek help, how they discovered the support available to them, what applying was really like, and the moments they learned they were finally getting homes of their own. They also share their advice for anyone who finds themselves in the situation they once were.

Find out more about the Starter Home Purchase Scheme at gov.ie/StarterHomeSupports

The Starter Home Supports Podcast is a series from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.