Thirtysomething Newstalk 106 presenter Orla Barry has been renting for 12 years and has managed to change address 10 or 11 times in that period.
"Location is a prime consideration for me. I want to be within a 20-minute walk of work and am happy to live anywhere within the canals."
As a singleton her social life is important to her. "The idea of trying to get home to the city limits after a night out is something I'm not prepared to do at this stage in my life."
Barry lives in a house in Ranelagh, which she shares with five others. "Although it's a big property you never get the place to yourself, which is one of the reasons I'm going to move out and into an apartment on my own. I need my own space."
There is an absolute stigma attached to renting, says Barry. "My parents look at me in horror when I tell them that I plan to continue renting. "They're not wrong to go mad. It is money down the drain but it is the option that works best for me.
"I'm the last of the Mohicans, the last of my group of friends that remains renting although I think my parents would prefer me to give them a day out than get on the property ladder.
"I'm renting through necessity but at this stage my social life is very important to me and I'm loth to have to compromise it to accommodate my property desires."
PROS: Location, location, location - I get to live exactly where I want.
CONS: No security of tenure.
