Step Four: Get serious about the budget and effort These historic properties are listed monuments that require significant approvals for any work. We understood that (it was emphasized by everyone), but could not predict out own experience. During the three years of looking, we compiled various conceptual budgets and comparisons. When we went back to Sigginstown in January 2016, we met several professionals (Emmet Stafford & Catherine McLoughlin, John Creed, Richard Browne) on site to talk about feasibility. Once there was agreement that the tower and attached house were structurally sound (despite having no roof or floors), we discussed various approaches to making the attached house habitable. It was difficult to get any real idea of cost without drawings. Several people we met said "budget a million". Since that was not an option, we met with our financial advisor to see if we could afford a conceptual amount with purchase price and also contingency. Gordon refused to live on cat food in his old age due to this project. We decided to live in a big empty box versus extend ourselves too much! Our budget forced us to be very creative about approach and to take our time. Since this was a major project, probably the biggest in our life outside of having children, we needed a plan. Liz is a project manager so we created a 20 page scope document that outlined our intent. Although the document continued to evolve it was essential to weigh out the risks, potential costs and figure out how we would tackle each phase. We decided that Gordon would go to Ireland during the spring and summer to handle construction, and Liz would manage the paperwork and project remotely as much as possible while continuing to work. We intended to do less critical tasks and repetative ourselves. Step Five: Understand the Legal Process. Once we decided to go ahead and make an offer, we needed legal advice. Bena and Helen referred us to Maggie Mulpeter in Cork who had arranged another castle purchase. Maggie was great and helped us understand the Irish process. She also handled our payments to various people as we did not have a bank account yet in Ireland. We first made an offer via the auctioneer, and after some haggling we settled on a nominal agreement and sent in a 5% deposit. Maggie did the title search and Engineer John Creed reviewed the boundary lines. The map had to be redone and a few other things. During this time Monica Walsh provided us Irish tax advice since we were new to VAT, income tax and various other relief situations. We also had to apply for Irish Personal Public Service (PPS) numbers, in order to register our property. The paperwork was a little confusing at first but once we contacted the PPS office by phone and told them we lived in the US, they were very helpful and we sent in the forms remotely. By early May of 2016 we decided that we had planned and investigated all we could, so sent in the other 5% deposit and signed the contract which was then binding. Step Six: Closing the Deal. After we sent in the second deposit, signed contract and PPS numbers to Maggie, we transferred over the remaining purchase amount and fees. Maggie concluded the remaining paperwork with the seller's solicitor and auctioneer. The whole transaction was done remotely. We did not have to be present and it was a bit anti-climactic knowing we had bought the property but nothing really changed (except seeing our bank account diminish!). We announced our crazy project with the beautiful photo taken by Michael Carroll which Liz had found on the internet and carried around on her phone for a few years!