Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Houses in Knightstown, County Kerry Gabriela Avram
Home Sweet Home

We have *some* good news if you're trying to buy a house

But only in certain parts of the country.

HOUSE PRICES FELL in Dublin last month as the cost increases continued their spread outside the capital.

The average property price across the country was 0.5% higher in May and 13.8% more than in the same time in 2014.

But the annual rate of change had slowed from a few months earlier, when prices in Dublin were racing ahead.

The latest property price index from the CSO, which is based on mortgage-backed sales only, showed a 1.1% increase in the cost of houses outside Dublin, compared to a 0.1% fall in the country’s largest city.

CSO1 CSO CSO

More cooling

Property experts have said the change was partially being driven by buyers being pushed into the commuter counties around Dublin as they were priced out of the market.

Apartment prices, particularly in the capital, have had the biggest increases, although they remain over 40% below their peaks at the height of the property bubble.

Houses Sam Boal / Photocall Ireland Sam Boal / Photocall Ireland / Photocall Ireland

Savills research director John McCartney said new Central Bank mortgage rules were having the greatest effect in Dublin and there could be “a further cooling off” after September when people with old approvals had all done their deals.

In the longer term, there could be an offsetting pick-up in investor activity as rising rents are making buy-to-let returns look increasingly more attractive than bank deposits,” he said.

CSO2 CSO CSO

Click here for a larger version

Property price rises have been outstripping average rent hikes over the past year, but a severe lack of homes available to let is expected to keep driving up rental costs.

READ: ‘It’s time the government delivered rent certainty to tenants’ >

READ: The first Irish home builder to go public in 20 years has made a healthy debut >

Your Voice
Readers Comments
15
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.