26 Things to Know Before Buying Property in Ireland in 2026
House prices are still rising, activity is slowing, and where you buy matters more than ever
23 January 2026 | 📧 editor@ipropertyradio.com
Anyone planning to buy a home in Ireland in 2026 will be entering a market that remains expensive, uneven, and still rising — but at a slower pace. The latest Residential Property Price Index from the Central Statistics Office, covering the year to November 2025, provides a clear snapshot of current conditions.
Here are 26 factual things buyers should know…
- House prices are still rising nationally.
Residential property prices increased by 6.6% year-on-year to November 2025. - Price growth is slowing, not reversing.
The annual increase eased from 7.2% in October to 6.6% in November. - Prices are not falling anywhere in the country.
No region or dwelling type recorded a year-on-year decline. - Dublin is no longer the fastest-growing market.
Prices in Dublin rose by 5.0%, below the national average. - Prices outside Dublin are rising faster.
Outside the capital, prices increased by 7.9% year-on-year. - The Midlands is seeing the strongest growth.
House prices in Laois, Longford, Offaly and Westmeath rose by 13.8%. - Apartment prices are rising faster than house prices.
Nationally, apartments increased by 7.1% compared with 6.5% for houses. - Apartment prices outside Dublin are rising sharply.
They increased by 10.5% over the year. - In Dublin, apartments are rising faster than houses.
Apartment prices rose by 5.6%, compared with 4.8% for houses. - The national median home price is €384,000.
This is the mid-point price paid by households over the past year. - Dublin remains the most expensive region.
The median price in Dublin is €499,000. - Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown is the most expensive local authority.
The median dwelling price there is €677,000. - Donegal remains the least expensive county.
The median price there is €190,000. - The most expensive Eircode in Ireland is A94 (Blackrock).
The median price reached €830,000. - The least expensive Eircode is F45 (Castlerea).
The median price there is €150,000. - Location-based price gaps are extreme.
The most expensive Eircode is more than five times the cheapest. - Fewer homes are being bought.
Transaction volumes fell by 8.3% compared with November 2024. - The total value of purchases is also falling.
Transaction values declined by 6.0% year-on-year. - Most buyers are purchasing second-hand homes.
Almost 78% of November transactions were for existing dwellings. - New homes make up just over one in five purchases.
New dwellings accounted for 22.3% of transactions. - First-time buyer activity is edging down.
First-time buyer purchases fell slightly year-on-year in November. - First-time buyers make up less than 40% of the market.
They accounted for 38.5% of household purchases over the year. - Former owner-occupiers dominate the market.
More than half of all purchases were by former owner-occupiers. - Non-occupier buyers remain a minority.
They accounted for just over 10% of transactions. - Prices are well above pre-crash peak levels.
National prices are now almost 24% higher than at the 2007 peak. - Median prices can be misleading month to month.
Headline median prices can move due to the mix of homes sold, even when overall prices are still rising.
The data shows a market where affordability pressures persist, regional differences are widening, and buyers are paying more even as fewer homes change hands. For anyone planning to buy in 2026, understanding these conditions is essential.
