Annual house price change in Ireland 2007-2023, per quarter

House prices in Ireland have been on an upward trend since 2013, with a brief period of decline in 2019 and 2020. Although house price growth slowed down in 2022, the nominal prices continued to rise in 2023; however, when adjusted for inflation, the property price development turned negative in the final quarter of 2022. Reasons for this big decline are the rising inflation in Ireland, reduced money lending from the Irish Central Bank, as well as decreased affordability.

How expensive are homes in Ireland?

The average list price of residential property in Ireland varied significantly between different counties. In the second quarter of 2023, Wicklow and Dublin were among the most expensive regions in the country, exceeding the national average of around 309,000 euros. Leitrim and Longford, on the other hand, offered the most affordable housing options, averaging below 200,000 euros.

Has income kept up with the development of house prices?

The house price-to-income ratio measures the development of housing affordability and is calculated by dividing the nominal house price by the nominal disposable income per head. Between 2015 and 2023, the house price-to-income ratio in Ireland grew by nearly 17 index points, which means that house values increased in relation to earnings. This makes homeownership in Ireland more challenging due to the decreasing affordability of dwellings.