A lack of supply is expected to drive up house prices again this year.
Increases of 7 to 10 per cent on average are forecast by estate agents nationwide - although increases are expected to be limited to 3 to 5 per cent in Carlow, Clare, Galway, Cork, Limerick, Louth, Meath, Roscommon and Tipperary.
County Leitrim remains the most affordable, with a three-bed, semi-detached house available in Mohill for 155 thousand euro.
Sorcha Corcoran, Editor of The Sunday Times Nationwide Property Price Guide says there are interesting developments in markets that were once considered 'more affordable'.
"The trend towards remote working means that people are now prepared to commute from further distances because they only have to go into their workplace maybe twice a week or three times a week so they're better off or they see themselves as better off going to a place that's maybe a two-hour drive compared to renting somewhere for very high rent closer to Dublin, Galway or Cork"
Ms Corcoran said new home schemes should keep prices from rising at the same rate as the previous year.
“In the greater Dublin area - in particular, the counties of Meath, Kildare and Wicklow - there have been new home schemes that came to the market in 2024,” she said.
“In 2025 this trend will continue, and it will help to alleviate pressure, which is why estate agents are predicting the houses will not go up as much this year as they did last year.”
Estate agents are predicting most hikes outside of Dublin will be in Donegal, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Offaly, Cork City, Sligo and North County Wicklow.
